A Battle Royale Between Vegan Burger Brands is About to Unleash in Supermarkets

There will be fake blood. Pending US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, that is.

nod from the FDA (subscription) is the only thing standing in the way of Los Angeles-based Impossible Foods rolling out its high-tech faux burger in American grocery stores. The Impossible Burger is already being sold in more than 5,000 US restaurants. Its main ingredient, soy leghemoglobin, or “heme,” is what gives the burger its flavor and pink, meat-like appearance.

And therein is the issue. That pinkish heme needs to be formally approved as a color additive before it can be purchased and handled by individual consumers. Impossible Foods filed a petition to the agency in November to have heme approved as a color additive. The FDA can take at least 90 days to respond.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Quartz