Plant based heamoglobin - development and commersialisation

Important results from the project

A vegetable hemoglobin has been developed using biochemical methods. Hemoglobin has good properties and is very heat stable. Hemoglobin is suitable for iron enrichment of food products. Women are the main target group for vegetable hemoglobin. They prefer foods rich in iron over pills with iron salts which often cause stomach problems. A fertile woman needs to take 2 mg of iron a day, which is equivalent to 1 g of vegetable hemoglobin.

Expected long term effects

The result is a vegetable hemoglobin with good properties that is very heat stable. Hemoglobin is suitable for iron enrichment of food products. There is a large market for high quality ingredients for iron enrichment. Previously, all flour and pasta products were enriched with iron salt, which was removed after criticism. Vegetable hemoglobin does not have the negative health effects of iron salts.

Approach and implementation

The project has been carried out in accordance with the agreed plan. The situation of shutdown in society due to the spread of the coronavirus has made international physical contacts impossible. All laboratory work has been carried out in Sweden and preferably at LTH. Some activities have had to be re-prioritized. The cooperation between the various participants in the project has been very good. Regular online and sometimes physical meetings have resulted in orderly progress.