Artificial intelligence has analyzed millions of plants. It found nearly 800 substitutes for animal ingredients.

Traditional emulsifiers - key substances responsible for the smooth consistency of mayonnaise, sauces, ice creams, as well as cosmetics and medicines - have relied for years on ingredients of animal or synthetic origin. The search for their plant-based counterparts using laboratory methods has so far been extremely tedious, expensive, and based on trial and error.

A breakthrough came with the combination of statistical physics and machine learning. A team of scientists from the universities of Leeds and Edinburgh created an AI model that quickly analyzed the structure and chemical properties of tens of millions of plant proteins. As a result, the technology selected nearly 800 potential, fully plant-based emulsifiers – including many that had never been considered in this context before. Successful laboratory tests of proteins from peas and potatoes confirmed the remarkable accuracy of the algorithm's predictions.

This discovery revolutionizes the process of designing food and cosmetics. By shortening research time from many years to just a few days, artificial intelligence opens a straightforward path for producers to create more sustainable, eco-friendly, and environmentally friendly products without the use of animal-derived raw materials.