Crossword Genius

Essential part of diet is not ripe, unfortunately (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

protein

'essential part of diet' is the definition.

'not ripe unfortunately' is the wordplay.
'unfortunately' indicates an anagram.
'not'+'ripe'='notripe'
'notripe' anagrammed gives 'PROTEIN'.

'is' is the link.

(Other definitions for protein that I've seen before include "Essential part of diet, found in meat, say" , "Important component of diet" , "Substance in meat" , "complex compound" , "Important dietary component" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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