Actually, this sounds like Food of the Gods by H.G. Wells. Or that least that's the closest match I can think of by one of Verne's contemporaries. I haven't actually read it, so I'm not 100% certain.
The thing to remember is that Verne tried to keep his stuff within the bounds of known science, and criticized Wells for his much wilder speculations.
The thing to remember is that Verne tried to keep his stuff within the bounds of known science, and criticized Wells for his much wilder speculations.