What To Eat In The Future: Introducing The Future Meals, Part II
Read the first part of What To Eat In The Future series here.
Whenever we think of protein in general, the first thing came to mind is meat and dairy coming from farm animals.
By 2050, the global meat demand is expected to rise by 73%. Yet, the revelation of inhumane treatment against animal livestock has led to the prominent rise of veganism in recent years.
Antibiotics use in farm animals for disease prevention purposes can be both good and bad. Meanwhile, growth hormones treatments also pose potential health risks for both animals and humans.
According to the FAO report published in 2018, the animal agriculture is responsible for an estimated 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This figure however has been criticized for inaccurate estimation. A recent research publication argued that the figure should be updated to 16.5%, while others have claimed that the value is as high as 55%.
Despite the disputed figures and controversial practices, it is still quite challenging to separate meat from those who can’t suppress their carnivorous appetite. Some even require meat for health reasons. Moreover, the justification for needing everyone to adopt a plant-based diet is neither pragmatic nor rooted in realistic expectation of a one size fits all solution.
How about we try the following future food's menu instead? Let’s see what we have.
Fruit Fly Larvae Protein Powder: Yuck or Yummy?
Founded in 2015, an Israeli startup called Flying SpArk (note the spelling of “SpArk” is intentional) came up with an unconventional idea to use fruit fly larvae as a protein source. They achieved this by grinding and pounding the larvae into a thick paste so that it can be transformed into protein powder supplements, while the excess fat can be used for cosmetic products.
Flying SpArk uses a species called Ceratitis Capitata, that feed on fresh fruits and vegetables. Does it make eating them any less gross? Probably not, but at least we know what kind of nutritional values that we can get from these larvae. As the old adage goes, you are what you eat.
Speaking of nutrition, the powder consists of protein, dietary fibers and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium.
Still not convincing enough? Then let’s talk about sustainability.
Fruit fly larvae are cheap and easy to cultivate. They use very little land and water and produce no greenhouse emissions. Despite their short lifespan of 6 days, these larvae can multiply about 15 times during that period. Producing these larvae into a huge batch of protein is more sustainable compared to rearing animal livestock. Furthermore, eating larvae is no different from eating other insects like crickets and beetles.
The powder is expected to obtain US FDA approval in 2022. But, the question that we all would like to ask is, how does it actually taste like?
According to CEO and founder, Eran Gronich, he said, “It tastes nutty.”
Lab-grown meat: Meat without slaughter
The first cell cultivated meat burger was publicly introduced by a Dutch professor, Dr. Mark Post, back in 2013. The first proof of concept costed 250,000 euros to make. Google co-founder, Sergey Brin, funded the project after realizing the horrific truth about how cattle were treated in the meat farming industry.
The process of cultured meat starts with harvesting small muscle cells or stem cells from a living animal after administering them with anesthesia. This process is way less brutal than the impending doom of sending live animals to the slaughterhouse.
These cells are then bathed in a liquid growth medium (think of it as a broth) containing a number of proteins, vitamins, sugars and amino acids, before being transferred into specialized vats called bioreactors, where the cells can multiply “naturally”. After 2 to 8 weeks, depending on the type of meat that is being cultivated, you will have something that resembles meat.
Another fascinating technological feature of cultured meat is that we can multiply hundreds of animal muscle cells into a hundred trillion of cells, which we can then produce about 10,000 kilograms (22046lbs) of meat!
Mosa Meat, Future Meats and Aleph Farms are some of the emerging companies that produce lab-grown meat in an industry where it is predicted to be worth $572 million by 2027.
Nonetheless, there are some drawbacks to be considered. First of all, the taste of cultured meat needs a bit more work.
Second, the production cost needs to be reduced. The good news is that the price does go down, and it goes down rather quick. In 2021, Future Meats has claimed that they managed to reduce the cost of cultivated chicken from $18 per pound to $7.70 per pound within less than a year.
Apart from that, cultured meat does not have an internal immune system. That means they are still susceptible to viruses and bacteria, and thus still require administration of antibiotics.
Despite that, it seems impossible to deny the inevitable prospect of eating lab-grown meats. The price for such experimental cuisine will soon be as competitive as any other regular, natural meat. Tastier and safer “meat without slaughter” products will emerge, leading to a gradual and wider public acceptance.
Mycoprotein: Fungus Among Us
The idea for cheap and sustainable protein source products goes back decades ago. One of them is called mycoprotein, which is a fungi-derived proteins that were sold commercially as a product called Quorn back in the 1980s.
This fungi-based food is high in protein and dietary fiber, as well as having similar texture to ground beef and chicken. Mycoprotein is produced through the traditional process of fermentation inside a bioreactor. Growth medium is also being added, and then the processes of steaming and freezing of mycoprotein result in a meat-like structure.
The taste? Well, some claimed it does taste like meat, while others said it does not. I personally have tasted it once, and to be honest, I have to say I’m with the latter.
Mycoprotein is also cost-effective and sustainably produced. Yet, the product has its own fair share of controversies. In the past, there were consumer complaints involving dangerous allergic reactions such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Despite such complaints, mycoprotein is still relatively safe for consumption. In a report, Quorn defended that 1 in 146,000 people who consumed mycoprotein were prone to allergic reactions, compared to the 1 in 350 who consumed soy.
The allergic reaction is not necessarily unique to mycoprotein. It may be an inherent reaction for those who are allergic to certain food proteins in general. Although, It is still up for a debate in the scientific community.
Regardless, the future of mycoprotein products remains promising— Quorn are still being sold to the public, among with other new competitors in the plant-based food industry.
Food For Thought
Adaptability is not about picking the one preferable option. Adaptability is about learning how to keep your options open.
One of the ways to secure our future food system is to transform the way we eat, but it does not mean that we have to choose either all plant-based foods or nothing.
The crux of the matter is, we need to evaluate every available option and parameter that fits personal preference while still being able to tread the ethical line. It is only a matter of time, money and technological advancement before sustainable future foods become cheap, scalable and safe for daily consumption.
“The first essential component of social justice is adequate food for all mankind.” — Norman Borlaug, 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
That is all for part two of Future Meals series! If you’re getting some food after this, then I wish you Bon Appétit!
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