The future of food is under water
During the COP 27, some successes were achieved but an overall feeling of ‘not good enough’ emerged…especially regarding transforming the food system. As we know that the rise of temperature puts a lot of pressure on crops and agriculture in general, it is high time to think of what we can grow with new conditions and without compromising our natural resources.
Our expert in Sustainable Food, Fleur Parnet, specialized in alternative proteins gives us her point of view on the growing trends on algae. 🤿
What are the long term trends that you see in the food sector?
For several years, we have seen a need to move away from animal food and develop more plant-based food to feed populations without overcoming the precious resources of our beloved planet earth. The most effective way is to feed people directly from plants avoiding the step to first feed animals who then feed people. Indeed, growing plants on earth and feeding cattle is dwindling, slowly but surely, the fresh water resources that we desperately need to maintain
Good Health linked to a better diet (rich in fibers, in proteins, less in carbohydrates and fat) is also an important need for our populations. Sadly, we see dramatic statistics about health issues due to the rise of obesity in the population including kids. Diabetes type 2 is also growing drastically, mostly linked to what we eat (and the lack of physical activity).
Finally, 71% of our planet earth’s surface is made of water which represents an underestimated potential to grow food. 🌱
Therefore, algae growing in salted water, as a source of seaweed products to feed humans, is an exciting opportunity for the future. On top, by combining food that our ancestors relied on with sustainable technical farming solutions, we can fully embrace another future-proof strand of food diversification.
How has the recent crisis impacted the food sector?
Food sector is under pressure, even more than before:
- Costs of growing food is increasing
- Sourcing has become even more insecure — one day you can have the ingredients, the other, the prices are x3 higher or you just don’t have the ingredients at all.
The recent crises are catalyzers of the urge to find alternatives, test them, and educate consumers about them.
We often say “ Fall in love with your problem, not the solution”..
In this case, the problem is twofold and the solution with algaé can be answered in one proposal.
Why?
- Algae are versatile
- Algae are everywhere
- Algae are nutritious
- Algae are almost taste free
But algae are not known and changing habits takes time. ⏳
Similar to insects, it is not an easy path. Some countries are more advanced with accepting insects or algae in their daily diets like asian countries. The lack of knowledge, fear of the taste or even the food form make it less or more “acceptable”. Our CEO, David Mellett, could tell one or two things on this topic when he launched Little Food: a company tackling the impact of meat over consumption shift by providing insects as a more sustainable protein source.
And yet..it grows 10 times more rapidly than terrestrial plants. It grows on non-productive and non-arable land, so it doesn’t compete with other crops for land. The qualities of algae (high in proteins, in omega oils and in vitamins and minerals) mean algae are the perfect candidates to be a future staple of a healthy diet and an integral component if we are to build a more sustainable food system.
What can we do with algae?
The biggest challenge is to change the misperception from consumers about algae. To fulfill the huge potential that algae have, we need to explore how food system actors can turn consumer perceptions into consumer preference. Either having it visible and noticeable, like the powder of spiruline to add in smoothies for instance.
On the other hand, the power of its coloring agents are very strong and can be used in a creative way for food recipes like pancakes for instance.
But most importantly, algae can also be used to feed animals. Some species of algae can pack up for 70% of their dry weight in protein and are rich in essential amino acids. Cultured algae represent an efficient substitute to other plant-based proteins in farmed animal feed.
Outside of food, algae can also be applied in biofuel, fertilizers, bioplastics … the possibilities are many and we’re just beginning getting to understand its incredible potential.
Why are you passionate about Sustainable food?
I see the limited resources and the education towards consumers as critical factors, but if we succeed, we can make such a difference and impact.
The sea provides an opportunity to work with natural nutrients and natural light requiring less energy, apart from the transformation. This is why I believe that the potential is massive if we can put our creative power and energy into developing seaweed into a future food. 🙌
Let’s go algae!
If you believe also in algae as a potential solution to solve some of the food systems issues, don’t hesitate to contact us. 📩
