![]() Precision Fermentation is a new way of growing ingredients found in animal products without the need for a traditional farm. It is being used to create more environmentally sustainable animal protein. Precision Fermentation uses genetic engineering to multiply animal cells in brewery-style tanks. This results in an extremely efficient process where specific proteins, fats, or flavor molecules are produced in large quantities. Researchers can create more sustainable, all-natural foods that perfectly replicate the taste and texture of animal products. In addition to meat, researchers are also creating egg and dairy alternatives, such as creating cow protein in the lab. This allows manufacturers to make ice cream, cheese, and other creamy foods. Fermentation has been around for centuries using yeast or bacteria It is essential for making sourdough bread, beer and cheese, for example. Fermentation extends shelf life and creates unique and complex flavors and textures. Precision fermentation technology has been around for just 30 years. It's already used in the production of several food ingredients, including natural flavors, rennet, vitamins and stevia. But now it is getting greater attention as the need create a good-for-the-planet food system increases. Food styling and photo by Sarah Phillips @FutureofFoodisNow
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![]() How will we feed the planet's growing population in a sustainable way as it rises to almost 10 billion in the middle of this century? Smart protein, also called alternative protein, is a pioneering new food category that is a viable alternative to animal-derived meat, eggs, and dairy. It has vastly better implications for food security, public health, and planetary health. The problems with animal production are two-fold: it contributes to the emission of greenhouse gasses and the demand for feed sometimes destroys unique ecosystems. Plant-based alternatives to animal-based foods are seen as the future of food, and there will be even more varieties in the future. The plant-based meat market is poised for exponential growth, from $7.9 billion in 2022 to $15.7 billion by 2027 with North America emerging as the fastest-growing region. (mordorintelligence.com/) Pioneering companies like Impossible Foods (Impossible Burger in 2016) and Beyond Meat (Beyond Chicken Strips in 2012; Beyond Burger in 2016) have educated the public about plant-based and alternative protein food choices. Foodtank has written about the Singapore-based food tech startup Karana Foods working to support biodiversity and benefit farmers, consumers, and chefs, through a meat alternative made from jackfruit. Foodtank has also highlighted Greenleaf Foods, which produces the plant-based protein brand Lightlife. It is now the largest U.S. manufacturer of tempeh, or soy protein that is all Certified Organic and non-GMO. 65% of Americans have consumed plant-based meat alternatives in the past year, with 2 in 5 eating them daily or weekly, according to surveys from the International Food Information Council in 2021 (foodinsight.org). The global market for plant-based proteins is expanding due to rising demand for vegan protein products. The alternative-protein industry is at a crossroads. Could hybrid products, such as combinations of lab-grown and conventional foods, be the future of protein? And how about insects, fungi, seaweed or cell culture? We will be keeping an eye on what comes next from alternative-protein companies as they try to provide good substitutes for animal meat. Foopd styling and photo by Sarah Phillips @FutureofFoodisNow ![]() Nearly 60% of the U.S. diet is comprised of ultra-processed foods. They are loaded with refined grains, calories, sodium (salt), sugar and saturated fat. Unfortunately, consumers choose these foods over nutritionally healthier alternatives according to a new study conducted by Zogby Analytics on behalf of Research!America and the American Hear Association. This is despite the fact that 68% recognize healthy eating habits are important for improving a person’s chance for a long and healthy life. U.S. consumers say there are two reasons they don’t choose nutritious foods: affordability and accessibility. 53% of US consumers believe the US is not making enough progress in making nutritious foods more accessible and affordable. But there is another factor to consider: overeating. Too many Americans consume more food than their bodies need, often unconsciously. In his New York Times Bestseller, The End of Overeating, David Kessler describes how the American food industry is constructed to profit from the science behind high-caloric food and the brain’s reward systems that has led to an epidemic of overeating. In the past hundred years, however, the commercialization of the food industry and the outsourcing of home cooked meals to restaurants has dramatically increased the weight of the average American. Food has become more accessible and cheaper by incorporating cheap sugar and fat. “Fat-on-sugar-on-fat-on-salt-on-fat combinations generate multiple sensory effects, which is just what the industry wants,” Dr. Kessler adds. High-calorie foods look, feel and taste good because they tap into our carnal desires to seek pleasure, just like sex or drugs. These foods target areas of our brain that keep us wanting more, even after our stomachs are full. Extremely sweet or fatty foods captivate the brain's reward circuit in much the same way that drugs, alcohol, and gambling do. So, we seek out more, even with healthy choices readily available. There are ways you can reduce your cravings for salt, sugar, and fat, but in practical terms the best remedy is to not bring fatty, super sweet foods into the house at all. While exercise, sleep and stress reduction can all help, eating nutritionally balanced meals is your best option. Food styling and Photo by Sarah Phillips @FutureofFoodisNow ![]() Plant-based or plant-forward eating focuses on foods primarily from plants. This includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans. It doesn't mean that you are vegetarian or vegan and never eat meat or dairy. Rather, you are proportionately choosing more of your foods from plant sources. Leafy green vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They're packed with micronutrients and flavor, and are low in calories. Most leafy green vegetables are a great source of nutrition and contain high levels of fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, folate, and calcium, are rich in vitamins A, C, E and K. Broccoli, bok choy, and mustard are also rich in many of the B-vitamins. They have very little sodium, cholesterol, and carbohydrates. Eating a diet rich in leafy greens can offer numerous health benefits, such as reducing your risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental decline. The best green vegetables to consume are spinach, kale, collard greens, wok chop, Swiss chard, and romaine lettuce. Use organic varieties to avoid pesticides (washing conventional produce does not rid them of pesticides, by the way.). Spinach takes the top prize as the healthiest vegetable because of its range of nutrients and benefits. It also contains antioxidants that guard against cancer, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Recent research shows that the green leaves of many plants are both affordable and abundant, making them a sustainable source of proteins and essential amino acids. Called GLPs, they include green leaves from alfalfa, amaranth, cabbage, cassava, duckweed, jackfruit, moringa, mulberry, olive, pumpkin, radish, spinach, sugar beet, and tea. GLPs have a better nutritional profile than other plant proteins because they contain a good balance of essential amino acids. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has recognized GLPs as an important source of food proteins for the future. Moreover, the production of proteins from these leaves could help reduce greenhouse gas levels because of the ability of green leaves to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Furthermore, the sustainability and economic viability of the food supply chain would be improved if plant leaves that are normally discarded are converted into value added food ingredients. For instance, GLPs may be utilized as functional ingredients in foods because of their nutritional, binding, emulsifying, foaming, thickening, gelling, or structuring properties. Several kinds of GLPs have been shown to exhibit antioxidant properties, consequently they may be utilized as natural preservatives in foods. GLCs can also play a significant role in plant-based meat alternatives. They are frequently used as additives to enhance nutritional value and provide desirable functional properties. A study found that GLPs even offer a viable alternative to flour without compromising quality. More research and development is still required before GLPs are widely used as ingredients in foods, but there is much promise for the future. Recently, researchers have been exploring alternative processing technologies to enhance the efficiency of plant protein extraction, as well as the quality of the protein ingredients obtained. Food styling and Photo by Sarah Phillips @FutureofFoodisNow |