Lab-Cultured Meat

First on the list is lab-cultured meat, which is distinct from plant-based alternatives like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. This innovation, known as cellular agriculture, involves growing muscle cells outside of an animal's body.

Currently, no cell-based meats are available in stores, but startups like Memphis Meats and Mosa Meats are working to change that. As Memphis Meats co-founder Uma Valeti puts it, “We are providing compelling and delicious choices by producing real meat from animal cells, its natural building blocks.”

Cultured meat avoids the need to harvest animals, although it begins with stem cells obtained from livestock through a biopsy. In a lab setting, these cells are nurtured in a nutrient-rich broth, allowing them to multiply significantly. Once a sufficient quantity has been produced, the cells are guided to develop into muscle tissue, ultimately shaping them into patties for packaging and distribution.

Memphis Meats aims to create a range of products, including beef, chicken, and duck, while Mosa Meats focuses on traditional beef patties. Both companies face regulatory hurdles before their products can be sold in supermarkets.

Protein Derived from Air

Another exciting development comes from Solar Foods, which has created Solein, a protein powder derived from a fermentation process that extracts nutrients from the air. Solein's production involves capturing carbon dioxide and generating hydrogen, which feed a specially engineered strain of bacteria.

This innovative process results in a single-cell protein that is over 50% protein, along with carbohydrates and fats. With its neutral flavor and color, Solein can potentially be incorporated into various food products, from pasta to yogurt. Solar Foods plans to have a commercial production facility operational by 2022.

Yeast-Based Frozen Desserts

Perfect Day, a food technology company, aims to redefine ice cream by using yeast to produce dairy proteins identical to those found in cow's milk. This is achieved through the insertion of cow DNA into the yeast's genetic code, allowing it to create whey and casein when fed sugar.

While the yeast is genetically modified, the resulting proteins do not contain any modified DNA, thus avoiding labeling as bioengineered food. Perfect Day's ice cream has gained attention, selling out rapidly despite its premium price, and the company plans to expand into other dairy products in the future.

Cultured Breast Milk

Emerging technologies from Turtle Tree Labs and Biomilq are exploring the production of cultured breast milk from living cells. Turtle Tree utilizes animal mammary cells, while Biomilq focuses on human cells, aiming to provide a superior alternative to current baby formulas.

Biomilq's cultured breast milk has already shown promising results in containing essential components like human casein and lactose, with the potential to replicate the many beneficial elements found in natural breast milk.

Ultimately, the acceptance of lab-produced foods will depend on consumer perception. While the farm-to-table movement gained rapid popularity, the future of lab-to-table remains uncertain amid growing skepticism towards scientific advancements. As we consider these innovations, we might ask ourselves: Would you be willing to try lab-grown meat or yeast-based ice cream?