A Look at Next-Gen Future Foods – Part 1

(Feat. Beyond Meat, Upside Food Tech, Investment Funding, Vegetarian, Sustainable Alternative, Cultivated Lab-grown Protein and Meat; Birth Fertility Rate, Aging Population)

1. It’s no surprise—aging populations and low birth rates are serious global issues that most of us are familiar with by now.

2. In many developed countries, the total fertility rate—the average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime—is around 1.6. The U.S. rate is similarly low, at about 1.64 children per woman.

3. By 2025, global fertility rates are expected to drop even further to about 1.54 children per woman, deepening the trend.

4. But if we step back and look at the global picture, the numbers tell a different story.

5. On November 15, 2022, the UN announced that the global population had passed the 8-billion mark.

6. Projections show that by 2050, the world population will surpass 10 billion.

7. Population growth happens when the fertility rate is above 2.1. When it drops below this, populations start to decline.

8. In the 1950s, women worldwide had an average of 4.7 children. Today, that figure is around 2.3.

9. Although the global birth rate has halved, it’s still above 2.1, so the world’s population continues to grow, for now.

10. India recently overtook China as the world’s most populous country, with both nations hovering around 1.4 billion people.

11. This shift happened in 2023 when India officially claimed the top spot in population size.

12. China’s birth rate is at 1.3, meaning its population is shrinking, while India’s rate, at 2.2, still allows for some population growth.

13. Africa, however, is where the most significant population increases are expected.

14. The continent currently has a birth rate of 5.2 children per woman.

15. With its current population around 1 billion, Africa’s population is expected to triple to 3 billion by mid-century.

16. As population grows, food supply strains are intensifying, especially in terms of meat production.

17. With current population growth, we’ll need to produce an additional 200 million tons of meat annually. But finding enough land to grow livestock feed is already challenging.

18. With global water shortages, the water required for meat production is becoming another serious issue.

19. For example, growing 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of corn requires 172 gallons (650 liters) of water, while 2.2 pounds of wheat needs about 238 gallons (900 liters).

20. So yes, even grains take a lot of water to grow.

21. But to produce 2.2 pounds (1kg) of beef? That takes a staggering 10,570 gallons (40,000 liters) of water.

22. In addition to feed, securing enough water for livestock is becoming an increasingly difficult task.

23. Alternative meats emerged as one of the first solutions to tackle potential meat shortages.

24. Alternative meat refers to protein sources that don’t come from animals.

25. These include plant-based products that imitate the taste and texture of meat, often called “soy meat.”

26. Beyond Meat is one of the best-known brands in this space.

27. Their process uses pea protein to create a meat-like texture, beet juice for a “bloody” color, and coconut oil to mimic the juiciness of real meat.

28. The main criticism of alternative meat is that, while it looks like meat, it doesn’t quite taste like it.

29. Enter cultured meat, which is becoming a promising alternative.

30. Typically, “alternative meat” refers to plant-based products, while “cultured meat” is grown from real animal cells in a lab.

31. Cultured meat research began in 2004 when Professor Mark Post in the Netherlands received €2 million in government funding.

32. To create cultured meat, scientists start by extracting stem cells from animals.

33. These cells are then placed in a nutrient-rich serum, where they grow and multiply, eventually forming muscle cells.

34. Within a few weeks, these cells develop into protein fibers resembling strands of pasta.

35. Cultured meat can be produced around 20 times faster than traditional livestock.

36. It also uses far less water, emits fewer greenhouse gases, and requires much less land than conventional meat.

37. For instance, producing the same amount of cultured meat takes just 1% of the land, 4% of the water, and emits only 4% of the greenhouse gases compared to raising livestock.

38. However, cultured meat lacks fat, so it can taste bland and has a poor texture, often produced in a ground patty form.

39. Besides taste, the high production costs and complex processes present additional challenges.

40. Currently, fetal bovine serum (FBS), taken from the blood of unborn calves, is used as the main growth medium.

41. Like human serum, fetal bovine serum (FBS) contains all the essential nutrients that cells need to grow.

42. FBS is ideal because it doesn’t trigger immune responses that could inhibit cell growth, making it perfect for culturing meat.

43. However, FBS costs up to $1,000 per quart (about 1 liter).

44. Producing a single hamburger patty (around 4 ounces) requires about 13 gallons (50 liters) of FBS.

45. That means each cultured meat burger costs around $50,000 just for the FBS!

46. On top of the cost, the process of extracting serum from unborn calves is ethically controversial.

47. In 2013, researchers made the first cultured meat hamburger, despite these challenges.

48. Due to FBS costs, that initial burger cost around $330,000 to produce.

49. In 2016, U.S.-based Upside Foods entered the field, reducing costs to about $30,000 for a 3-ounce cultured meatball.

50. Through continued research, Upside Foods recently brought production costs down to about $4,500 per 3-ounce serving (around 85 grams).

51. But even at this reduced price, 100g of cultured meat is still far from commercially viable.

52. However, when major investment flows in, progress can be rapid.

53. There are three big players who always jump on a money-making idea before anyone else—and now, one of them has set their sights on the world of cultured meat.

Stay tuned for Part 2.