A Look At Next-Gen Future Foods – Part 2
(Feat. Cargill, Bill Gates, SoftBank, U.S., Israel, UK Startups, Food Tech, Nebraska, GMO-Free Agriculture, Tyson Upside Foods, Alternative Proteins, Cultured Meat & Edible Insects)
Following up from Part 1
52. When big money rolls in, things start changing fast.
53. There’s a trio of famous investors who always jump in on profitable ideas before anyone else. One of them has already dived into the cultured meat industry.
54. Bill Gates, along with global food giant Cargill, invested $17 billion to officially kick off large-scale research into cultured meat.
55. Tyson Foods, the world’s second-largest meat processor, followed suit and invested in Upside Foods.
56. With these massive funds, the cultured meat industry could finally start tackling some of its biggest obstacles.
57. First issue? Taste. The initial cultured meat was dry and lacking flavor since it didn’t have fat marbling like regular meat.
58. But researchers cracked the code by culturing cow fat cells separately, then mixing them into the muscle cells to improve the taste.
59. Another challenge? Cultured meat was limited to just ground-meat patties.
60. But by stacking muscle cells in layers within molds, they were able to make thicker cuts of meat with a texture closer to what people expect from real meat.
61. Here’s a sample: a lab-grown “Meat” made by combining fat cells and muscle cells to create a more authentic look and taste.
62. In 2019, cultured meat hit a turning point that changed everything.
63. Researchers developed a serum-free technology, meaning they could grow meat without using fetal bovine serum.
64. This new tech was a big win for both ethics and economics.
65. Serum-free production slashed costs, improved scalability, and put an end to the controversy around using animal fetal serum.
66. In May 2019, Upside Foods was able to cut the price of cultured meat from an outrageous $5,000 per 3 ounces (around 100 grams) down to about $23 using this serum-free approach.
67. SoftBank noticed and jumped in with more investment for Upside Foods.
68. By June 2020, Future Meat in Israel used serum-free tech to start producing lab-grown pork and chicken, dropping the price further to roughly $1.50 per 3 ounces.
69. When cultured meat costs less than the real deal, it’s called “meat parity.” That milestone was officially hit in July 2022.
70. Another huge advantage of cultured meat? The way it can be stored and shipped.
71. Because it’s grown in sterile labs, cultured meat can be vacuum-packed and stored at room temperature as long as it’s sealed tight.
72. Unlike regular meat, which needs to be kept cold or frozen, cultured meat can be vacuum-sealed and stored at room temperature.
73. The traditional meat industry is starting to worry that if cultured meat becomes cheaper than regular meat, it could become the popular choice.
74. Not everyone’s thrilled about the idea, though.
75. In September 2024, Nebraska became the first state in the U.S. to ban the sale of cultured meat, at least until 2025.
76. Nebraska didn’t stop at just banning sales—they also put in place extra measures to keep cultured meat from spreading.
77. The state’s rules now exclude cultured meat from public food programs and require stores to keep it separate from real meat products.
78. Nebraska’s governor signed this law right in a small-town butcher shop, explaining that it was all about protecting the state’s agriculture.
79. Agriculture is a big part of Nebraska’s economy, and the influence of farmers and livestock businesses is strong.
80. Let’s just say this law likely considered the votes of farmers and livestock industry.
81. Although the USDA approved cultured meat as safe to eat in 2023, some places are still pushing back hard.
82. Across the pond, in July 2024, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs approved cultured chicken from the company Meatly—as pet food.
83. Here’s the twist: Meatly’s chicken isn’t even from a chicken. It’s grown from cells extracted from an egg.
84. Their product is GMO-free, antibiotic-free, and free from harmful pathogens, heavy metals, and other contaminants—making it a super clean, safe option.
85. Meatly’s production costs are down to less than £1 (about $1.20) per kilogram, making it very affordable.
86. Meatly’s cultured chicken for pets is expected to hit the UK market by the end of 2024.
87. With this move, the UK became the first European country to approve the sale of cultured meat, but not all EU countries are on board.
88. In agriculture-heavy countries like Italy, France, and Austria, lab-grown meat is outright banned to protect traditional livestock and farming industries.
89. So, it looks like cultured meat might catch on more easily in places with less reliance on traditional livestock.
90. While lab-grown meat is wrestling with opposition, another competitor is creeping in: insect-based protein.
91. Insects are now being explored as a sustainable protein source.
92. Cultured meat is classified as animal protein, while insect-based foods fall under “alternative proteins.”
93. Just like we know imitation crab meat (surimi, crab sticks) isn’t actually crab—it’s pollock colored with carmine dye.
94. Carmine dye comes from bright red color cochineal extract.
95. You’ll find cochineal listed on ingredient labels for all kinds of products, from ham to cosmetics like lipstick.
96. In fact, it’s pretty much everywhere—from drinks to snacks that need a red hue.
97. Cochineal? It’s literally powdered insects.
98. These female cochineal insects feed on cactus plants, producing that distinct red color.
99. To produce one pound of cochineal dye, you’d need about 70,000–80,000 female cochineal insects.
100. In the U.S., four main types of edible insects are approved for human consumption: house crickets, European migratory locusts, mealworms, and lesser mealworms.
101. Eating insects isn’t exactly new; it’s been part of human history for centuries.
102. Neuroanthropologist John Allen even thinks our love for crispy snacks, like fries and potato chips, might trace back to ancient insect-eating habits.
103. The Bible even mentions locusts as food, and John the Baptist is said to have survived on locusts and honey in the wilderness.
104. In the U.S., popular insect-based products include Exo protein bars made from cricket flour and Chirps chips, which are cricket-infused tortilla chips.
105. In Europe, you’ll find cricket pasta in Italy, mealworm burgers in France, and a variety of cricket and mealworm protein bars across the region.
106. And in Asia, insect-based dishes are still common: the Japanese stew crickets, Koreans eat silkworm pupae, and in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, people fry up cicadas, larvae, and dragonflies.
107. Honestly, if crabs and shrimp were tiny and land-dwelling, they’d probably be labeled as “insects” too.
108. Even today, In landlocked places like Mongolia, where seafood isn’t common, some people still see crabs and shrimp as just another kind of “insect.”
109. Though woodlice aren’t edible, they’re said to taste and look similar to shrimp.
110. Insects are high in protein, require little space to farm, and can be raised on low-quality grains unfit for human or livestock consumption—making them a sustainable protein source.
111. The future of insect-based food depends on whether people can get past the “ick” factor.
Alphazen Insights
Cultured meat and plant-based proteins? Promising—and getting tastier! But… insects? Still a hard pass for most. Meanwhile, the lab-grown meat market is heating up fast, with prices dropping and investor interest climbing. Keep an eye on this space—it’s ready to shake up the food industry!
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