Maeve Webster’s Post

#PlantBasedMeat – also known as "alternative meat" – has been a popular choice among vegetarians for a long time. However, it is now becoming more widely accepted as a menu option at popular chains like #Starbucks, #Burger King, and #Applebees. Thanks to partnerships with Impossible Foods, it is now available in over 45,000 locations. CEO Peter McGuiness has been vocal about the challenges of convincing people to embrace plant-based meat. Despite his reservations about the current state of the industry, he insists that his company is thriving. However, the perception of plant-based meat as processed food continues to persist. The #AmericanHeartAssociation has recognized Impossible Beef Lite as a heart-healthy food. Similarly, the high-end Beyond Steak has received the same certification and boasts the enticing tagline, "Everything bad is good for me." Compared to traditional meat, plant-based options offer several health benefits. They are higher in protein, lower in fat and sodium, and completely cholesterol-free. However, they are still primarily consumed by non-meat-eaters and are often seen as a compromise.

This week's 'Impact Startups to Watch' are working on alternative ingredients in the #food industry by developing alternatives to #fats. These alternatives are essential as they significantly decrease the environmental impact of food production, including lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduced land and water usage. CUBIQ FOODS is a food tech company that combines scientific knowledge and expertise with the latest advances to provide an innovative range of alternative fats. Cultimate creates a game-changing cultivated fat technology to provide alternative meats with authentic taste and texture. ÄIO develops next-generation ingredients to replace palm oil, coconut oil and animal fats with sustainable and healthier alternatives. Time-travelling Milkman produces stable plant-based fat ingredients for sustainable and appetising dairy alternatives. Green-On developed a process that creates saturated fat from three simple ingredients—carbon dioxide, water, and electricity. #impactentrepreneurship #alternativefat #foodtech

3 tips for innovating in research (with examples on food and agritech research): 1. Think out of the box: Consider unconventional approaches, experiment with novel ingredients and reimagine traditional recipes. Dare to challenge assumptions and embrace the unexpected. Sometimes the most remarkable breakthroughs emerge from thinking beyond the ordinary. 2. Be patient: Allow time for research, testing and refinement. Be patient with setbacks, learn from failures and keep on experimenting. Patience allows ideas to mature and evolve into something truly remarkable. 3. Be curious about nature: Observe the natural world — from physical environment to biological life — and draw insights from their wonderful designs. Curiosity about the environment, biodiversity and sustainable nature often sparks innovative ideas.   To me, food and agritech innovation is not just about creating trendy foods or crops but more importantly to make positive impact on health, sustainability and people's happiness. Let our innovation produces sustainable impacts to the world, be it our small circle or the macroworld! Read about how these 3 led to food waste innovation: https://lnkd.in/gVxhaHNG Keyu Gu Hui-Wen Wu Samuel Aw Valavan S SoiLabs Frank Chua Terence Ong U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) #innovation #foodwaste #agritech

Whether you like it or not, alternative food options like lab-grown meats, plant-based milks and eggs, and organic veggie meals are rapidly becoming the new standard. With billions of dollars flowing into the food market, it's clear that agriculture and food systems are on the brink of a significant disruption. Stay informed about the future of food by checking out this insightful article: https://lnkd.in/gS-e6nqf

🥑🌱 Revolutionizing Food: Meet the Pioneers of Alternative Proteins 🍖🧫 In the fight against climate change, one industry deserves our urgent attention: animal agriculture. Responsible for a staggering portion of global emissions, the way we produce food is in dire need of a sustainable overhaul. ♻️🌎 Enter alternative proteins – a game-changing solution with the potential to slash emissions, conserve precious resources, and create a more resilient food system for our planet. 💚🌍 We've compiled a list of the top 12 companies leading this revolution, which you can check out in the full article (link in the first comment). From juicy plant-based burgers 🍔 to lab-grown meat 🔬, companies like ADM Cargill OmniFoods Impossible Foods Aleph Farms Remilk Believer Meats Redefine Meat TiNDLE Foods Shiok Meats Growthwell Foods TurtleTree are pioneering cutting-edge technologies to deliver delicious, sustainable protein sources that rival their animal-based counterparts. 😋 But this revolution isn't just about taste and texture. It's about building a future where nutritious food doesn't come at the cost of environmental destruction. A future of abundance without sacrifice. ✨🥕 Organizations like The Good Food Institute are charging full-steam ahead, supporting and accelerating alternative protein innovations. Their work is invaluable in making this vision a reality. 🙌🏼🚀 As consumers, we wield incredible power to drive this shift simply by changing what's on our plates. 🍽 Every bite of an alternative protein is a vote for a greener, more sustainable tomorrow. 🗳💚 So let's celebrate these trailblazers and join them in reshaping our food system. The future of food is plant-based, cultivated, and full of possibility! 🥗🌯🍖 #plantbased #alternativeprotein #climatetech #climatechange #vegan #

Feeding the future: How AgriTech and FoodTech can power food sustainability Technological innovation may be the key to help feeding the world. Food – the production, consumption and distribution of it – is generating a carbon footprint that has been overwhelming the planet. An estimated 22 percent of food produced for human consumption is lost due to poor transportation and harvesting practices before reaching retail markets. What we eat, and how that food is produced, not only affects our health, but also has a major impact on the environment. And as the world population continues to grow, amid decreasing biodiversity in our food supply and diminishing agricultural land, producing sufficient food to feed people while ensuring the process does not negatively impact the environment is a tough act to balance... Read more here:  https://lnkd.in/dGpC_Zdj Join us to be part of the change!

🌱 Unleashing the Future of Food Innovation! 🌱 A recent patent by MyForest Foods introduces an innovative method for producing mycelium-based food products, leveraging the incredible potential of aerial mycelium. 🌾 Traditional methods of producing meat alternatives often struggle with texture, flavor absorption, and sustainability. Many plant-based products either fall short in replicating the mouthfeel of meat or require extensive processing that diminishes their environmental benefits. Moreover, cultivating conventional livestock for meat is resource-intensive, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption. 🔬 What's the Big Deal? This patent details a breakthrough process that cultivates aerial mycelium — a form of fungal growth that occurs above the substrate, optimizing resource use. By employing a vacuum chamber, the process enhances flavor absorption and texture, closely mimicking the sensory experience of meat. This method not only speeds up production but also significantly reduces the energy and resources required compared to traditional animal farming and other meat alternatives. 💡 Why Should You Care? As we face growing environmental and ethical challenges, the need for sustainable food sources has never been more critical. Mycelium-based foods offer a promising solution by providing high-quality nutrition with a significantly lower ecological footprint. This innovative approach addresses the shortcomings of current plant-based options, offering a more realistic meat substitute without the hefty environmental cost. 🍽️ A Future Full of Flavor The possibilities are endless. From mycelium-based bacon to innovative seafood and poultry alternatives, this technology not only caters to the plant-based market but also to those seeking healthier and more sustainable food options. By solving the issues of poor texture, flavor integration, and unsustainable practices, this patent marks a pivotal step toward a future where our food choices are both delicious and planet-friendly. Read the patent here - https://lnkd.in/gp_M2hXv #Innovationforall #Innovation #SustainableFood #FoodTech #Mycelium #FutureOfFood Post by Dr. Himanshu Sharma (Ph.D.)

An innovation in food technology: Let's explore the new patent filed by MyForest Foods, addressing flavor and texture issues of conventional plant-based meats through mycelium cultures. #innovation #innovationforall #foodtechnology

Indeed we are in a “food polycrisis”…which is also the most significant opportunity to address how we protect and harness nature for our own health and well being. But in this sustainability shift there won’t be a handful of companies that will use their market power to accelerate better ways to grow, process, and sell food. We also won’t have the benefits of singular metrics (e.g. cost per kWh for renewables, % of EVs sold per quarter) to be the markers of success given the inherent fragmentation and complexity of the food system. It will take a much, much broader system of actors from across agricultural inputs, farming, processing, packaging, retailing and healthcare supported by far seeing policy makers and investors. Outstandingly challenging, but the rewards will create a world where we can provide healthy and sustainable food for all. https://lnkd.in/e2fXefJm

As global awareness for the need to build a sustainable, secure, and just food system rises, investments in alternative protein sources are accelerating. One promising frontier in this movement is alternative seafood, driven by the urgent need to restore marine life and address the issues of overfishing. 🌍🐟 The fishing industry is notoriously unsustainable, often incentivized to overfish, leading to the depletion of valuable marine species and disruption of the ocean’s ecological balance. Producing alternative seafood offers significant advantages. For instance, seafood analogues generate 75% less CO2 emissions compared to traditional seafood like Norwegian Salmon and produce 50% less food waste due to longer shelf life. 🌱The production of alternative seafood is not restricted to coastal areas, reducing transportation costs and spoilage. 📉This demand-driven production can better withstand supply and demand shocks. Additionally, seafood generally sells at a higher price point than terrestrial meat, making price parity for alternatives more achievable.🦞🐙 The alternative seafood market, although still emerging, has seen substantial investment growth, particularly in the US. The market in Europe is anticipated to follow a similar trajectory, with a significant wave of investments expected in the coming years. Companies like Heura Foods are leading the way, demonstrating that plant-based fish can be both delicious and sustainable. 🌿 At ECBF, we believe in the transformative potential of the alternative seafood industry to reduce carbon emissions and offer sustainable, healthy protein sources. We are dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs who are pioneering this vital shift towards a circular bioeconomy in Europe. 💪 By fostering innovation and strategic partnerships, we aim to accelerate the development and distribution of alternative seafood, creating a better and healthier future for everyone. 💚 Read the full blog article to learn more about this exciting opportunity! You can find the link in the comments. ⬇️