Experts predict that crickets, genetically modified tomatoes and lab-grown meat may soon be on our dinner table.
In the next 40 years, the demand for food will double, predicts WHO (World Health Organization). But there are fewer and fewer free areas where food can be grown. The rapidly growing population and its increasing wealth are fueling the growing demand. According to forecasts, the most difficult thing will be the production of the required amount of meat.
Human demand for meat will double by 2050. With almost 70% of the world's agricultural land already being used for livestock, rising demand will drive prices up. Henning Steinfeld of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said that beef will be "the caviar of the future."
In addition, the production of the current burgers and steaks is very harmful to the environment. Animal husbandry contributes 39% of all methane emissions and 5% of carbon dioxide. “This is not ecologically sustainable,” says Professor Mark Post, a physiologist at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. “We need to look for alternatives.”
Mark Post is one of those who are busy finding ways to prevent a food crisis with the help of science. In the future, his work may lead to the fact that meat will be grown in laboratories.
Other solutions are no less radical. As shown in "Can Eating Insects Save the World?" (San Eating Insects Save The World?) with Stefan Gates, which recently aired on BBC 4, many experts predict that insects will slowly begin to seep into the menu of European cuisine. Moreover, original technologies are being developed that will allow growing fruits and vegetables in the deserts.
In this material, we will try to tell how scientists propose to deal with the food crisis. Which of the proposed solutions will suit your taste the most?
Insects
Given the growing demand for meat, it is not clear how the predators of the future will look for their lunch. Will they be able to switch to this kind of grasshopper (“taco”, or “such” - Spanish. takos - hot stuffed tortillas, a traditional Mexican dish. - Note ed.), caramelized locust or vegetable soup with mealworm meat? Some scientists believe that entomophagy (eating insects) will play an important role in providing mankind with alternative sources of protein.
“Raising insects is much more efficient than more traditional animal husbandry,” says Professor Arnold van Huis of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, “because they are cold-blooded and don’t need to expend energy to maintain body temperature.” Crickets, for example, produce a kilogram of edible material from just 2.1 kg of feed.
For poultry, this figure rises to 4.5 kg, for pigs - up to 9.1 kg and up to 25 kg - for cattle. There are also environmental benefits. Livestock contributes 18% of non-natural greenhouse gases: the production of each kilogram of beef costs the atmosphere about 2.85 kg of greenhouse gases. According to a 2010 study, for mealworms and house crickets, these values are 8 and 2 g, respectively.
Providing a diet of insects will not be a problem. So a group from Wageningen University took up the study of public opinion, which is likely to be the main obstacle to such a menu on the way to the plate. The group conducts tastings to see if the participants are ready to eat insects and how - whole, ground, or just need to extract the protein. “Nine out of ten people liked the insect meatballs more than the meat ones,” says van Heijs. “This is how you need to mask the protein of insects.”
But it will take a lot of effort to overcome the aversion to six-legged food. So far, Florida-based Organic Nutrition Industries is going to produce 1,000 tons of dried ground black lions per year as agricultural feed. So insects will become more common food for animals whose meat we are used to eating, and not for ourselves. On the way to us starting to eat them, in addition to psychological problems, there are also technical ones. So, some of the proteins contained in edible insects are the same as in dust mites that cause asthma in humans.
However, van Heijs says that he has already been contacted by a famous British chef - they were interested in a book of recipes from insects that Hayes co-authored.
5 most edible insects
Grasshoppers. They are eaten in China, the Middle East and many African countries. Sauteed with garlic and lime juice in Mexico and candied in Japan.
TRACKS. Very popular in South and Central Africa - they are given to children in the form of mashed paste to compensate for malnutrition.
BEL0ST0MATIDY. Popular in Thailand, where they are boiled, steamed, deep-fried, added to salads and chili pastes. They are said to taste like bubble gum, gummies or oysters.
ANTS-TAILORS. Highly prized as a delicacy in parts of Southeast Asia, where they are fried with onion and capsicum, lime and spices and served with glutinous rice. Sometimes they pound to make salsa.
SILKWOTHS. Crispy on the outside and sweet on the inside, in Thailand they are eaten whole and fried in kaffir lime leaves. Chrysalis is popular as a street snack in Korea.
artificial meat
TEST TUBE BURGERS, lab-grown steaks, bioengineered beef patties... It looks like we're on the cusp of an era of artificial meat. Last year, Professor Mark Post from the University of Maastricht introduced the first artificial burger.
At €250,000 per serving, these high-tech treats are certainly far from being commercialized. But the professor predicts they will quickly become available as the problems of growing global demand for meat worsen.
Post's famous burger was grown from bovine stem cells biopsied in a medium containing fetal calf serum - essentially blood with red blood cells removed. The whey contained the nutrition necessary for the cells to grow into mature muscle cells.
The resulting muscle fibers were stretched between two Velcro clamps so that their innate tendency to contract would turn them into strips of meat (there is muscle training, just like what we do in the gym!). Electrical impulses were passed through the muscles to increase the protein content. Three thousand of the resulting small pieces of meat were then combined to create one standard size burger.
Post's group is just one of many labs that bioengineer meat. American startup Modern Meadows, launched by Professor Gabor Forgacs and his son Andras, is using 3D printing to produce living tissue, eventually planning to achieve both artificial meat and artificial organs.
In this case, thousands of live muscle stem cells are loaded into the cartridge like biological ink. Once the desired shape is printed, the cells naturally coalesce to form living tissue. The father and son describe the taste of their latest product as "not unpleasant" but acknowledge that it's still far from perfect.
ALTERNATIVE MEAT
Can't wait for artificial meat? Take this for now
OSTRICH. This bird provides meat with the same protein and iron content as beef. It contains only 0.5% zhi-ya - less than half of what is contained in a chicken breast. Ostriches give birth to 30 to 60 chicks a year for 40 years, making them a very productive poultry.
DEER. Thanks to the massive "Bambi Syndrome", the deer population in Britain is spiraling out of control. Scientists from the University of East Anglia (UK), who recently published the results of a survey of the deer population, believe that it is necessary to kill about 750 thousand deer a year to control their numbers. "It's pest control, but it will also bring venison to the family table," said Dr. Paul Dolman, study leader.
HORSE. So far, the public has a bad attitude towards horsemeat burgers. But they may be a healthier choice. Horse meat is not as fatty as beef, pork and lamb. In addition, a study published this year by nutritionists from the University of Milan, Italy, found that people who regularly eat horse meat have higher levels of iron and healthy omega-3 fatty acids in their blood and lower levels of cholesterol than the control group.
Although horses lose out to livestock in converting grass and grain into meat, they are working animals and their meat is a bonus by-product.
Fruits and vegetables
In GLOBAL staple food production, the potato is the fourth largest after corn, wheat and rice, with an annual output of around 314 million tonnes. When measured by output, the humble tuber easily emerges as the winner, producing six times more tonnes per hectare than wheat. But there is also a serious stumbling block - potato diseases.
The fungus-like organism phytophthora (Phytophthora infestans) that caused famine in Ireland in the 1840s is still destroying crops today. Last year, up to 20% of the European potato crop was lost due to this disease. Many farmers are forced to water crops with fungicides 15-20 times, spending about 500 euros per hectare.
Scientists from the British laboratory Sainsbury are working on a cheaper and more radical solution.
Near Norwich (the main city of the British county of Norfolk) grows potatoes genetically modified for resistance to late blight. The project is led by Professor Jonathan Jones. After going through hundreds of variants, his group isolated the genes that made two unfit potato varieties from South America resistant to the disease. Early results indicate that adding these genes from a non-edible potato to an edible potato genome can successfully transfer resistance to it.
Genetic modification can improve not only the resistance of crops to diseases, but also their medicinal properties. Professor Cathie Martin from the Center. John Innes in Norwich has developed a variety of purple tomatoes with high levels of anthocyanin pigment in the flesh and skin. These compounds are commonly found in berries such as blackberries and blueberries and appear to offer protection against certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.
Tomatoes are eaten everywhere and may well deliver medicines to those who do not have access to seasonal berries. “One or two tomatoes are equivalent in anthocyanin content to a basket of berries,” explains Professor Martin. In another study in mice, a diet supplemented with purple tomatoes increased lifespan by almost a third.
“It's not easy to accept any food of a new color,” says Martin, referring to the unfortunate history of promoting green ketchup (purple does not look very edible). But scientists are hopeful that consumers will accept the purple tomatoes as they would the colored lettuce.
GREENHOUSE ON SEA WATER
GREENHOUSES CAPTURE the sun's heat and store it to protect plants from the cold. But why are they in the desert? British inventor Charlie Paton turned the greenhouse idea on its head to enable farmers in dry and hot regions of the world to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs. The most unusual thing is that the water for irrigation comes from the sea. “The potential for growing food is almost unlimited,” Payton says. “We can grow tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers in places like Oman or the UAE where it’s not possible otherwise.”
In order for the process to be effective, air must constantly flow through the greenhouse. Somewhere for this you need fans. The technology is effective on the sea coast and in dry hot deserts, as in North Africa, the Middle East, Mexico and China. Energy for fans can be generated using solar panels.
Trial seawater greenhouses have been built in Tenerife, Abu Dhabi and Oman. The most advanced project in Port Augusta, 300 km north of Adelaide (Australia). Payton says that tests in a 2,000 m2 greenhouse have shown that the process can produce the same 80 kg of tomatoes per square meter per year as modern greenhouses in Holland. This year, this site will be expanded 40 times.
CAPACITIES FOR INDOOR PLANTING
WANT TO GROW VEGETABLES? A new set of equipment allows everyone to become an amateur farmer. And even dirty soil is not needed if there is SproutslO Microfarm - plants grow in a nutrient mist that covers them.
Jennifer Broutin Farah, a graduate student at the MIT Media Lab who invented the SproutslO, hopes city dwellers will grow tomatoes and potatoes in the device.
In addition to replacing the soil with a nutrient mist (“aeroponic system”), SproutslO contains a set of sensors that collect data on temperature, humidity, acidity and light, and automatically adjusts the settings to maintain the best conditions for plants. The data is fed into the app so urban farmers can keep track of their eggplants from their phone or tablet while sitting at their desks miles from home.
“There are many benefits to growing plants in an aeroponic environment,” says Brutin Farah. - Need 98% less water and 60% less fertilizer. Because the plant is indoors, you can harvest all year round.” She hopes that SproutslO will soon appear in apartments and houses: "We are at the prototype stage, but the system will be ready within a year."
Seaweed
Rising oil prices have led to a boom in research into growing algae for fuel. But in the future we may use them for our own food. In the suburbs of Karratha, Western Australia, there are 6 acres (2.4 km2) of ponds surrounded by 38 smaller satellite ponds. Aurora Algae, owner of the site, says this is what the farms of the future look like. Aurora Algae is a pioneer in the cultivation of green mud. Its employees are confident that tina can help solve the food crisis of the future.
There are several arguments in favor of algae as a food. With global demand for water growing by 55% by 2050, the OECD predicts that fresh water and fertile soil will soon become scarce. Algae, on the other hand, are rich in proteins, grow all year round, and can be harvested daily. And not only this. Algae also absorb climate-damaging carbon dioxide. They are already on the market as food products, albeit in a narrow niche, in the form of green pasta and energy bars.
Paul Brunato, vice president of Aurora, acknowledges that "the mass market is probably not yet ready to accept 'whole' algae as a food source." The first commercial use of algae will likely be blending algae powder with other foods, including animal foods, to add nutritional value, including proteins, omega-3 essential fatty acids, and bicarbonates.
In six reference ponds, Aurora is already producing 30 tons of dry algae per acre, with 40 times more protein than soybeans, and this is achieved using 1% of the volume of water needed for soybeans. The company intends to start commercial production by 2015 at a new site in New South Wales in 50 5-acre (2 km2) ponds.
Although algae grow quickly, growing them commercially is not easy. They absorb much more light than they convert into chemical energy. This means that the upper layers block the light needed by the lower layers. After extensive testing, Aurora chose the threads that absorb the least amount of light, allowing them to be grown in dense layers in shallow ponds.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FOOD PILL?
It seems THAT in 2062 you don't have to worry about lunch - all the steaks from the thick edge, fried chicken and pizza will be collected in one tablet. But, contrary to the assumptions of many futurologists and science fiction writers, scientists have long abandoned the idea of \u200b\u200bdining in a tablet.
On the way to nutritional pills, we meet significant obstacles. The average man needs about 2500 kcal per day, the female norm is closer to 2000 kcal. Nutrition experts recommend a number of options for combining different energy sources. For example, Brian Mackenzie, British athletics coach, prefers a set of 57% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 13% protein. Fat, the most concentrated food source, has about 9 kcal/g, while carbohydrates and proteins have about 4 kcal/g.
Large pills weigh about a gram, meaning the average man needs to consume 521 tablets and a woman 417 tablets daily to meet basic energy needs. This layout does not include vitamins, minerals, and other key nutrients.
“To get enough of these and other things in pill form, you would have to spend most of the day swallowing them,” says Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Nutritional Research, and Public Health at New York University. . Getting around these problems would require a radical breakthrough.
So it's not surprising that instead of trying to make eating unnecessary, DAPRA (Advanced Research Projects Agency at the US Department of Defense) has funded other work, the point of which is to allow soldiers to go without food for an extended period of time.
In 2004, DARPA offered grants through its Metabolic Dominance program. The program's position document described the agency's desire to achieve "continuous peak fitness and cognitive function for three to five days, 24 hours a day, without the need for calories."
Among the ways to achieve this, according to DARPA, could be forcing the body of a soldier to use its own stores of fat in metabolism. So far, no such solutions have been developed ... or at least no one has talked about them.
A person born in 2016 is used to considering things that his ancestors could not even think of as the most ordinary food. Offer spicy Doritos and orange Fanta to a medieval layman and you will burn at the stake for practicing black magic. However, the food of the future for you and me may also seem something strange and inedible.
Modern scientific research not only regularly provides us with more convenient and cheaper food and ways to store it, but also gives hope for the preservation and development of the stability of the food market. The meat industry, for example, plays a huge role in the environmental problems of the planet: about 10% of all greenhouse gases in large countries are produced by the agricultural sector. In addition, the world's population is steadily growing, and the problem of mass starvation is increasingly emerging as a ground for scientific debate. Feeding the 9 billion people who, in a favorable scenario, will inhabit our planet in 2050, will be oh, how not easy!
Here are some of the list of products of the future that will help humanity delay starvation and the transition to healthy social cannibalism:
Insects
One of the future food products that civilized Europeans will have to get used to may be insects: crickets, grasshoppers and even mealworms. Pasta made from flour with the addition of crushed insects is already being sold, which significantly increases their nutritional value. A 100-gram serving of crickets contains 13 grams of protein, while a similar serving of grasshoppers contains 21. Scientists are also studying the use of mealworms in the food industry as a cheap source of dietary fat. The discussion also touches on the issue that insects, like normal livestock, can be diet dependent. For example, it was possible to grow sufficiently large crickets only with a plentiful diet, but black lion crickets grow the same way, regardless of the nature of the diet, so their breeding and cultivation are many times more profitable. The main problem remains the taste of insects and their aesthetics - many people simply cannot bring themselves to try crushed beetle pasta.
Lab-grown meat
Scientists from companies such as Memphis Meat and Mosa Meat want to solve the problem of raising cattle with stem cells, from which they hope to grow real synthetic meat. A 2011 study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that growing meat in laboratories would require 7-45% less energy, reduce land use by 99%, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78-96%. Needless to say, this is not only incredibly beneficial, but also humane in relation to animals?
However, scientist Mark Post explains that the mass production of synthetic meat on the market will be possible only after 10-20 years. His company plans to sell trial samples in a couple of years, however, according to the first tasters, the $300,000 meat patty, although edible, is completely devoid of any outstanding palatability. It is worth noting that all manufacturers of synthetic food products face a similar problem, but sooner or later, through the efforts of scientists and professional culinary specialists, they still become full-fledged food products.
fish farms
For many modern people, killing mammals, even for the purpose of obtaining food, is unacceptable, and therefore they are forced to look for another source of natural proteins: fish. Unlike cattle pastures, fish farms do not occupy extensive fertile land, and, compared to cows, the fish themselves require only a small part of the feed in order to produce an equivalent amount of protein.
Currently, overfishing is becoming an increasingly significant problem, but the researchers argue that limiting the catch of certain types of fish will allow marine life to quickly restore numbers. In their opinion, the commercial future of fishing companies lies not in catching, but in breeding fish in hatcheries. Back in 2011, agriculture hit a historic milestone when, for the first time in history, people grew more fish than beef — and the industry has only picked up pace ever since.
Fish substitutes
Since we are talking about fish, why not grow it in laboratories in the same way as meat? NASA researchers have already developed complete fish fillets by incorporating goldfish muscle tissue into fetal calf serum. Another company, New Wave Foods, is working to synthesize shrimp from red algae.
As already noted, it is currently difficult to say exactly how such methods will affect the use of natural resources. Be that as it may, so far the forecasts are the most optimistic: Oron Cutts, director of the SymbioticA Biotechnology Center at the University of Western Australia, is confident that such methods will produce a real food revolution in the near future.
Seaweed
Microscopic algae, like other plants, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. A 2013 study found that these green crumbs produce impressive amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, making them a good source of nutrients. New work also suggests that certain types of algae are high in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as other fatty acids that have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
Unfortunately, trial trials of microscopic algae as food have not gone very well. Soylent has already launched products containing ground flour on the market, but the product had to be recalled because it caused serious digestive problems for a number of customers. However, the supplier company TerraVia denies its fault and insists that the algae reappear on the shelves.
GMO products
This method of food production can significantly save time on its preparation, as well as make any food accessible to older people who find it difficult to chew and swallow ordinary meals. Even NASA investors are insisting that astronauts in the future get by not with nutritious pasta, but with a complete diet that can be “cooked” using 3D printing during long-distance flights. It is also important that the printed food will always be hot and fresh.
Perhaps we will all switch to photosynthesis together?
Food production is a huge industry that needs to be constantly maintained by a huge number of people and robots. The sea slug Elysia chlorotica has already learned to steal algae DNA to carry out photosynthesis, so why can't we? Alas, now this is more the ground for science fiction than for real science: as even approximate calculations show, in order for the body to receive enough energy and resources, its photosynthetic area must be much larger than the outer cover that we now have. It is possible that photosynthetics of the future will have to grow additional skin membranes and other fantastic organs to absorb sunlight.
tech.onliner.byGlobal warming and overpopulation are two problems that humanity will face in the near future. Scientists suggest that in the next 50 years the population will grow by another 2 billion people, and all these people will need something to feed. What exactly will become popular in 50-100 years is still difficult to predict, but some predictions can still be made. Perhaps instead of eating we will drink some kind of nutritional formula or glue a band-aid - who knows? We have collected the most fantastic food options of the future.
1. Ghighly modified grain
lookatme
70% of the human diet is wheat, rice and corn. But every year they need to be planted again, which, of course, requires a lot of resources. Scientists believe that it is possible to create perennial crops that require fewer resources, and agriculture will become more sustainable. Such varieties will be brought out in about 20 years.
In addition, in the future, farmers will return to some neglected crops that are resistant to extreme weather conditions. Scientists note quinoa, spelt and millet as nutritious and healthy cereals.
2. Food patches
31tv.ru 
American scientists, together with the military, are working on patches that will contain all the nutrients necessary for humans. Such patches can be used by soldiers in combat zones. The patch has a microchip that calculates nutritional requirements and then releases the appropriate nutrients. Alas, they cannot completely replace food, but they will help maintain energy in extreme situations. This technology will be available by 2025 and will be useful to miners, astronauts, and the military.
3. Urban farms
lookatme
By 2050, the approximate population of our planet will be about 9.1 billion people. To feed such a horde, it will be necessary to use all the lands. Urban farms already exist today in yards and on rooftops. In Japan, this is already practiced: the Pasona Group, a staffing company, built an office building that, in addition to working space, contains 4,000 square meters of vegetation, where rice, fruits and vegetables grow. All products go to the table in the cafe for employees.
4. Inhaled food
lifeglobe
Harvard University professor David Edwards has invented a device that sprays inhaled dark chocolate. The product became a bestseller, and consumers unanimously claimed that they had curbed their appetites for sugary foods. A Canadian chef has improved technology and invented something cooler. Food (most often soup) is placed inside the device and, under the influence of ultrasound, turns into a kind of fog. At this moment, the client, using a straw, inhales this nourishing tamn. Tasting food in such an unusual format, you can distinguish the taste of individual ingredients and the whole dish. In addition, it is ideal for those who are on a diet - for 10 minutes of inhalation, you get only 200 calories.
5. 3D printed food
lookatme
In May 2013, NASA announced the development of a special 3D food printing technology. This is mainly useful for astronauts, who, during long expeditions, could print out mouth-watering dishes, and not eat from tubes. The engineering bureau from Texas has already made pizza, and scientists from Cornell University (New York) are not far behind their colleagues. With the help of hydrocoloids (instead of "ink" for the printer), they print almost anything their heart desires: chocolate, carrots, mushrooms, fried fish, apples, boiled chicken, banana, pasta, fresh cheese, tomatoes, egg yolk, and so on. Printed food, according to the promises of scientists, will be healthier and more useful.
Pizza on a 3D printer
6 Jellyfish Ice Cream
photostrana
The population of fish in the seas is decreasing, and the population of jellyfish is increasing. Scientists have proposed a number of methods to solve this problem.In addition to tightening controls and introducing special nets, they also proposed using jellyfish in the food and medical industries. So, for example, the Chinese once ate. The funniest part is that Lick Me I'm Delicious ice cream makers have begun to add jellyfish protein to ice cream, which glows when exposed to external influences. Thus, the new ice cream begins to shine when it is eaten.
7 Test Tube Meat
kp.ru
Animal husbandry uses 75% of all agricultural land for grazing, and 35% of the food produced in the world goes to feed these livestock. In addition, 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere come from animal husbandry (which is more than from transport). That is why scientists are gradually starting to talk about the rejection of meat, which, moreover, is very harmful.Safer and healthier meat can be grown in the lab. The first burger made from meat grown from cow stem cells was fried onpress conferencesAugust 5, 2013. However, so far such a cutlet costs a lot - about $ 325 thousand.
8. Fish farms
rusinn.com 
Mike Welings, founder of the Aqua-Spark Foundation, is convinced that we need to stop taking fish from the oceans in such numbers. Otherwise the oceans will turn into deserts. He invests in "fish start-ups", such as developing the fish farms of the future. Most likely, these will be giant closed biological systems, where vegetables and fruits will also be grown. Similar installations are already being used in Israel, thanks to which the state saves fresh water and reduces the cost of fish production.
9. Edible packaging
news.unipack
Almost all the food we buy is packaged. Boxes, bags, wrappers - we throw it all in the landfill. Bioengineer David Edwards found a solution to the problem-
WikiCell. This is an edible package for everything liquid. “We can surround any edible substance or drink with a grape skin-like film that is completely edible,” he says. Inspired by the structure of a cell that contains water, Edwards created a material that will keep food fresh and keep out bacteria and other substances. This innovation has already been used in an advertising campaign for a fast food chain, where burgers were wrapped in edible wrappers.
Edible packaging
10. Chewing gum for breakfast, lunch and dinner
likar.info
Scientist Dave Hart has been developing an analogue of chewing gum from the fairy tale "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", containing the taste of three dishes at once. The new technology he's working on allows different scents to be released at different times. Miracle Gum is based on microcapsules, which were developed to ensure the delivery of drugs to certain parts of the digestive system. Some capsules will contain flavored soup, while others will contain roast beef, blueberry pie, etc. The nutritional value of this invention is not specified.
11. Algae instead of vegetables
lookatme
There are 10,000 species of algae on the planet, 145 of which are edible. Their cultivation may become the largest agricultural industry in the future. In Asia, this is no longer news, as algae are used in soups, rolls and salads. In Japan, for example, special farms already exist.
Biologist Chuck Fisher is also convinced that algae will save the world from starvation. He conceived the idea of implanting tiny single-celled photosynthetic algae under the human skin. "These tiny symbionts will be able to create most of the food that humans need, and this could help feed the hungry around the world," says the researcher. "And since humans are warm-blooded, we can grow food under our own skin, even in the winter."
12. Food and drink from waste
nat-geo
Everyone has long known that astronauts drink water obtained from their own urine and fumes. Purification system that turns human waste into drinking water, developed by expertsNASA. The European Space Agency (ESA) is ready to go even further.Agency employees are working on the systemMelissa, which is designed to process every gram of human waste. The system converts them into oxygen, food and water. It is expected that a fully working device will appear by 2024.
13. Insects
lookatme
Chicken, pork and beef will soon be a thing of the past. Morgan Gay is convinced that insects can be used to make delicious sausages, sausages and hamburgers. Representatives of the UN agree with him, who believe that eating insects will be a real way to combat hunger in the world. This is already practiced in Asia and Africa. Insects are rich in proteins and minerals, multiply rapidly and contain less fat than conventional meat; keeping this "cattle" is much easier, and it does not damage the environment in the same way as cattle. But for now, Westerners are in no rush to grow fly larvae at home, as industrial designer Katharina Unger suggests. Now officials are setting themselves the task of changing stereotypes regarding insects. Soa team from the Danish nutrition laboratorylooking for ways to to convince uninformed Europeans about the benefits and excellent taste of grasshoppers, ants and caterpillars, and cooks develop attractive recipes.
14. Sound Changed Taste
rusinn
Surprisingly, sound can affect the taste of food. High sounds add more sweetness, while low sounds make the taste more bitter. This discovery has far-reaching prospects, especially in the field of pies and cakes. A dessert can be made healthier by reducing the amount of sugar without sacrificing taste.At the experimental London restaurant House of Wolf serve Sonic cake pop, which comes with instructions with two phone numbers: by calling one, the eater should feel a sweeter taste, and by another - more bitter. In the first case, the client listens to a melody in high tones, in the second - slow, gloomy in low timbres.
Incredible Facts
Man has always tried to expand his knowledge in various fields, and cooking is no exception. Modern technologies are already have had a significant impact on this area., but you are probably wondering what kind of food awaits us in the future?
Can you imagine that someday we will not eat in the usual way, but will get all the nutrients through the skin by putting a patch on it?
Or, for example, we will simply inhale food vapor? And what can you say about the fact that soon people will learn to process even .. their own waste into food?
Find out more about these and other exciting things that await our food in the future.
Nutrition of the future
unconscious bird
In 2012 Andre Ford, student of the Faculty of Architecture Royal College of Art from the UK, decided to pay attention to the problems that are currently experiencing broiler industry, and proposed as a solution to create Center for "unconscious" agriculture.
His goal was to meet the need of the growing world population for chicken meat and at the same time treat birds more humanely. And although this goal is quite noble, the methods of achieving it may seem completely utopian.
Ford proposed to remove from birds cerebral cortex, thus these living beings will not experience any stress. In order to raise as many birds as possible, they will also have their legs removed.
To let the birds grow their brain stem will remain intact, and muscle stimulation will be carried out using electric shock.
Those unconscious chickens will be packed in special containers like the Matrix and will be fed through a series of tubes. The system will be completely waste-free: for example, even the blood of birds will be used to feed plants.
While many view these plans with skepticism, Ford says that "the reality, by and large, may seem a lot more shocking."
Food in the form of a patch
While we have learned to take various medicines with the help of transdermal patch, American scientists were able to bring this method to a whole new level and use the patch as .. food.
Such food patch contains essential nutrients and can be used by the military during military campaigns. The patch itself has a microchip that is able to calculate each person's nutritional needs, allowing it to deliver exactly as many substances as needed.
Although the patch cannot be a substitute for the food we are used to, the researchers hope that it will allow the military to feel better and cope with tasks if they, for example, for some time forced to go without food.
According to some estimates, this technology will be available already by 2025. Miracle patches can be used not only by the military, but also by those who work in difficult conditions, for example, miners or astronauts.
space nutrition
Waste turned into food
In 2009 European Space Agency announced that it is working on an improvement to a system that will one day be able to support human activity in space or even on other planets.
This announcement comes after NASA developed a similar system on board international space station. The system is capable of processing human waste into drinking water.
The system of Europeans is much more perfect, and with its help, human excreta can be turned into oxygen, food and water. The first such system was launched in 1995. Scientists said that a new generation of the system will see the light by 2014.
Music that enhances the taste
Recent Research Oxford University showed that sound really affects how we taste food. For example, high sounds give more sweetness to foods, and low sounds add bitterness to food.
This discovery can be widely applied in practice. Food can be made healthier by reducing the sugar content, and if you eat it while hearing high notes, it will seem that it has more sugar than it actually does.
By the way, some restaurants have already "included in their menu" a special repertoire. For example, in a London restaurant "Fat Duck" customers are provided with an iPod that plays soothing ocean sounds when they devour seafood dishes. They are convinced that with such musical accompaniment, their dinner seems more salty.
Food that can be inhaled
In 2012 Harvard professor David Edwards invented a device called Le Whif, which highlights a special dark chocolate smell. This device began to sell well in Europe, in terms of frequency, it interested those who are forced to go on a diet. They claimed that the device helped them reduce their appetite.
Success was waiting Le Whif and in North America: Canadian chef Norman Aiken improved the invention and offered his own version - Le Whaf. His device is a vase with an ultrasonic system inside.
Food, usually soup, is placed in a vase and shaken with ultrasound until it turns into steam. The user at this moment picks up the tube and inhales vapors. The one who tested this device on himself said that at the same time "you taste food without having anything in your mouth".
Seeds in space
Since the 1980s, Chinese scientists have been sending seeds into space and claiming to have amazing results. These seeds that have been in outer space sprout faster and produce more abundant crops than those that remain on Earth. In this way, the researchers hope to grow more resistant plant varieties that are eaten everywhere.
edible jellyfish
"If you can't fight them, eat them". These are the words that appeared in the 2013 report. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. After the studies, it was noted that in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, it is noticeable the number of fish decreased and the number of jellyfish increased. Scientists have proposed several methods to solve this problem.
Among the methods, in addition to the use of chemicals and special networks, it was proposed eat jellyfish for food, as well as make medicines out of them. Some types of jellyfish have long been an ingredient in Chinese dishes, and research on the medical properties of these living creatures has, according to the authors of the report, a high biological and industrial potential.
Edible packaging
In 2012 Brazilian restaurant called Bob's attracted a lot of attention when he offered his clients burger wrapped in edible paper packaging. Customers didn't have to unwrap the bun, they ate it along with the paper!
A year later professor David Edwards offered the American public a new invention - Wikicells- a special package that you can eat. This packaging is made from natural ingredients and does not dissolve, which prevents bacteria from entering. It can be used to wrap food or keep any drinks in it. Moreover, the packaging can be eaten with the product.
Edwards hopes his invention will reduce the amount of plastic used in conventional packaging, thereby reducing the amount of waste on the planet.
Special food
edible insects
A UN report in May found that eating insects is a vital way to fight world hunger. According to UN officials, at least 2 billion people in Asia and Africa regularly eat about 1,900 different types of insects.
Among edible insects, the first place in popularity is occupied by beetles followed by caterpillars and bees. The larvae are also successful. The most difficult thing remains - to teach Europeans to eat these creatures.
There are many benefits to eating insects. They are rich in protein and minerals, multiply quickly, and do not harm the environment in the same way as livestock. Moreover, the insect farming industry may be profitable business and provide jobs for many people, especially in poor countries.
Three course chewing gum
Researcher Dave Hart(pictured) from Food Research Institute(USA) turned a childhood dream into reality. Since 2010 Hart and his colleagues use nanotechnology to recreate chewing gum that tastes a full three-course meal.
Hart has already managed to develop a method to get certain tastes, hold them together and not let them mix. He explained that a consumer chewing such gum, will feel each taste separately.
At the beginning of chewing, the consumer will feel the taste of an appetizer, then the taste will change, he will feel that he is eating a main course, and at the very end - a dessert. In fact, Hart borrowed old idea at sucking candies which include multiple flavors. The different tasting ingredients of the candy are stacked in layers, and as you suck, the candy reveals a new taste.
Hybrids of algae and humans
Seaweed can be a great alternative to fight world hunger. Not so long ago there was an idea to use these plants for an unusual purpose. This idea is to integrate algae into human skin.
Like real plants, algae-human hybrids will absorb sunlight, turning it into nutrients. This idea came Chuck Fisher, who observed the symbiotic relationship between coral polyps and algae.
Fisher admits that this is more than an unusual idea, but he hopes that someday his dream defeat hunger through photosynthesis will become a reality.
Progress does not stand still, and confirmation of this can be seen not only in fancy gadgets, but also in the foods we eat. Below - 10 products and dishes that amaze the imagination with their appearance, composition or innovative technologies used in their manufacture. Looking at them, you understand that the future has already come ...
Edible water bottles that can replace plastic bottles
These bubbles called "Ooho!" are a small portion of drinking water, which is placed in a shell made from seaweed extract.
Unlike plastic bottles, which take hundreds of years for nature to decompose, an unused bottle will be recycled in just 4-6 weeks. Moreover, without negative consequences for the environment, because it does not contain non-natural components.
Black ice cream with charcoal and almond flavor
This new black-night black soft ice cream is sure to turn any sweet tooth to the dark side of the force. Exotic taste combined with extravagant design has already won the hearts of thousands of bloggers, instagrammers and just gourmets.
Colorless coffee that will save your teeth from plaque
If you cannot live without coffee, but want to get rid of plaque on your teeth, then we have good news for you. Colorless coffee has been developed in London, made using unique technologies using premium coffee beans. The same taste and charge of life-giving caffeine, but minimal effects on tooth enamel. And why didn't anyone think of this before?
Vegetable burger patties that taste like real meat
These burger patties from Beyond Meat have the taste, smell and texture of real meat, even though they are 100% vegetable. The cutlets have already become a real hit, as they even release "blood juice" when cooked (actually it's beetroot juice). The product contains the daily norm of protein and will appeal to both vegetarians and avid meat eaters.
Purple Bread for Digestion
Purple bread was invented by scientists from the National University of Singapore. Unlike unhealthy white bread, purple is digested 20% more slowly because it contains high amounts of antioxidants extracted from black rice. They give the bread its characteristic color. This product is not yet commercially available and is currently under development.
Meat grown in vitro
Despite the ethical issue of animal treatment, many people simply cannot do without meat. Perhaps in the near future this issue will be resolved with the help of artificial cultivation of muscle tissues of cows and bulls.
In 2013, the first high-tech burger was received, which would cost customers $325,000. Now scientists are working to reduce the cost of artificial meat and hope that they will soon reach an acceptable price.
Cheese that melts right before your eyes
Raclette is a Swiss dish that is rapidly gaining popularity in many countries around the world. It is made from melted fatty cheese, which is cut directly into a plate with vegetables, meat and other goodies. A kind of fondue on the contrary, when not food is dipped in cheese, but cheese is poured on food. In New York, this dish has become a real hit.
Bottled lunches to drink on the go
Soylent's motto is "Food that sets you free." It frees you from having to choose what to eat and where to eat, from counting calories and from the fear of breaking your diet again.
These futuristic drinks and bars already contain all the nutrients our body needs. An option for those who are always busy, but want to eat right. Perhaps even too correct.
Damn healthy "big sushi" straight from the Hawaiian Islands
"Poke" is a dish that has recently arrived on the mainland from the Hawaiian Islands. This delicious treat includes raw fish, vegetables and fruits, all served in a small bowl or as an edible roll. It turns out such an original big sushi: fresh, healthy and does not require much time to prepare. "Poke" is already being sold in California and New York restaurants.
Protein powder for healthy and sound sleep
In the modern world, the problem of insomnia is very acute. That is why companies have recently begun to develop drinks that promote restful and deep sleep. So, the Sleep Protein company produces a protein powder containing 8 g of vegetable proteins and a lot of substances useful for the body. The drink obtained by diluting this powder helps to calm down, relax and improve the quality of sleep.
