The Future of Food is Fermented: The High-Tech Revival of an Ancient Technology
A deep dive into the revolutionary technology of precision fermentation, and how it's being used to "brew" a new generation of animal-free proteins and other high-value food ingredients.
Introduction: The Oldest New Technology in the World
Fermentation is one of the oldest technologies in human history. For thousands of years, we have used microorganisms like yeast and bacteria to create everything from bread and beer to cheese and yogurt. But a new and incredibly powerful form of this ancient technology is emerging, one that is poised to revolutionize the future of our food. “Precision fermentation” is a high-tech process that uses microorganisms as tiny, programmable “cell factories” to produce specific, high-value ingredients. It is a technology that is giving us the power to “brew” a new and more sustainable food system.
The Microbe as the Factory
The process of precision fermentation is a form of synthetic biology:
- Scientists identify the gene in an animal that is responsible for producing a specific protein (like the whey protein in milk).
- They then insert this gene into the DNA of a microorganism, like yeast.
- This genetically engineered yeast is then grown in a large fermentation tank, where it is fed simple plant-based sugars.
- As the yeast grows, it begins to produce the target protein, which is then harvested and purified.
The Animal-Free Future of Food
The applications of this technology are vast:
- Animal-Free Dairy: Companies like Perfect Day are using precision fermentation to create real whey and casein proteins, which can be used to make milk, cheese, and ice cream that is molecularly identical to the real thing, but without a single cow.
- Egg Whites Without the Chicken: The same process can be used to create real egg whites, for use in baking and other applications.
- Heme from a Bioreactor: Impossible Foods uses precision fermentation to produce “heme,” the iron-containing molecule that gives meat its unique, bloody flavor.
Conclusion: A New and More Sustainable Menu
Precision fermentation is a powerful and paradigm-shifting technology. It is a new and more sustainable way to produce the key ingredients that give our favorite foods their unique taste and texture. It is a key pillar of the emerging “cellular agriculture” industry, and it is a powerful tool in our quest to build a food system that is not just more ethical and more sustainable, but also just as delicious.
What animal product would you most like to see a sustainable, animal-free version of? Let’s have a futuristic food discussion in the comments!
