How can you leverage new food sources for innovation?

What if we consumed half as much meat globally? A recent study published in Nature Magazine suggests that by technologically advancing and enacting progressive legislation to reduce meat consumption by 50% by 2050, we could greatly benefit the environment. Key findings include: - Almost halting the destruction of our forests and natural habitats. - Reducing agricultural CO? emissions by 31% compared to 2020 levels

The plant-based industry has boomed and is there to last. It seems to be a successful way to incentivize people in high-income countries to eat less animal-based products. I found it striking that these plant-based alternatives are gaining popularity in low-income countries. Putting meat products on the menu is considered to reflect wealth. Here, people can now serve the more affordable plant-based meat substitutes to their guests.

In my career, I've seen plant-based proteins revolutionize the food and beverage sector. Creating a plant-based alternative that mimics animal meats' texture, taste, and nutrients required innovative techniques like extrusion, fermentation and enzymatic modification. The rise of plant proteins also influences sustainable agricultural practices. Overall, working with plant-based proteins aligns with current dietary trends and propels innovation for a healthier, sustainable future - a gratifying journey!

At work, an intriguing trend I've encountered is the rise of edible insects. High in protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins, they're not only nutritious but also sustainable, producing fewer emissions compared to traditional livestock. These can be enhanced into flour, oil or snacks, fitting into various cuisines. Unlocking their potential needs addressing challenges like consumer acceptance, safety, and regulations, which makes for an exciting path towards food innovation.

Edible insects have indeed been hyped in Western and high-income countries recently for food and feed, with hurdles such as consumer acceptance, safety, and regulation. However, I would not call this an emerging food source as these insects have already been part of the human diet in many countries for centuries, where they are eaten in a less processed form. Top consuming countries are located in Asia and South America. They are sold at food markets the same way we purchase seafood, such as crabs or prawns (crustaceans are actually, together with insects and arachnids, part of the family of anthropods, which all have a hard exoskeleton and segmented bodies).

As a food entrepreneur, exploring novel ingredients like algae, fungi, and microorganisms has been exciting. These unconventional sources offer a plethora of nutrients - proteins, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and more. The ability to engineer these to produce specific compounds can revolutionize food functionality and quality. Understanding their properties for unique applications poses a thrilling challenge, creating unprecedented avenues for innovation in the food industry.

From the viewpoint of a food entrepreneur, the concept of food waste valorization presents a compelling opportunity. Recognizing food waste not as an issue but as a valuable resource is crucial. This major global problem can be innovatively transformed into useful products like biofuels, bioplastics, compost, and animal feed, via technologies like anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, and hydrothermal liquefaction. Maximizing these processes opens up new markets, turning challenges into opportunities, and signaling an eco-friendly approach to food innovation.

As an entrepreneur in the food industry, the concept of personalized nutrition strikes me as a transformative innovation. It allows us to create customized food offerings based on individual needs, preferences, and health goals. The innovative combination of genetic testing, biomarkers, sensors, and algorithms to recommend and create tailored diets breaks the one-size-fits-all approach. It signifies cross-discipline collaboration with biotechnology, informatics, and psychology experts. Leveraging personalized nutrition is disruptive, making food not just a means to satiety, but a proactive tool for healthier lifestyles

I see personalized nutrition and its counterpart in medicine (Food-as-Medicine) gaining much attraction in research and industry. Questions I still feel that need to be answered are (1) how far do we need to go in personalizing to have a significant impact on health and an acceptable good cost-benefit ratio, (2) how scalable this approach will be for larger populations and (3) what would be alternatives to personalized nutrition to improve the health of entire populations in both high-income and low and middle income countries.