ReGrained Flour Named World's First Certified Upcycled Food
Image Source: ReGrained/Upcycled Food Association
Earlier this year, the Upcycled Food Association (UFA) established certification standards to help reduce global food waste. This month, UFA certified its first food product, SuperGrain+ flour made by baked goods company ReGrained. The flour is recycled from spent grain produced by breweries and is high in protein, dietary fiber, and prebiotics. The US beer industry generates more than 20 billion pounds of spent grain per year, and according to ReGrained, every pound of its upcycled flour prevents the carbon dioxide equivalent of burning 1 pound of coal and saves more than 300 gallons of water. Does the flour have an aftertaste of beer? Find out by trying ReGrained's line of crunchy snacks. SuperGrain+ flour is the main ingredient.
USDA Rejects Request For Faster Pork Processing Line Speeds
Image Source: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
Slaughterhouses around the country have been participating in a pilot program allowing them to process up to 1,450 hogs per hour, a significant increase over the previous maximum line speed of 1,106 hogs. The National Pork Producers Council and North American Meat Institute have been lobbying to make the faster line speeds permanent, but the USDA recently rejected their requests due to worker safety concerns. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union International, which represents 33,000 workers, welcomed the decision as well as the USDA's commitment to strengthening worker safety protections. As processors revert to previous maximum line speeds as of June 30, consumer prices may be affected. If processors decide to supply less pork to the market, wholesale and retail prices for ham, pork chops and bacon may go up.
World’s First 3D Printed Ribeye Steak Makes Its Debut
Image Source: Aleph Farms
Israeli startup Aleph Farms aims to shift the global paradigm of meat production and consumption. The company's pioneering bioprinting technology cultivates living bovine cells in a lab to replicate the shape and texture of beef steak. Aleph’s chief executive Didier Toubia says the process is similar to the vascularization that occurs naturally as cattle grow and develop muscle. Toubia claims that Aleph's ribeye tastes, chews, and cooks much like a conventional steak. The company also says that it can tailor steaks to consumer preferences, increasing or decreasing factors like tenderness and leanness. Aleph's first products will reach the US market in the second half of 2022. However, the US Food and Drug Administration has yet to grant regulatory approval for the sale of cultivated meat.
Air Protein Raises $32 Million To Process Meat Alternatives From Fermented Air
Image Source: Courtesy The Spoon
San Francisco tech startup Air Protein has raised $32 million to create alternative meats for direct-to-consumer sales. The company feeds elements found in the air, such as carbon dioxide, to genetically modified microbes in a fermentation tank. The resulting protein is texturized and flavored to resemble various meats. Other than air, the technology requires very few resources, allowing "air protein" to be produced virtually anywhere in the world. Focus groups have yet to weigh in on the taste.
Lindt Opens World's Largest Chocolate Museum With Giant Chocolate Fountain
Image Source: Lindt Und Spruengli / Keystone / Alexandra Wey
Lindt Home of Chocolate just opened in Zurich, Switzerland. The interactive research facility and confectionery museum guides guests through seven "chocolate worlds" that exhibit the process of cocoa bean cultivation and production. Guests can make their own confections in a chocolate-making class, and the museum’s centerpiece is the world's largest chocolate fountain standing 30 feet tall.
Singapore Scientists Upcycle Pineapple Leaves Into Food Preservation Aerogel
A group of mechanical engineers at the National University of Singapore has developed a new substance that helps to prolong the life of perishable food products. The aerogel, a type of ultralight and porous solid, is made from recycled pineapple leaves blended with water, aged, frozen, freeze-dried, then treated with activated carbon powder. The carbon powder allows the aerogel to absorb ethylene gas, which is what accelerates ripening in fruits and vegetables. As a result, the aerogel helps to prolongs the life of perishable food products and may help to reduce food waste. “In our lab experiments, eco-aerogels modified with activated carbon can delay the rotting process by at least 14 days,” said Professor Phan-Thien, a lead researcher on the team. The scientists have filed a patent for the new aerogel, noting that the material could offer an inexpensive solution for food preservation and even waste water treatment. “These eco-aerogels made from pineapple leaf fibers are very versatile,” said research Professor Duong Hai-Min. “This is a big step towards sustainable agriculture and waste management.”
