Скачать или смотреть The Big Picture - A Sustainable Future for Food You Won't Believe This!

Can we really make butter from the air? And what about vanilla grown from plastic? Dive into the science behind these futuristic food ideas - what's real and what's not! #futureoffood #co2butter #vanillamyth #airbutter
#labgrownbutter #foodscience #innovation


Butter from Thin Air: Turning CO2 into Deliciousness

While it sounds like science fiction, companies like Savor are pioneering ways to make butter using captured carbon dioxide (CO2) instead of dairy. Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Capturing Carbon: The first step involves capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. This can be done through various methods, like using specialized filters in industrial facilities.

2. Transforming CO2: The captured CO2 is then combined with hydrogen (often derived from water) through a thermochemical process. This process uses high temperatures and potentially electricity to convert the CO2 molecules into useful building blocks for fats.

3. Building the Butter: The newly formed fat molecules are then combined with additional ingredients like water, an emulsifier (to help everything mix well), beta-carotene for color, and rosemary oil for a buttery flavor. This final stage essentially mimics traditional butter-making but without the cows.

The Allure of Plastic Vanilla? Not Quite!

Unfortunately, creating vanilla from plastic waste isn't quite there yet. While there's ongoing research into upcycling plastics, turning them directly into food flavorings like vanilla is complex.

Vanilla flavor comes from vanillin, a molecule naturally found in vanilla beans. While some companies are exploring ways to synthesize vanillin using bacteria or other organisms, these processes don't directly involve plastic waste.

Here's a possible future scenario: Scientists might develop methods to break down specific plastics into their basic building blocks and then use those blocks to create vanillin through fermentation or similar processes. However, this technology is still under development.

While CO2-based butter is still under development and awaits regulatory approval, it represents a fascinating glimpse into the future of food. It might not be butter from "thin air" quite yet, but it's a step towards a more sustainable way to enjoy our favorite spreads.