Plant and cell-based meat and dairy

Beef and dairy products are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions due to the environmental impact of livestock farming. The process of raising and producing beef and dairy products requires large amounts of resources, including land, water, and feed, which can result in significant carbon emissions.

One of the primary reasons for the high emissions associated with beef and dairy production is the significant amount of methane produced by cows during the digestive process. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has a warming potential that is around 28 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time frame. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), livestock farming is responsible for around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with around two-thirds of these emissions coming from enteric fermentation, which is the process by which cows and other ruminants produce methane during digestion.

In addition to methane emissions, beef and dairy production also require significant amounts of energy and resources, such as water, feed, and fertilizers, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions throughout the supply chain. The production and transportation of animal feed, as well as the processing and transportation of meat and dairy products, also contribute to the overall carbon footprint of beef and dairy.

Plant and cell-based meat and dairy are emerging industries that have the potential to revolutionize the food industry and significantly reduce its environmental impact. Plant-based meat and dairy products are made from non-animal sources such as soy, pea, and other plant-based proteins, while cell-based meat and dairy products are made from animal cells grown in a lab setting.

One of the key innovations in this field is the development of new plant-based ingredients that can more closely mimic the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of meat and dairy products. For example, researchers are exploring the use of plant-based heme, a molecule found in animal meat that gives it its distinctive flavor, in plant-based meat products. Other innovations include the use of 3D printing technology to create plant-based meat substitutes that more closely resemble animal meat in appearance and texture.

In the cell-based meat and dairy industry, researchers are working to develop new techniques for growing animal cells in a lab setting, which can be used to create meat and dairy products without the need for animal farming. One key challenge in this field is the development of a scalable and cost-effective production process. According to a report by the Good Food Institute, significant progress has been made in this area, with several cell-based meat companies now able to produce small quantities of meat products in a lab setting.

These innovations in the plant and cell-based meat and dairy industry offer promising solutions for reducing the environmental impact of the food industry while also providing consumers with more sustainable and ethical food choices.

Finally, we can reduce emissions from the food we consume by wasting less of it. In many parts of the world, such as Europe, industrialized areas of Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, more than 20 percent of food is discarded, left to spoil, or otherwise wasted. In the United States, this number is as high as 40 percent. This is problematic for those who lack sufficient food, the economy, and the environment. When wasted food decomposes, it releases enough methane to create warming effects equivalent to 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. While changing people's behavior is the most critical solution, technology can also assist. For instance, two companies are creating plant-based coatings that are invisible and can prolong the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. They are edible and do not impact the flavor in any way. Another company has created a "smart bin" that employs image recognition to monitor the amount of food thrown away in a home or business. The device provides a report on the quantity thrown away, its cost, and its carbon footprint. While the system may appear intrusive, giving people more information can help them make better decisions.

Sources:

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2013). Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock: A Global Assessment of Emissions and Mitigation Opportunities. Rome: FAO.
• Gerber, P. J., Steinfeld, H., Henderson, B., et al. (2013). Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock: A Global Assessment of Emissions and Mitigation Opportunities. Rome: FAO.

• Good Food Institute. (2021). State of the Industry Report: Cultivated Meat. Good Food Institute.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). The Science of Science Communication III: Inspiring Novel Collaborations and Building Capacity: Proceedings of a Colloquium. The National Academies Press.
• Wilks, M. (2020). The Future of Food: Meatless? The Lancet Planetary Health, 4(7), e291-e292.
• Gates, Bill. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster (p. 115-121). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.