By: Dr. Ripudaman Singh (Special Correspondent ICN Group) & Hemant Kumar ( Agriculture Correspondent ICN Group)
NEW DELHI: While we are nowhere close to producing any desired food using replicators like in star trek, a recent study has proven that food can be created out of thin air.
Finnish scientists have successfully used carbon dioxide and electricity to make single-cell proteins.Calling it “food” could be mildly exaggerating but experts say this could reduce world malnutrition.
A Joint study by LUT and VTT of Finland Researchers at the Lappeenranta University of technology (LUT) AND Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre conducted the Joint study to produce food using carbon dioxide and electricity.
It is part of the much bigger New-Carbon energy research project jointly carried out by LUT and VTT.The Academy of Finland funds the current ‘Food from Electricity’ study that would run for four years.Produced food’s nutrition profile matches with basic food.The Finnish research team used just three ingredients –water, carbon- dioxide, and microbes – inside a small electric bioreactor for the study.They supplied contains 50% protein, 25% carbohydrates, and fat and nucleic acid.
Researchers say that the texture of the “food” could be changed by altering the microbes used. LUT Professor Jero Ahola’s statements:
Ahola, who was part of the study, stated, “Compared to traditional agriculture, the production method currently under development does not require a location with the conditions for agriculture, such as the right temperature, humidity or a certain soil type.”
