Protein Via the Air

Feeding the world’s growing population puts a major strain on our planet, accounting for 70% of water use and 24% of greenhouse gas emissions. Finland’s Solar Foods says it has found a way to make food far more sustainable. Its “Solein” protein is produced by feeding microbes submerged in liquid with small bubbles of hydrogen and carbon dioxide that are extracted from air using renewable energy. The fermented mixture is then dried to produce a neutral-tasting protein powder that can be flavoured and added to meals to provide nutrition with a tiny carbon footprint. —Ciara Nugent

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