The American startup Air Protein offers to create protein products from carbon dioxide, which is more than enough in atmospheric emissions. This is the revival and rethinking of the old NASA development of the 60s. last century. Then, in search of a solution to increase the autonomy of space flights, scientists stumbled upon microbes called hydrogenotrophs, but the matter did not go further than several experiments.
Hydrogenotrophs are interesting in that they feed on carbon dioxide – that is, they can absorb air exhausted by astronauts. And the product of their life is various amino acids, which are a “building material” for proteins and meat as a whole. It turns out that microbes simultaneously filter air on a spaceship and create food products.
Air Protein has developed their own composition of the gas mixture, where in addition to carbon dioxide there are various enzymes. After processing it, brown powder is obtained, which does not look like meat or taste. But it can replace it in a human diet with sufficient efficiency. The process of manufacturing a portion takes several days and is characterized by symbolic energy costs, and other resources too. Unlike the production of ordinary beef or chicken.
The authors of the startup do not hide that they intend to compete with numerous projects to create meat from plants. In addition, this is a way to utter numerous emissions into the atmosphere and feed a lot of starving people with an inexpensive product.
Source — The Guardian