Why we should change our eating habits

Experts point to several reasons why we need to find new food sources.

Population growth. As of now, there are about 8 billion people on the planet. But according to the UN, Earth’s population will increase to 9.7 billion by 2050. In that event, the food that we produce via conventional means might not be enough. 

Ecology. Industrial husbandry is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, a significant part of the Earth’s land surface and large quantities of water are used by this industry, including for growing food for domestic animals. The UN’s Water Development Report for 2024 states that up to 70% of freshwater used by humanity is spent on agriculture. According to other data, half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture. All this puts a great strain on the planet’s ecosystem – hence the need for new food sources.

Famine and waste. The UN states that about a billion servings of food is thrown out on a daily basis. At the same time, over 700 million people on our planet continue to starve. These problems call for a comprehensive solution: we need to not only find new food sources, but also learn to effectively use and recycle the resources we already possess.

Which technologies can help us face these challenges? And what is their future? 

Lab-grown meat

Cultured meat is the most “authentic” counterpart for the food we are used to: its taste and texture are identical to the original – and there’s no need to slaughter cattle for it.

How it’s made. In order to create such meat, scientists use animal biomaterial, such as muscle tissue. They extract stem cells from the tissue and use them to grow muscle cells: in theory, it should be possible to mold them into a single piece of meat that would look just like the ones you’ll find in a store.

For now, scientists can only grow a mass of separate cells that resemble ground meat, but assembling those into a singular piece of meat is almost impossible. Apartt from growing muscle tissue, we also have to learn to grow other types of cells, like bones, fat, and gristle, which is much harder.

What’s next. The first burger made with lab-grown meat was made in 2013 and cost $325,000. Thanks to technological development, today a kilogram of artificial meat costs $80 and one burger – $11. Experst at the consulting company AT Kearney believe that by 2040-2050, about 35% of all meat on the market will be artificial.

Plant-based meat substitutes

In order to find a way to feed the growing population, scientists are already looking for new sources of protein. Plant-based counterparts are deemed a promising approach. This seems logical: humanity has been growing crops for ages and in huge volumes; it’s also cheaper and more eco-friendly than raising cattle. 

How it’s made. Plant-based meat substitutes have long been produced from vegetables, legumes, and grains such as soy, peas, wheat, beans, and others. After these materials are pre-processed, the protein is extracted and extruded – meaning that high pressure and temperatures are used to turn a mix of protein and water into special fibers. These fibers are mixed with fats (for example canola, coconut, or sunflower oil), flavorings, preserving agents, and coagulants. The end product (cutlets, steaks, etc.) are made using molds. Sure enough, such products are not identical to the original, but some examples have gotten quite close to resembling actual meat in taste, smell, and texture.

What’s next. As good as they might seem, plant-based meat substitutes have their own problems. Apart from protein, they contain numerous additives that make them ultra-processed foods: their consumption increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions. What’s more, plant-based products often contain common allergens: wheat, soy, and peas. Plant-based meat substitutes in their current form are an important transition stage, but it’s necessary to develop safer, more natural formulas.

Other sources of protein

Insect protein. Despite the expectable associations with Asian markets where they sell dried and fried crickets and roaches, modern insect-based protein looks very different. In most cases, it’s a flour made of various species of insects (for example, black soldier fly or locust larvae) and which is already used as cattle feed. What’s more, insect-based proteins are already approved as food sources for humans in several countries. ITMO scientists are working on insect-based proteins, as well: recently, they’ve found a way to breed protein-rich fly larvae for use as cattle feed.

Algae and fungi. Scientists are also considering algae as a source of protein. This includes the spirulina or chlorella, which are rich in vitamin B12, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and fluorine, as well as microscopic fungi that feed on hydrosoluble vitamins and can have a structure similar to meat when processed. Algae is already added to smoothies, salads, juice, and protein bars, while mycoprotein (fungi-based protein) is used as an ingredient in substitutes for ground meat, bacon, sausages, and dairy products like cheese and yogurt. One of the major manufacturers of mycoprotein products is the international brand Quorn.

Scientists can even make protein out of thin air – or methane, to be specific. Bacteria that process methane might become yet another source of protein for humans and animals. For example, in 2022, Russian scientists developed a new strain of the methanotroph bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus from sludge taken from sewage treatment plants. This bacterium can open up new opportunities for the production of protein-rich cattle feed.

3D-printed food

The food of the future is not only about what we eat, but also how we cook our food. As of now, new technologies continue to make their way into cooking, and 3D printing is one of them. This technology makes it possible to accurately control the composition, caloric value, and portion size, as well as make dishes with specific texture and taste. 

Back in 2012, the domestic 3D printer Foodini appeared on the market. The device has several compartments to which pureed ingredients are added; then, they’re used to create products of different shape, taste and texture – for example burgers, pizza, desserts or even chocolate sculptures.

Another device, nūfood by the Dovetailed company, can be used to create artificial berries and fruit from organic concentrate. The printer imitates the taste and shape of the food it makes, allowing users to produce artificial strawberries or any other berries.

But for now, 3D printing of foods is yet to become something commonplace: it takes too much time and requires special ingredients.  

What else?

Remember the scene in The Fifth Element when Leeloo puts a pill into a microwave and it turns into a roast chicken? Nowadays, such tech is not just something out of sci-fi movies – scientists are already looking into it. It’s quite probable that in the future, food might come in the form of pills or patches containing all the essential nutrients. For instance, there are already transdermal vitamin patches, and scientists are actively studying the delivery of transdermal nutrients.

But then again, such products are yet to gain popularity; one reason for this is the cultural aspect of food: for humans, mealtime is not only a source of nutrition, but also an opportunity to socialize and gain aesthetic pleasure from the food and how it's served.

One more promising technology is personalized nutrition. It is suggested that in the future, we will be able to receive personalized recommendations based on the results of blood, DNA, and intestinal microbiota analysis. While developing a comprehensive diet plan based on this approach is still impossible, we can already use DNA tests to identify specific genes like the lactose intolerance gene, which prevents the human body from properly digesting dairy products. Such tests can also be used to diagnose celiac disease – an autoimmune condition wherein the body is unable to process gluten – and develop relevant diet plans.

Anastasia Antonova’s lecture “Food of the Future – From Test Tube To Plate” took place on April 1, 2025 at the library of St. Petersburg’s Planetarium 1.