The constantly rising food prices, as well as the steadily growing population of the Earth, make us think about what we will eat in 20 years.
For example, in Europe, food prices play a decisive role in the diet of citizens. Scientists think we should switch to insects, according to the BBC.
Representatives of the United Nations and leaders of Western countries are seriously concerned about what we will eat in twenty years, since the economic situation in the world in general, as well as the state of the environment, to put it mildly, leave much to be desired. Many products, primarily meat, may turn into an expensive delicacy in the coming years. At least in the US and EU countries. Therefore, scientists are looking for a new, cheaper substitute for meat. Some of their suggestions, perhaps, will become commonplace in 20 years, but now they are literally eye-popping.
Insects
“In twenty years they will be our 'mini-cattle',” says Morgan Gein, a food futurist. This is a win-win situation: insects are no less nutritious than beef, he said. They contain almost more protein than the meat we buy in the store. In addition, they consume much less water than livestock and will be much cheaper for people to raise. Restaurants will be able to compose multi-page menus for lovers of beetles and grasshoppers, because at the moment alone, about 1,400 species of insects edible for humans have been identified. However, hardly anyone wants to use them in their pure form. Most likely, crushed insects will be present in many foods and dishes. The Dutch government has recently invested about a million euros in related research.
Test tube meat
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The Dutch are also leading the way in developing this new food technology. At the end of last year, they managed to produce in laboratory conditions strips of cow muscle tissue, similar, as eyewitnesses say, to squid. This was done using stem cells taken from animals. The world's first "test tube burger" is expected to be produced by the end of 2012. According to the researchers, “laboratory meat” is in no way inferior in its properties to a natural product. Moreover, its production is much less harmful to the environment than traditional cattle breeding.
Seaweed
Algae may be one of the least popular foods today, but in the future, they can significantly help solve the food problem. They can be eaten by both humans and animals, and algae can be grown in the ocean, which is very convenient, considering what value the earth will represent in 20 years. In addition, not only food can be produced from algae, but also fuel, which will require much less costs than oil extraction.
