Read more: 81% Of USA Sandwich Bags Contain Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’

Dr Benjamin Droguet, Professor Silvia Vignolini, and a group of fellow Cambridge scientists founded the UK-based company in 2022 in order to replicate the vibrant colors found in nature sustainably. Sparxell’s star compound is cellulose, a plant-derived sugar.

Sparxell can extract its plant-based, renewable, and biodegradable cellulose from waste streams, all while achieving vibrant, high-performance pigments for use in sectors as diverse as cosmetics, fashion, packaging, crafts, food and beverage, and automotive care.

“Our plant-based materials can be grown and sourced locally in a complete rethink of how colors are currently being manufactured while reducing transport emissions,” explained Sparxall founder and CEO Droguet, in a release published by BusinessWire.

The company says it will use the backing to accelerate the development and commercialization of its products. Prominent participants in the seed funding include the L’Oreal-founded Circular Innovation Fund and SpaceX-backer Future Communities Capital.

Read more: Flora Unveils ‘World First’ Plastic-Free Paper Tubs For Vegan Spreads

Traditional colorants cause ‘major environmental harm’

According to Sparxell, its product is the “world’s first” 100 percent natural, high-performance, and biodegradable color platform, free from child labor, health risks, and minimal pollution. 

“Traditional chemical colorants are causing major environmental harm through every stage of their lifecycle, from manufacture to degradation,” continued Droguet.

A recent report by Precedence Research predicts that the global colorants market will more than double between 2022 and 2032, but specifically highlights toxic elements and associated health risks – including cancer – impact both workers and customers.

“The textile industry is a well-known emitter of dyes and microplastics, with over 1.5m tonnes entering the environment every year, while paint has recently been recognized as the largest source of microplastics in the ocean,” added Droguet.

Read more: The UK’s Plastic Waste Crisis: 100 Billion Pieces Of Packaging Discarded Every Year

Sparxell’s ‘plastic-free and toxin-free pigments’

A 2022 study published by the Swiss scientific research firm Environmental Action (EA) found that of the tens of millions of tonnes of microplastics leaked into the ocean each year, approximately 58 percent comes from paint particulates.

The researchers reported that 1.9 million tonnes of paint end up in oceans and waterways annually, many of which contain plastic polymers, contributing to ubiquitous microplastics. Furthermore, common volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paint include formaldehyde, benzene, and ethyl acetate, exposure to which can cause a range of serious health issues.

In contrast, Sparxell makes its plant-based cellulose completely biodegradable, and the company notes that model studies confirm that its “plastic-free and toxin-free pigments” have “some of the lowest impacts on flora and fauna at the end of life.”

Sparxell expects to launch a Series A funding round in the coming months to upscale production capacity and accelerate commercialization.

The post Company Raises $3.2 Million For Plant-Based Pigment Development appeared first on Plant Based News.

The billionaire Amazon founder established the Bezos Earth Fund in 2020 as part of a public commitment to tackle the ongoing climate crisis through philanthropy.

At the time, the Bezos Earth Fund pledged to distribute a total of $10 billion by the end of the decade via targeted grants and investments, with $1 billion going specifically toward food transformation. This new $60 million commitment is part of that initial pledge.

The investment will establish several Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein focused on major technological barriers to the production of plant-based and cultivated meats, including reducing cost, increasing quality, and boosting nutritional content.

Bezos Earth Fund Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez made the announcement earlier this week, and highlighted an urgent need for innovation in making the global food system sustainable.

“We need to feed 10 billion people with healthy, sustainable food throughout this century while protecting our planet. We can do it, and it will require a ton of innovation,” said Sánchez. “Our world is poised for transformation, for a future not constrained by compromise. Solutions to our greatest challenges often come from the quiet persistence of those willing to question, reimagine, and innovate,” she added.

‘Our world is poised for transformation’

The planet is warming rapidly, and environmental experts predict that we are approaching the first of several critical tipping points that could spell environmental catastrophe.

Farming animals is responsible for around 16.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). It’s also the leading cause of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. 

Swapping traditional meat for sustainable alternatives is an effective way to cut back on environmental damage, and regardless of lifestyle, more and more people are purchasing and eating plant-based proteins regularly.

Flexitarians and meat-eaters drive plant-based growth, even more than vegans and vegetarians, and experts predict that the plant-based meat market will surpass $14.27 billion by 2030, an increase of over 13 percent from 2023.

Governments are also embracing alternative proteins, and both Germany and Denmark have announced huge investments in the promotion and production of plant-based foods in order to shift away from animal agriculture towards more sustainable means of food production.

However, while animal agriculture is a leading cause of pollution and environmental harm, it isn’t the only one. A report by Oxfam America found that the richest one percent of the global population (including Bezos himself) are responsible for 16 percent of global consumption emissions. It also found that the richest 10 percent are responsible for half of all emissions.

According to the Guardian, Bezos’s new superyacht alone – the largest sailing vessel in the world – emits at least 7,154 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. (Americans average an already relatively high 20 tonnes per person compared to a global average of four tonnes.)

More like this:

• University Of Cambridge Students’ Union To Serve 100% Plant-Based Food
• New Report On Meat Industry Disinformation
• New York State Sues Meat Giant JBS Over ‘Greenwashing’ Claims

The post Jeff Bezos Just Pledged $60 Million To Improve Plant-Based Meats appeared first on Plant Based News.

Created and published by Japanese developer Pocket Pair, Palworld is a wildly popular “open world” game.

Players wake up on an island and must find shelter and food. Doing so can involve capturing “Pals,” animal-like creatures who populate the island.

“PETA has already heard from many Palworld fans who have no interest in eating Pals and want a vegan guide created for the game,” said Elisa Allen, PETA’s Vice President of Programmes, in a statement last month.

What is Palworld?

Palworld is a hugely popular survival game, which sold eight million copies within a week of release.

The concept is simple: players find themselves on an island and try to survive and thrive in their new surroundings.

For many players, this involves capturing Pals. Players can tame and put Pals to work in order to progress through the levels and improve their position.

Every Pal has unique skills. Players choose how to “use” them: some are suited to transportation, while others can mine or lumber. Similar to Pokémon, seasoned gamers try to “catch them all.”

As well as capturing and exploiting the digital beasts, players can also breed Pals together to create new Pals.

Palworld and veganism

Killing animals and eating them is clearly not compatible with vegan values.

Vegans avoid contributing to non-human animal exploitation, which means vegans won’t eat, wear, or in any way use products made with or from animals. Vegans also avoid using animals for work or entertainment. This is because vegans see animals as here with us, not for us.

Of course, Palworld is a video game world – not the real world. And Pals are fictional animal-like creatures – not real creatures. Video games portray a representation of animal cruelty, rather than animal cruelty itself. So, playing Palworld is not itself a non-vegan activity.

Vegan guide to Palworld

Even so, many vegan players feel uncomfortable using and abusing animals, even of the digital sort.

PETA’s calls for a vegan guide to Palworld were heard by Game Sandwich. Last month, the gaming website released a specialist game guide to help vegan players navigate the online world without harming their Pals.

In the guide, Game Sandwich advises players how to gather materials, establish a base, and advance through the levels “with your morals intact.”

The guide tells vegan players to “make your way down the hill and over to some nearby berry bushes.” It also includes a list of “Vegan-approved Technologies you can use.”

PETA has since released a list of five updates it would like to see to improve the game for vegans. “Berries are great and all, but PETA now proposes that with just five updates, Palworld would be ready for a whole new audience,” the organization writes.

Pacts with Pals and vegan-friendly materials would make the game more inclusive, PETA says. It puts a question to the developer: “Can we count on you to turn Palworld into a game that compassionate players can really enjoy, or will you leave us to our sticks and berries?”

Video games reflect wider society

While some players may differentiate their desire to avoid harm to animals in real life with their actions in a video game, representations of reality can have a powerful psychological effect.

Researchers disagree over whether playing violent video games makes children more violent. However, it is less controversial to say that the type of content to which we are exposed has some influence on real-world behaviors.

Exposure to animal abuse in day-to-day life normalizes the suffering that humans inflict on animals for food, clothes, entertainment, and more. Video games, like all forms of media, help reinforce harmful power dynamics.

Last year, vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian showed off an early version of his animal rights video game in which players are tasked with liberating animals. He previously told Plant Based News: “With UNCAGE, I aim to instill compassion in players.”

Will the creators of Palworld heed PETA’s call and allow players to choose compassion?

More like this:

• Patrik Baboumian To Release Animal Rights Video Game
• Why Isn’t Horse Riding Vegan? Everything You Need To Know
• How To Watch ‘Christspiracy’: The Documentary Is Being Released Very Soon

The post Vegan Guide To ‘Palworld’ Released Following PETA Comments appeared first on Plant Based News.

Stockeld Dreamery, a Swedish vegan dairy start-up, has launched a fermented Cheddar slice that could take the vegan cheese experience to the next level.

“We are still only scratching the surface in terms of what this new approach could do,” Sorosh Tavakoli, Founder and CEO of Stockeld Dreamery, tells Plant Based News (PBN). “We need economies of scale to bring prices down and we need the consumers to overcome their current perceptions of what dairy free cheese could be.”

On a pizza, on a burger, on a cheeseboard, or on crackers, cheese is as commonplace as it is cruel. But as more consumers shun dairy for its ethical and environmental shortcomings, can innovation keep up with demand for animal-free cheese?

Why move away from dairy?

More people are switching away from animal products and seeking out alternatives that have a lower environmental footprint and pose fewer ethical concerns.

However, it has long been the case that many flexitarians struggle with substituting cheese most of all.

That’s not especially surprising. Dairy cheese contains casein, which has an addictive effect during digestion. Since a cow’s milk is intended for her young, casein is supposed to help ensure calves drink enough of it. When humans take this milk and turn it into cheese, it can be addictive – and create various health risks.

The dairy industry is built on the exploitation of the female reproductive system. “Dairy cows” are forcibly impregnated once a year via artificial insemination. Each time, they lose their calf shortly after birth so humans can take their milk.

This year, Peta’s Superbowl ad, starring Edie Falco, put the cruelty of cheese in the spotlight.

Dairy cheese is not only cruel to cows. It is also a major contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for at least four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). To put that in context, dairy causes more emissions than aviation.

Indeed, dairy can account for more than a quarter of the carbon footprint of an average European diet.

The plant-based cheese paradox

Faced with these realities, plant-based milks have experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. More than four in 10 US households now drink alternative milks. This is a hugely significant milestone in a country where Big Dairy still holds such sway.

Plant-based cheeses have also grown rapidly in the past decade. However, vegan cheese has failed to make quite the same impression as vegan milks.

The “third wave” of vegan cheese could change that. After the early days of homemade nut cheeses, plant-based cheese production commercialized with dairy alternatives made from starch, fat and aromas. This production has allowed dairy-free cheeses to spread around the world. Prices are affordable and the taste and texture have received rave reviews. Still, this “second wave” has not achieved the mass market breakthrough needed to cause a revolution.

“The second wave took us to about 1.5 percent of penetration,” notes Tavakoli. “With the third wave we hope to eventually be able to go beyond 15 percent of total cheese sales, a similar number to plant-based milks.”

MELT is melty and stretchy

Enter fermentation.

The “third wave” uses a process of cheesemaking more akin to traditional dairy methods. Fermentation is a 10,000-year-old natural food processing method that involves letting healthy bacteria carry out chemical reactions.

Stockeld Dreamery’s MELT is made with cultured legumes. This gives it two grams of protein per serving. It also allows it to “melt faster than any other plant-based cheese on the market,” according to the company.

“We are moving into this launch with a lot of great energy from our first customers who’ve been giving us encouraging feedback,” Tavakoli tells PBN. “The product is clearly different and superior in many important ways for them such as the meltability, the flavor profile, and texture.”

Fermented (vegan) cheese

The next step for MELT is to get on as many menus as possible.

“We’ve found that many restaurants serve burgers with plant-based patties, but with dairy cheese on,” says Tavokoli.

He thinks that a plant-based cheese that performs like dairy could be a gamechanger. “The terrible reputation of vegan cheese is a big challenge for our category. With a product that can positively surprise customers, we will focus a lot on sampling,” he adds.

Alongside this “third wave” vegan cheese product, Tavokoli says that the way dairy-free cheese is presented should change too. “We see a big opportunity in how products are labelled on menus,” he says. “By adding ‘Cultured Cheddar’ to the menu, sales increase quite dramatically,” he adds.

As politicians and the dairy industry try to push out vegan dairy alternatives, notably in the US with the DAIRY PRIDE bill, creative marketing may become ever more important.

More like this:

• Company Creates First Ever Vegan-Certified Precision Fermentation Dairy
• ‘Cheese Paradox’: Why Some Vegetarians Are ‘Disgusted’ By Milk But Eat Dairy
• AI Predicts Most Of World Will Be Vegan By 2075

The post Could The ‘Third Wave’ Of Vegan Cheese Move Flexitarians Off Dairy? appeared first on Plant Based News.

Vegan Action, the top vegan certification organization in the US, certified LF+, the Singaporean company’s “sustainable lactoferrin” (lactoferrin is a protein found in milk).

More and more consumers are avoiding dairy for its ethical and environmental impacts. In response, companies are using precision fermentation to make a bioidentical version. Precision fermentation (PF) is a form of brewing that genetically engineers microflora to make proteins or fats.

Fengru Lin, CEO and Co-Founder of TurtleTree, said in a statement: “As conscious consumers increasingly prioritize ethical choices, we aim to provide food and beverage brands with the unwavering confidence that our products align seamlessly with those evolving values.” 

Vegan certification for precision fermentation dairy

Dozens of companies are working on precision fermentation dairy. Most precision fermentation products do not involve animal products or byproducts. However, the genetic codes required in production mean that strict adherence to vegan standards requires care and attention.

TurtleTree’s LF+ is the first product to prove that its process adheres to the highest ethical standards. For now, the certification makes LF+ the only certified vegan lactoferrin available.

Lin added: “With this certification, we are putting words into action and allowing that action to be validated by a third party. We want to build a food system that is sustainable and enables animals to live happier and healthier lives.”

Ethical precision fermentation

Precision fermentation has created a buzz in recent years. Dairy is widely seen as a cruel and unsustainable industry for people, cows, and the planet. It is a prime target for precision fermentation replacements.

Last month, Daisy Lab, a New Zealand (Aotearoa) tech company announced that it had successfully scaled up an animal-free whey powder.

The vegan certification sets a new standard for the future of precision fermentation. Krissi Vandenberg, Director of Vegan Action, said in a statement: “We were thrilled to get TurtleTree’s product Vegan Certified because of the clear benchmark this sets for the rest of the industry.”

She added: “TurtleTree’s dedication to ethical practices and transparency is commendable and will undoubtedly inspire other precision fermentation companies.”

More like this:

• What Is Precision Fermentation, And Could It Replace Animal Farming?
• ‘An Amazing Outcome’: Company Scales Animal-Identical Whey
• Germany Unveils ‘Groundbreaking’ Investment In Plant-Based Food

The post Company Creates First Ever Vegan-Certified Precision Fermentation Dairy appeared first on Plant Based News.

This finding follows a new study from The NPD Group regarding the future of the food industry as it becomes increasingly influenced by the dietary choices of Gen Z and Millenials, and their growing concern for the environment and animal rights. 

BestCasinoSites.net used the study as a prompt to Open AI’s ChatGPT regarding what a gradual timeline towards veganism across the world’s population might look like. 

ChatGPT made a number of predictions, including the flexitarian diet being mainstream by 2027 and breakthroughs in food technology making vegan meat alternatives better and more affordable. It also foresees a shift towards plant-based agriculture, a Natalie Portman and Leonardo DiCaprio-backed Climate Action and Veganism Day, athletes like Serena Williams pushing for the plant-based diet to become more mainstream, and then animal farming almost collapsing entirely. 

Future-proofing the food industry with plant-based foods

Data researchers The NPD Group conducted its study on how the food industry will become increasingly shaped by the Millenial and Gen Z generations. Based on the findings, Darren Seifer, food industry analyst from NPD had this to say after co-authoring the study:  

“As consumers continue to prepare more meals in the home and younger generations cook more, plant-based foods and ingredients will be a part of their repertoire. In addition to providing a variety of plant-based foods and ingredients, food manufacturers should also focus efforts on Millennials and Gen Zs since they will be driving the category’s growth. Their concerns for sustainability and animal welfare should also be taken into account when messaging them.”

ChatGPT’s vegan timeline

The Daily Mail gave ChatGPT the NPD study as a prompt, asking the AI chatbot to provide a timeline based on its data. Its first prediction is that, by 2027, the flexitarian diet will be much more mainstream. As opposed to what is currently known as the Standard American Diet, which heavily involves meat, dairy and other animal products, a flexitarian follows a largely plant-based diet, occasionally eating meat, dairy and eggs, but not as diet staples. Also known as the semi-vegetarian diet, ChatGPT sees it becoming a much more normalized diet by 2027.

It also predicts that from 2024, Gen Z and Millenials will increasingly spread awareness about animal rights and climate change. Food technology companies will react, and by 2028 will innovate more plant-based meat alternatives, with heavy social media promotion. A few years later in 2032, a breakthrough in food tech sees vegan faux meats becoming much more convincing and also affordable. 

Are plant-based subsidies the future?

ChatGPT’s first legislative prediction is seen in 2037: North American and European governments implement the first subsidies for plant-based agriculture, with a significant decline in traditional farming and animal agriculture underway.

A big year in ChatGPT’s diary is 2057, the first time in history in which veganism is “widely accepted and normalized in many parts of the world.” A few years later in 2064, “Global Vegan Week” is celebrated internationally in its first year. 

Regarding companies that have been responsible for huge amounts of meat consumption around the world, another prediction is that McDonald’s is taking big steps in transitioning to a completely plant-based menu in 2068. 

By 2070, younger generations have grown up with veganism as the norm and are playing a huge role in the shift. ChatGPT declares that three years later in 2073, the world is almost entirely vegan, foreshadowing the animal agriculture industry completely collapsing in 2075, and any animal-related farming being “obsolete”. 

ChatGPT clarified to the Daily Mail that “While it’s impossible to predict the future with certainty, I can offer a hypothetical timeline based on the assumption that Gen Z and Millennials raising awareness on animal agriculture will lead to a significant shift in dietary habits. Keep in mind that this is a speculative scenario, and the actual timeline may vary widely by region and culture.” 

The role of Gen Z and Millenials in veganism

With vegetarianism relatively rare and veganism almost completely unheard of among many in the Boomer and Gen X generations, it is the younger generations that have increasingly adopted vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. There are many factors that have caused this shift. The increased use of social media has seen younger people sharing vegan recipes and information, and vegan YouTubers and influencers have helped popularize the lifestyle. 

The rise of streaming has seen the release of documentaries such as Cowspiracy and What The Health about the negative consequences of meat consumption on health and the environment. While such films may have struggled to get cinema releases in the years prior to streaming, the emergence of platforms like Netflix meant it has been much easier for these films to be released and spread information about veganism. 

In the last decade, many celebrities have popularized veganism by announcing they have adopted the lifestyle, such as Billie Eilish, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jessica Chastain. 

This article was updated on Monday, December 18, to clarify that the AI prompt was conducted by BestCasinoSites.net.

More like this:

• Billie Eilish And Finneas Are Opening A Vegan Restaurant
• ‘Christspiracy’ Directors Reveal Truth About Explosive New Documentary
• Antibiotic Overuse On UK Factory Farms ‘Could Kill Over 52,000 Humans By 2050’

The post AI Predicts Most Of World Will Be Vegan By 2075 appeared first on Plant Based News.

“UNCAGE – Total Liberation” has been more than two years in the works. Players of the game will take the role of an undercover animal rights activist. 

The game is currently in prototype version, and Baboumian has launched a Kickstarter to turn it into a “fully fledged animal rights gaming experience.”

Baboumian told Plant Based News: “With UNCAGE, I aim to instill compassion in players. I also want to cultivate enthusiasm for developing more animal rights games.”

Animal rights video game

In “UNCAGE – Total Liberation,” players enter an animal testing facility. Once inside, they face a choice between rescuing animals or documenting animal abuse. “There is more than one way to play UNCAGE,” the concept trailer declares.

Interactive storytelling for the animals

Baboumian’s decision to focus his vegan activism on producing a video game stems from his belief in the power of storytelling.

“Our brains process information most effectively when woven into a compelling story,” he explained. “Interactive storytelling stands out as the most influential – immersing audiences into a narrative, allowing them to experience its world and characters from within.”

In Baboumian’s vision, players of animal rights video games will have the chance to perceive the world through the eyes of animals. This, he hopes, will help engender compassion for all animals.

Patrik Baboumian’s animal advocacy 

Baboumian is known by many for his appearance in the Netflix documentary The Game Changers.

He sees gaming as the next frontier for animal rights activism. “Despite the abundance of impactful documentaries advocating for animal rights and veganism, the gaming realm has seen only a handful of attempts to communicate this critical issue,” he explained.

“It feels like our movement is missing out on utilizing the most significant and powerful platform to speak for animals.”

More like this:

• An Animal Activist Was Found Guilty After Rescuing Farmed Animals – Here’s Why He Did It
• Vegan Documentary ‘The Game Changers’ Is Getting A Sequel
• New Research Shines Light On The Benefits Of Beans As A Protein Source

The post Patrik Baboumian To Release Animal Rights Video Game appeared first on Plant Based News.

Apple will offer no new phone cases, wallets, and watch straps containing leather. Instead, it will use alternatives, one of these being a new textile called FineWoven. This material is said to be made from 68 percent recycled post-consumer recycled content, as well as feature a “subtle lustre and a soft, suede-like feel.” For the Apple Watch Sport Loop, Apple will use 82 percent recycled yarn. 

The removal of leather is one of a number of efforts from the company to be carbon neutral for its supply chain and products by 2030. The Apple Watch Series 9 is said to be the first carbon neutral product that the company has made. 

According to Lisa Jackson, Apple vice president for environment, the company is aiming to “make products customers love and protect the planet at the same time.”

The environmental impact of leather

The term leather refers to the skin or hide of an animal, usually cows, and it’s often marketed as an innocent byproduct of the beef industry. 

Leather is a multi-billion dollar industry in its own right, however, which comes from the hugely destructive animal agriculture industry. Some have described leather as a “coproduct” rather than byproduct. Aside from their ethical costs, “cattle farms” are also catastrophic for the environment. Around a third of human-caused methane comes from cows, meaning they are directly contributing to the climate crisis. Another issue is land use. Around 26 percent of the world’s ice free land is used by “livestock,” and much of this is taken up by cows. 

Leather production also has its own specific costs. The tanning process involves use of toxic chemicals, which can pollute water sources. The chemicals can also affect the health of workers and people who live nearby the tannery. Production of leather requires a huge amount of water, on top of the water usage it takes to raise the cows in the first place.

Companies embrace leather alternatives

Apple isn’t the only company to distance itself from leather in recent years. In March 2021, Volvo announced that it would be ditching leather from its interiors in its cars over ethical and environmental concerns. In September 2022, it was reported that BMW would be using a vegan leather alternative in some of its models. 

The animal-free leather alternative market has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2022, it was valued at USD $39.5 billion, and and it’s been forecast to grow to $74.5 billion by 2030.

The post Apple To Phase Out Leather From iPhone Cases And Watches appeared first on Plant Based News.

With the power of apps, you can build a likeminded community, travel without a daily food struggle, manage a varied and nutritious plant diet, and learn to cook like the plant-powered pros.

Below, we share seven powerful apps designed to make plant-based dining and all things vegan easier — so you can thrive in a non-vegan world.

Happy Cow

Perhaps the best-known and most utilized vegan-centric app, HappyCow is an absolute must for vegan and plant-powered travellers.

Both the app and the website serve as by-the-people, for-the-people, guides to vegan and vegan-friendly eateries, bars, and shops around the world. You can browse HappyCow for reviews à la Yelp, and explore real-world photos from plant-powered diners.

If you are particularly diligent about where you spend your dollars, the app also allows you to filter for businesses that are 100 percent vegan and animal conscious.

“The HappyCow app is my life jacket when I’m drowning in a non-vegan world,” read one five-star review. “It has led me to some of the most incredible vegan experiences in some of the most unlikely parts of the world.”

The HappyCow app comes with a one-time cost of $3.99, or you can browse their catalogue for free via their website.

Forks Plant-Based Recipes

Having risen to fame with its popular mainstream doc, the Forks Over Knives enterprise is best known for healthy, whole-food recipes made exclusively from plants.

The Forks Over Knives app includes over 1000 recipes so far — plus easy-to-follow instructions, and instant-access shopping lists.

Examples of recipes available on the app include:

• Teriyaki Burgers With Pineapple
• Hidden Berry Dessert Squares
• And Savoury Pancakes With Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach

The app currently boasts a rating of 4.7 stars and has tons of glowing reviews. One of these reads: “This app makes preparing plant-based meals easy, from a built-in shopping list to step by step directions & a spot for me to add a new twist…I’m a fan!”

Forks Plant-Based Recipes comes with a one-time cost of $9.99.

Oh She Glows

Packed with brightly colored shots of approachable vegan dishes, the Oh She Glows app from Angela Liddon is a one-stop resource for vegan and vegan-curious diners.

Liddon’s app includes recipes like:

• Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato & Kale Soup
• The Ultimate Green Taco Wraps
• And a Speedy Teriyaki Veggie Noodle Bowl

It also offers a handy filter option so you can easily find recipes that accommodate special dietary needs — including nut-free, soy-free, and gluten-free options.

One user praised the app for its functionality. “I love this app! The recipes are great! For the most part the ingredients are easy to find,” they said. “The nutritional data is included, you can save your favourite recipes for easy reference and as ingredients and steps are completed you can cross them off so that you know what step is next.”

The Oh She Glows app comes with a one-time cost of $3.99.

feel better

An ideal option for lovers of tasty vegan food, the feel better app is an absolute asset if you’re looking to expand your culinary skills.

Debuted by Ella Mills — the vegan influencer better known as “Deliciously Ella” — feel better is packed with over 800 plant-based recipes and more than 300 at-home workouts.

Here are some recipe examples:

• Grilled corn, black bean & salsa verde tacos
• Smoky mushroom flatbreads
• And summer stone fruit galette

Right now, Mills’ app boasts a killer rating of 4.9 stars.

Here’s what one happy user had to say: “I have been using the deliciously ella app for over a year now and it is amazing! Such good value and full of so much goodness! The recipes are regularly updated and new ones added with easy to find ingredients and great images.”

Feel better is free but comes with in-app purchases.

The Daily Dozen

Based on the nutrition advice from How Not To Die — Dr Greger’s headline-grabbing book — the Daily Dozen makes a game of diversifying your diet.

Users can check off whole food ingredients with the ultimate goal of consuming at least one serving from ten different categories daily.

Greger’s plant-based buckets include:

• Grains
• Beans
• Fruit
• Nuts
• Vegetables
• Greens
• Spices
• Berries
• Flax seed
• And cruciferous veg

The Daily Dozen also offers water and exercise targets to nudge users forward in their wellness pursuits. 

Right now, Greger’s app has a rating of 4.9 stars.

Here’s one five-star reviewer singing its praise: “Love the app. Simple to use; so intuitive that even the digitally-challenged can make it work the very first time. Easily helps you identify what you need to work on, with regard to diet; a few days of using the app will reveal your dietary gaps, so you can take measures to shore things up.”

The Daily Dozen is a free resource for health-conscious users.

Veggly 

This one might feel like a bit of a curve ball, but vegan romantics know the struggle well. Dating can be tough in a non-vegan world — and Veggly could be your anecdote.

Like Bumble and Hinge for animal-loving singles, this app was made for the plant-based diner that’s ready to mingle.

Veggly currently has a rating of 4.1 stars.

One reviewer wrote: “I just started using this app but it’s already so much better than every other dating app I’ve been on since I know from the start that every person I see has the same foundational ethical and moral considerations that I do.”

Veggly is free to use — but much like conventional dating apps, it offers in-app purchases.

Grazer

Similar to Veggly, Grazer helps vegan and veg users search for like-minded companionship — but also includes a plant-based friend finder.

According to the brand, the app was created as “a space for plant people to thrive, not hide.”

Their team is chasing that goal with eye-catching branding, filters for your search, and a built-in chat function. As of today, Grazer has a 4-star rating, and while some users mentioned hiccups in the early days — a common phenomenon with apps — it appears that we’re on an upward trajectory.

Here’s what one reviewer had to say: “The app has changed loads over the years and i originally tried it several years ago. Being bored of the other slew of dating apps I thought I’d come back to this one and it’s been updated massively! It has a lovely interface and making a profile is a breeze!”

Grazer is free to download but offers in-app purchases.

The post From Recipes To Dating: Here Are The 7 Best Apps For Vegans appeared first on Plant Based News.

Meatable is based in the Netherlands, and creates cell-based (also known as cultured or “lab grown”) meat, specifically pig and cow products. It claims that its pork takes just eight days to grow, which is 30 times faster than the average time taken to rear a pig for meat. 

Investors included Invest-NL, which gave $17 million, as well as DSM Venturing, BlueYard Capital, Bridford Group, and MilkyWay. Meatable will use the money to accelerate the launch of its pork products, which it hopes to sell in Singapore (which was the first country to give regulatory approval for cell-based meat) in the next year. 

“This is a huge sign of confidence in the incredible quality, taste, and proven scalability of our product, especially in the current investment climate,” Krijn de Nood, co-founder and CEO of Meatable, said in a statement. “We believe cultivated meat is the answer and we are confident we have the tools and the processes in place to make this a reality.” 

Is cell-based meat cruel?

Cultivated meat refers to real animal meat that can be made without raising and slaughtering an animal. The meat will instead be created in bioreactors. Cells often need to be extracted from an animal, though this can sometimes be done just once to create a large volume of product. Because cell-based meat requires the use of an animal, it isn’t considered to be vegan.

With demand for meat around the world growing, many vegans support the industry as a potential viable route away from animal agriculture. Methods of producing meat, as well as levels of impact that they have on animals, depend on the company producing it. 

The industry has in the past sparked controversy for using fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the process. FBS is harvested from the blood of fetuses taken from pregnant cows who were slaughtered in the meat or dairy industries. The proteins in the ingredient were used to help the animal cells grow and duplicate.  

A growing number of companies, however, are moving away from FBS. According to Meatable, it doesn’t use the ingredient in its method. “First we take a sample from an unharmed cow or pig,” it says on its website. “Then we replicate the natural process of fat and muscle growth, and mix the two elements together to produce meat.” Plant Based News cannot verify the conditions in which the animals are kept. The company says it hopes to save 27 million animal lives by 2035. 

“Farming has been revolutionized in the past 100 years to keep up with feeding a growing global population,” said Daan Luining, co-founder and CTO of Meatable. “Cultivated meat is the next revolution.” 

The rise of cell-based meat

As mentioned previously, Singapore was the first country to give approval to a cell-based meat brand. It currently stocks chicken from Eat Just, a California-based cultivated meat brand. 

Last month, it was announced that the USDA had given approval for two brands – Eat Just’s GOOD Meat and UPSIDE FOODS – to be sold in the US. The two products are set to be sold in Michelin-starred restaurants this summer.

Cultivated meat is being heralded as a solution to the environmental impact, as well as animal cruelty, of conventional meat. Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s also driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. A study from research company CE Delft previously found that cell-based meat could be responsible for 92 percent for greenhouse gas emissions that conventional beef, as well as 95 percent less land use.

More like this:

• Cell-Based Meat Will Be Sold At A Butchery For The First Time Ever
• Is ‘Hybrid Meat’ The Key To Consumer Acceptance Of Cultivated Animal Products?
• Cruelty-Free Foie Gras Brand Raises €48 Million To Build Europe’s Largest Cultivated Meat Factory

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The products were made in collaboration with NotCo, an animal-free food company that creates plant-based meat and dairy products using artificial intelligence (AI). The Kraft Heinz Company is one of the biggest food and beverage companies in North America and the world. It announced its partnership with NotCo last year, forming a join venture named The Kraft Heinz Not Company. At the time, they said the partnership would “transform the way consumers enjoy plant-based food.”

The vegan cheeses come in cheddar, provolone, and American styles. They are said to melt just like dairy cheese and be ideal for grilling. The cheeses are made with plant-based ingredients like chickpea and coconut oil, and contain no artificial flavors or dyes.

NotCo’s method

Established in 2015, the Chilean food tech company uses machine learning to replicate dairy and meat products without animal ingredients. It uses its own AI platform – which it calls Giuseppe – to do this. Giuseppe analyzes the structure of animal products at a molecular level, before replacing them using only plants. 

The Kraft NotCheese Slices are the second product that the joint venture has released, and are the first to be nationally distributed. The Kraft Heinz Not Company is growing substantially, and it is planning for international expansion in 2024.  

The rise of vegan cheese

A few years ago, the vegan cheese market was mostly limited to a few questionable products at the back of health food shops. Now, however, consumers around the world can find a wide range in mainstream supermarkets. 

The market’s size was valued at USD 2.43 billion in 2021, and it’s been predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6 percent from 2022 to 2030. 

Increasing prevalence of veganism, coupled with concern over the environmental and health impact of dairy, is thought to be driving its growth. The dairy industry is cruel to cows, who are forced to give birth once a year and each time have their calf taken from them so humans can steal their milk. Dairy production is responsible for around four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, the consumption of milk, cheese, and other similar products is linked to a number of cancers.

More like this:

• Lurpak Unveils Vegan Version Of Iconic Butter – And Dairy Farmers Aren’t Happy
• Vegan ‘Potato Ice Cream’ Could Soon Hit The Market
• Dairy Cow Who ‘Faked Sleep’ To Avoid Being Milked Goes Viral

The post The Kraft Heinz Not Company Unveils Vegan Cheese Made With AI appeared first on Plant Based News.

The product is made using a new protein powder called Solein, which comes from a Finnish startup named Solar Foods.

Solein, a microbial protein created from air and water, was made in conjunction with the European Space Agency. Scientists produced Solein by cultivating bacteria in a lab. They then added hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nutrients, which results in proteins being released. Creators then capture and dehydrate these proteins, forming a powder in the process. The production technique has been compared to winemaking. 

The world’s ‘most sustainable’ protein

According to its creators, Solein is the world’s most sustainable protein. This is because it doesn’t use animals or photosynethetic plants in its production process. It is said to contain 65-70 percent protein, and 10-15 percent dietary fibers. Additionally, five to eight percent fat, and three to five percent mineral nutrients. 

Currently, Singapore is the only country to have granted approval for this ingredient. The region has now given the green light to a chocolate ice cream containing it, which is being served in a seaside Italian restaurant named Fico. 

“It is a remarkable opportunity to be the first chef team to introduce a one-of-a-kind ice cream to the world,” said Fico’s Chef Mirko Febbrile in a statement.

The future of food

It’s not just chocolate ice cream that Solein can be used for – it’s likely we’ll see it in a number of new products hitting the market across the world in the coming years. It can also be used as a meat alternative, be poured into drinks, and create a host of other sweet and savory foods. 

“This offers a glimpse of a future where tastes and textures are familiar, but where food arrives on our plates in an entirely new way,” commented a Solar Foods spokesperson.

The company is planning to collaborate with Japanese biotech company Ajinomoto, which has a significant international presence, to create more products.

Looking for more content like this? You might like:

What Is Precision Fermentation, And Could It Replace Animal Farming?

Vegan ‘Potato Ice Cream’ Could Soon Hit The Market

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The campaign aims to educate consumers about the shortened lifespans of animals reared for meat, compared to how long they would live in nature.

Billboards and print ads are already in place throughout the US, with social media posts offering global access to the striking imagery. NotCo will also distribute ads in other countries where it operates, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and its home country of Chile.

In each AI-generated picture, a mature cow, chicken, or pig is shown on a black background. The accompanying text reveals how long the individual could live, if not slaughtered for human consumption. The images challenge people to view older non-human animals as normal, rather than unusual due to our meat-centric food system.

“This campaign reminds us that AI can help humans have a better relationship with animals and nature,” Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro, the founders of AKQA Bloom, said in a statement. “We believe that seeing an old farm animal shouldn’t be a surprise, and AI can be the accelerator for a plant-based revolution in the food industry.”

The truth about animal slaughter ages

All three species of farmed animals depicted in NotCo’s AI adverts are killed considerably before their natural life expectancies.

Cows can live happily and healthily for almost 50 years. However, they rarely live longer than one-and-a-half years when reared for meat. Dairy cows live longer, up to around one-tenth of their natural lifespan, if they continue to produce enough milk.

Similarly, pigs and chickens can enjoy life for around 20 and 10 years respectively (though 20-year-old chickens have been reported). However, non-breeding pigs are routinely slaughtered at under one year old. Most shockingly, chickens only last a matter of weeks in the food system.

“These AI-generated images give us a clear picture of what these animals should actually look like in nature. We hope this sparks a larger conversation about how we can all do our part to create a better future together – for ourselves, our planet, and the animals,” Fernando Machado, global CMO for NotCo said in a statement.

NotCo’s AI plant-based revolution

NotCo is no stranger to AI, having built its entire food production system around it. 

Using patented AI technology, called “Giuseppe,” NotCo analyzes animal-based foods to then recreate them with plant-based ingredients. It does so to mimic the taste, texture, and smell of animal products while reducing their environmental impact. As an example, NotCo’s chicken is said to produce 74 percent less CO2 than regular chicken. It also requires around 92 percent less water.

Using – often unexpected – combinations of plant-based ingredients, it has launched numerous meat substitutes such as burgers and chicken products. These are stocked alongside NotCo milk and other dairy alternatives in more than 10,000 US stores.

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San Francisco-based The EVERY Co (also known as EVERY) uses precision fermentation (PF), a technology that creates protein using micro-organism tanks. 

This is Hathaway’s first investment in a B2B company, and The Devil Wears Prada actor said she is “proud” to be a part of its journey. 

Following her investment (for an undisclosed amount), the company has raised a total of $230 million to date.

“The need to transform our food system has never been clearer or more urgent,” Hathaway said in a statement. “An important piece of the puzzle is in nature-equivalent animal proteins, such as EVERY has been developing. I’m proud to back this vision of a better future.”

The EVERY Co technology

EVERY is one of many companies exploring the use of PF to create more planet-friendly alternatives to animal products. 

It was founded in 2014, and describes itself as an “an early leader in the space.” It also claims to be the creator of the world’s first animal-free pepsin and egg proteins.

To date, EVERY products have been used to make a green smoothie with juice brand Pressed as well as an adaptogenic hard juice with beverage company Pulp Culture. Its ingredients were also used in what are said to be the world’s first macarons made with vegan egg whites, in partnership with artisan shop Chantal Guillon.

Rather than growing animals on farms, PF uses fermentation science to “brew” proteins.

The result, EVERY says, is “indistinguishable” from animal protein. The proteins it creates are not only better for the animals, but also use less land and water, and emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions. 

“We are thrilled to partner with visionary investors like Anne to drive forward our plans to reimagine the way we feed and nourish the world,” said EVERY CEO Arturo Elizondo. “Ultimately, our vision is to deliver animal-free protein to everyone, everywhere—and help set the table for the better food future we all deserve.”

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Precision fermentation (PF) is a form of brewing, which sees microflora like yeast or bacteria be genetically engineered to make proteins or fats (rather than beer or bread). This, campaigners say, means that we can create the same ingredients found in animal meat, without the animals. 

The Reboot Food campaign comes from RePlanet, and is being supported by environmental campaigner George Monbiot. 

You can watch Monbiot explain more about PF in the clip below:

“Animal agriculture is humanity’s single most destructive industry and now threatens the collapse of our global ecosystems,” Joel Scott-Halkes, campaigns director at RePlanet, tells Plant Based News (PBN).

“Sadly, shifts to plant-based diets simply aren’t happening fast enough to prevent this from happening, so we need something else to more rapidly shift people away from eating animals.”

Why should we move toward precision fermentation?

One of the key benefits of PF, activists say, is the fact that it uses significantly less land than animal farming. 

We kill around 80 billion land animals for food each year, and rearing them requires vast amounts of space. Raising livestock uses around 26 percent of the world’s ice-free land. What’s more, 33 percent of croplands are used to grow feed for these animals. This requirement for land means animal agriculture is a key driver of deforestation. It’s been responsible for around 91 percent of Amazon destruction. 

Campaigners say PF could allow us to create enough protein to feed the entire world using an area of land smaller than Greater London. Scott-Halkes says that this would mean we could rewild at least three-quarters of the world’s farmland. 

“If we do rewild this land, we can reverse the sixth mass extinction of species and draw down enough carbon to not just stop, but reverse climate change,” he adds.

Is precision fermentation viable?

While this technology may sound like a futuristic and unrealistic dream, many parts of the world are already using it. Unlike cell-based meat, which is relatively new and struggling to get regulatory approval in most countries, PF is already here. 

It’s used to produce 99 percent of the world’s insulin (in the 1970s, 50,000 pigs would have to be slaughtered to make just one kilogram of it). Rennet, citric acid, vanilla flavoring, and strawberry flavoring all come from PF. It also creates an ingredient called “heme,” used to make the Impossible Burger. 

Scott-Halkes says that food innovators have now unlocked the codes to making “biologically identical proteins and fats to those found in milk, fish, and meat.” 

Animal agriculture’s impact on the planet

Livestock farming has been shown time and time again to be one of the leading causes of the climate crisis. As well as land use, it’s directly responsible for at least 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is largely due to the methane emitted by cows and other ruminant animals. 

It’s also been identified as a “primary driver” of biodiversity loss. A UN report from last year said that a move away from meat was essential to address this. 

Despite this, there has been a general reluctance from world leaders to accept that adopting more plant-based eating is necessary. PF has been put forward as an alternative to addressing the planetary costs of animal farming. 

“If precision fermentation replaced all animal agriculture we could see most of the planet rewilded, our climate cooled, and abundant food provided to all,” says Scott-Halkes. “Where today there is food insecurity and famine, with precision fermentation there could be abundant, cheap and complete nutrition. Crucially however, we’ll only see these benefits if governments act now to embrace and develop this technology.”

Find out more about precision fermentation on Reboot Food’s website

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Looking to raise $170 million to evolve its proprietary cell-growing technology, the company hopes to garner success comparable to its initial funding raise in 2021.

In an investment round, Mark Cuban, a regular on the American business reality TV show Shark Tank, model Emily Ratajkowski, and singer Ciara all came on board. Alongside numerous others, the celebrity-powered raise brought in $42 million.

How does Prolific Machines plan to create price parity with regular meat?

Cultured meat’s progress to market has been slow for two reasons: lack of global regulatory approval and high associated costs. The latter has been a focal point for a number of companies. Like Prolific Machines, many are trying to replace fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the process.

FBS is extracted from pregnant cows at the point of slaughter. It is removed from the hearts of the cow’s unborn babies via a large syringe, without any anesthetic. It is commonly used in cultured meat development as a powerful growth medium.

However, FBS is expensive to source and increasingly unpopular due to the unethical collection method. As a result, multiple operations are now looking for alternative growth proteins. Taking a different approach, Prolific Machines claims that it has developed technology that removes the need for growth media altogether.

Having recently emerged from stealth operation, the company has not confirmed how it has made such a breakthrough. It also hasn’t clarified how much it will plummet the price of cell-based meat.

Will Cultured meat hit plates soon?

To date, only Singapore has granted approval for cultured meat. This is for just two products from one company: Eat Just’s cultured meat division GOOD Meat. There is scope for the US to follow suit soon. President Biden included the innovation in a new biotech-focused executive order. 

Despite a lack of traction in previous years, there is a burgeoning cultured meat sector in the US. 

Cell-based meat producer Upside Foods has been campaigning for regulatory approval since 2021. It hoped to get the green light before Christmas but was disappointed. Regardless, it opened its ”EPIC” facility in California, which can manufacture up to 400,000 pounds of cultured meat every year. 

Prolific Machines will soon be a neighbor to Upside Foods, as it’s building its own 25,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Emeryville.

In May, Eat Just announced it had signed an agreement to create the biggest-ever cultured meat bioreactors. The giant vats will be located in the US. They have the capacity to produce up to 30 million pounds of cultured meat. 

Regulatory approval is not anticipated in the EU anytime soon, but Israel could see permission to sell cultured meat in the near future. A hub for cell-based startups, including SuperMeat, Aleph Farms, and MeaTech 3D, the country is poised for progress following the Israeli Innovation Authority granting approval and funding for the world’s largest cultured meta consortium.

Is cultured meat good for the environment?

Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 14.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. It also causes rampant deforestation in South America (including 91 percent of Amazon deforestation).

Research suggests that cultured alternatives could cut meat’s global warming impact by 92 percent. This is due to large-scale cultivation tanks replacing methane-emitting cows and the fact that many cultured startups are trying to include renewable energy in their facilities. Though animals are still required to harvest initial cells.

Conversely, a whole-foods plant-based diet is widely recommended as a simple and immediate way to dramatically slash climate impact. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) expert reviewer Dr. Peter Carter has categorically stated that “global veganization is now a survival imperative.” 

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