Food-making tech invented in China isn't quite on the level of the protein resequencers in Star Trek. But it's getting closer, according to a report from EurekAlert.
That's because a team from Xi'an Jiaotong University and the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is creating a nutrient-rich, edible, single-cell protein, or SCP, from heat-trapping air pollution and electricity, per the report.
"This breakthrough offers a promising solution to global food security and climate challenges by converting CO2 into valuable protein," the article, by the Eurasia Academic Publishing Group, stated.
The setup has two interconnected reactors with futuristic-sounding jobs. One converts carbon dioxide into acetate using microbial electrosynthesis. The second one uses aerobic bacteria to "upgrade" the acetate to a SCP that's closer to something we'd eat, with a 74% protein content.
"Surpassing traditional protein sources like fish and soybean meal," per the report.
The experts described the process as being sustainable and efficient with reduced wastewater. The product could be used as an animal feed and is "a potential candidate for human nutrition," they wrote.
In Star Trek, food security on Vulcan, Earth, and other worlds is basically an obsolete worry, along with money. But in the real world, both remain big challenges, making sustainable food projects worthwhile.
Globally, one in 11 people, or between 713 million and 757 million folks, experience hunger. In Africa, one in five people faces food insecurity, according to the United Nations. Our overheating planet is playing a role, as well, through product disruptions, price increases, and interrupted transport, the United States Department of Agriculture reported.
What's more, farm labor productivity could drop significantly by the end of the century in some parts of the planet due to rising temperatures, per a study published by Wiley.
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Elsewhere, Nestle is working to capture air pollution at its South African plant, turning it into harmless baking soda with impressive tech.
University of Alberta experts are even working on improving plant-based foods with 3D printers and plasma, as another example of a science-fiction-sounding research project.
The work highlights the benefits of plant-based meals, which can provide for healthier, less-polluting menus at home. Better yet, you don't need 3D printers, plasma, or reactors.
If you grow your own food in a garden, for instance, you can save serious cash each year while enjoying some sunshine as you tend to your plants. The Mayo Clinic reported that gardeners often enjoy reduced stress and anxiety while pruning, weeding, and harvesting.
Thanks to services like AmpleHarvest.org, you can even share your bounty with others.
In China, the team is optimistic about its ability to turn dirty fumes into healthy food.
This "technology represents a significant step toward a circular carbon economy, turning greenhouse gases into nutritious food while reducing environmental impact," the team wrote, per EurekAlert.
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