{"id":7936,"date":"2016-11-01T02:11:52","date_gmt":"2016-11-01T06:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/the-intricacies-of-farts-and-burps\/"},"modified":"2016-11-05T16:41:56","modified_gmt":"2016-11-05T20:41:56","slug":"impossible-foods-the-intricacies-of-farts-and-burps","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/impossible-foods-the-intricacies-of-farts-and-burps\/","title":{"rendered":"Impossible Foods: The Intricacies of Farts and Burps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Background<\/strong><\/p>\n

As disposable income increases, consumers increase\u00a0their meat consumption, thereby driving up demand for meat [1].\u00a0 As shown in FIG. 1, the effect of increased income on diets is most evident among low- and middle-income populations.\u00a0 As an example, one of the fastest growing meat consuming countries is China.<\/p>\n

\"fig-1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Emitting over 7.1 GtCO2<\/sub>-eq per annum (over 15% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions), the livestock industry is an important player in climate change [2]. \u00a0This blog post focuses on cattle (beef production in particular), as it accounts for the vast majority of the emissions in the industry.<\/p>\n

Today, approximately 1.4 billion cattle roam Earth at any given time.\u00a0 Cattle are ruminants\u2014mammals that acquire nutrients from plants by fermenting them in a specialized stomach prior to digestion.\u00a0 As a result of chewing, regurgitating, and chewing again, cattle fart and burp A LOT.\u00a0 In combination with feed production, manure storage, enteric fermentation, and transportation of animal products, cattle produce over 3 GtCO2<\/sub>-eq per annum [3][4].\u00a0 As shown in FIG. 2, the Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model found that cattle are the most polluting livestock.<\/p>\n

\"fig-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Meat Analogue<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meat analogue, or vegetarian meat, serves as a proxy for meat.\u00a0 Meat analogue mimics certain aesthetic qualities\u2014including texture, flavor, and appearance\u2014and chemical composition of specific types of meat.\u00a0 Meat analogues may be soy-based (for example, made of tofu or tempeh) or gluten-based.\u00a0 Vegans, vegetarians, and those of specific religious faith tend to rely on meat analogue to fulfill protein intake needs.\u00a0 Primary reasons that meat analogue has not gone mainstream include its bland taste, perceived difference in texture from real meat, and consumer skepticism.<\/p>\n

Impossible Foods Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Founded in 2011 by Stanford biochemistry professor Patrick Brown, Impossible Foods Inc. researches and develops plant-based meat and dairy products.\u00a0 The company aims to provide consumers the taste and nutritional benefits of meat without the negative environmental impacts of livestock products.\u00a0 As the world moves towards curbing greenhouse gas emissions, the livestock industry will necessarily need to improve its operational efficiencies to reduce carbon footprint.\u00a0 California, for example, will begin regulating greenhouse gas emissions tied to dairy cows and landfills \u201cby requiring dairy farmers to reduce methane emissions from manure to 40 percent below their 2013 levels by 2030 [4].\u201d\u00a0 Similar measures (known as a \u201cfart tax\u201d) are also being pushed by the United Nations.<\/p>\n

By providing meat alternatives, Impossible Foods Inc. hopes to expedite the process of minimizing greenhouse gas emissions by the livestock industry by diverting away the increase in demand for meat.\u00a0 Impossible Foods Inc. researches animal products at the molecular level and selects specific proteins and nutrients from plants to provide consumers with the experience of consuming meats and dairy products without harming animals.<\/p>\n

The first product rolled out by Impossible Foods Inc. is the Impossible Burger.\u00a0 The company prides itself on making the first all plant-based, vegan ground beef burger.\u00a0 The Impossible Burger is made from wheat, coconut oil, potatoes, and \u201cheme.\u201d\u00a0 Heme is the secret sauce that differentiates the Impossible Burger from other meat analogue.\u00a0 Heme is the key chemical that governs the behavior of meat and what gives meat its bright color and juicy taste.\u00a0 By extracting heme from plants and fermenting the same, the Impossible Burger overcomes the various aforementioned factors that turn consumers off when consuming traditional meat analogue.<\/p>\n

Just how good is the Impossible Burger for the consumer and for the environment?\u00a0 According to Impossible Foods Inc., the plant-based Impossible Burger delivers \u201cbioavailable protein and iron comparable to conventional beef.\u00a0 It has no cholesterol, hormones, or antibiotics [5][6].\u201d\u00a0 FIG. 3 shows the nutrition facts of the Impossible Burger.<\/p>\n

\"fig-3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Still according to Impossible Foods Inc., \u201cproducing the Impossible Burger requires a quarter of the water used to produce the same burger from a cow, 1\/20th of the land and 1\/8th of the greenhouse gas emissions [6].\u201d \u00a0A quick back of the envelope calculation reveals that, replacing a conventional burger made from cattle with a quarter-pound Impossible Burger saves over 20 gallons of water (approximately a 10-minute shower). \u00a0Alternatively, it eliminates the greenhouse gases emitted by driving 18 miles in an average car or liberates 75 square feet of land for wildlife.<\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n

Impossible Foods Inc. understandably initiated its efforts in ground beef\u2014the U.S. beef burger market is a whopping $30 billion business.\u00a0 While cattle are the most polluting livestock, Patrick Brown recognizes the need to cut emission across all products.\u00a0 Impossible Foods Inc. has announced that its team of scientists, nutritionists, and researchers are working together to make chicken, pork, fish, and yogurt entirely from plants.\u00a0 By tailoring specific products for specific audiences around the world, Impossible Foods Inc. hopes to replace meat consumption without changing consumer behavior\u00a0and play its part in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n

[794 Words]<\/p>\n

References<\/strong><\/p>\n

[1]\u00a0Delgado, C., Rosegrant, M. & Meijer, S. (2001). Livestock to 2020: the revolution continues. International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium. http:\/\/www.iatrcweb.org\/oldiatrc\/Papers\/Delgado.pdf (accessed November 1, 2016).<\/p>\n

[2]\u00a0Schwarzer, S. (2012). Growing greenhouse gas emissions due to meat production. UNEP Global Environmental Alert Service (GEAS). http:\/\/www.unep.org\/pdf\/unep-geas_oct_2012.pdf (accessed November 1, 2016).<\/p>\n

[3]\u00a0Gerber, P.J., Steinfeld, H., Henderson, B., Mottet, A., Opio, C., Dijkman, J., Falcucci, A. & Tempio, G. (2013). Tackling climate change through livestock \u2013 A global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome.<\/p>\n

[4] Cooper, J. (2016). California moves to add methane limits to climate agenda. Associated Press.\u00a0http:\/\/bigstory.ap.org\/article\/b280edd19f79439c8213ba1d0d6aab48\/california-moves-add-methane-limits-climate-agenda (accessed November 1, 2016).<\/p>\n

[5] Soller, K. (2016). The Impossible Burger is ready for its (meatless) close-up. The Wall Street Journal.\u00a0http:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/the-impossible-burger-is-ready-for-its-meatless-close-up-1465912323 (accessed November 1, 2016).<\/p>\n

[6] Impossible Foods Inc. FAQs. (2016). http:\/\/www.impossiblefoods.com\/faq (accessed November 1, 2016).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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