Mainstreaming Lab-grown Food: Chemical Engineers to the rescue!

Population growth, land scarcity, climate change, and food security are all interrelated global issues that are placing great strain on the planet. By 2050, there will be 9.7 billion people on the planet, and the need for food is anticipated to rise. However, with approximately 40% of the land on the planet being used for agriculture, we are already facing a land shortage. Extreme weather events and shifting weather patterns are making the problem worse and reducing crop yields and food production. Food security as a result is become harder to maintain, especially in developing nations. We must come up with sustainable methods that boost food production while reducing their negative effects on the environment to address these issues. Sustainable agricultural methods, reducing food waste, promoting plant-based diets, and the development of technology like lab-grown food might all be part of the solutions.

Chemical engineers are essential to the advancement and acceptance of food produced in laboratories. They are well positioned to address the technical difficulties of scaling up cell-based meat production since they are experts in the design and optimisation of chemical processes. This theme will explore the interdisciplinary nature of lab-grown food production, highlighting the critical role that chemical engineers play in developing and optimizing the various stages of the process, from cell cultivation to final product formulation. It will also look into the difficulties the industry is currently facing, such as the need to create sustainable, cost-efficient production methods that fulfil high requirements for food safety and quality. The theme will emphasise the most recent advancements in food production from lab-grown sources and their possible effects on the environment and the food sector. Overall, the theme will give participants a forum to interact and debate how chemical engineering may help develop a future food system that is sustainable.