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Revolutionizing Milk Production: The Promise of Lab-Grown Dairy

A Future Where Dairy Milk Is No Longer Reliant On Cows

By Edite SilveiraPublished 13 days ago 3 min read
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This white protein powder has the potential to revolutionize the dairy industry. It is an authentic dairy protein, derived not from an animal, but produced in a lab by scientists. Since this white protein powder contains genuine dairy protein rather than animal protein, it has the potential to completely change the dairy sector. Science may be able to solve the puzzle of a future without cows or provide dairy that is too wonderful to be true.

Already utilized as an ingredient in cream cheese, ice cream, and milk, this protein sets itself apart from plant-based alternatives by promising to replicate the taste and texture of real dairy without the associated environmental impact. Its intended audience is not individuals content with soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk, but rather those seeking an authentic dairy experience. Those who just desire dairy products are the target market, not those who are content with soy, almond, or oat milk. It takes 9.4 million cows to produce the astounding 655 pounds of dairy that the average American consumes annually. Alternative milks began to gain popularity in the 1980s, with soy milk leading the way. Sales of soy milk skyrocketed to 550 million dollars in only two decades, which paved the way for almond and oat milks to take over the dairy-free market. However, these milks have their own set of environmental issues.

It seemed like the only solutions people were talking about were yet another plant, until someone came along and found a way to make that functional protein without cows. Bioanalytics Lab, states this “we have a super important team that makes sure the protein we're working with behaves just right. We test how well the protein works in the chemistry of our lab.” This protein is made through a process called precision fermentation, which is kind of like how beer or wine is made with little microorganisms eating sugar and making something good for us. In 2020, Perfect Days in California Bioanalytics lab introduced animal-free whey protein in the U.S, which was approved as safe by the FDA. Currently, it is also available in Singapore and Hong Kong. This cool thing called whey protein is super valuable, just like the kind found in cows. But get this - this version doesn't come from an animal at all! It's like magic plant protein that gives you all the same benefits without any mooing involved. How awesome is that? The instructions for making whey protein are online for scientists to access easily. They can download the DNA sequence and use it to create the protein using special vials of synthetic nucleotides. These nucleotides are important because they make up all genetic material. After mixing the whey DNA with microflora like fungi, the microflora starts to multiply. Then, the mixture goes into a fermentation tank with sugar, vitamins, and minerals. Once sugar is added, the microflora eat the sugar and turn it into the protein we want. After a few days, the protein is filtered out and dried. Once the protein is made, it can be used as an ingredient in cooking just like any other.

The cultivation of lab-grown dairy seems too good to be true, but scientists have managed to crack the code for a cow-free future. Livestock, particularly dairy cattle, are the largest producers of methane in the U.S., with these animals alone accounting for a quarter of these emissions. Animal rights activists argue that large dairy farms offer cows a lifetime of misery. For years, traditional dairy farming has been the sole source of ice cream, milk, and cheese. It’s interesting to see how technology is changing the way we think about food. Who knows, maybe one day lab-grown options will completely change the traditional dairy industry!

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About the Creator

Edite Silveira

A homeschool mother of three beautiful children. I am a part time healthcare worker concerned about where things are going in the world we live in today. Having children, I do my best to reduce waste and I love to garden and craft.

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