More and more people are switching to vegan diet. The movement is a strong ally of ecology and is helping to offset negative climate change. Thanks to increased public awareness, there is also a growing demand for substitutes for traditional zoonotic products. Currently, plant-based "milks" such as oat, soya, almond or coconut "milk" are of high demand in stores. What if we started using algae-based protein products?

Sophie's BioNutrients - a food technology company - is working on producing completely plant-based ice cream using algae-derived protein. The product will be 100% vegan.

The cultivation of chlorella (the algae from which the ice cream will be made) must take place under strict conditions. For its cultivation, a bioreactor, water and natural food waste such as cereal husks or production waste from making tofu are needed.

The texture of the vegan ice cream alternative will resemble a traditional treat. The product will include protein from algae, sugar, coconut oil and other micronutrients. In addition, the ice cream will be rich in vitamin B12 and iron.

The cultivation of algae has many environmental benefits. It is definitely more ecological than dairy cows farming.

Raising dairy animals takes up much more space than growing Chlorella. Algae also do not need artificial fertilisers or antibiotics to grow. Another advantage of algae cultivation is the use of unwanted natural waste. No soil is needed to grow algae and, compared to other crops, it grows up to 10 times faster. A huge benefit of growing Chlorella is also the algae's absorption of CO2 thus removing it from the atmosphere.

Source: Happy Eco News