Australian lab grown milk : A new animal-free milk that emulates the natural fermentation process in cows could hit supermarket shelves in the next two years. The lab-grown milk promises to be more sustainable than dairy, but with near-identical taste and nutritional content.
Sustainability Policy Institute’s Dr Diana Bogueva, from Curtin University says:
“Lab-grown milk is a very promising and exciting area of innovation due to the technological advancement. Plant-based milks have already proven very popular because of their lower environmental footprint, good taste and for being more ethically produced – free of animal exploitation. The lab-grown milk would add to the vast choice of alternatives to dairy milk consumers already have.
Being animal-free will improve concerns related to animal welfare and reduce the demand for land for grazing and feed production. However, for lab-grown milk to be truly sustainable with a lower carbon footprint, only renewable energy sources would need to be used for its production and its water footprint would also need to come down. For those who are lactose intolerant, plant-based milks would continue to be a better option. With packaging contributing as much as close to 50 per cent of the global warming potential of some of the plant-based milks, the choice of bottles, cartons or boxes would also need to form part of the innovation efforts related to any new dairy products.”
Curtin is an innovative, global university known for its high-impact research, strong industry partnerships and commitment to preparing students for jobs of the future.
- Pilot whole genome sequencing service - 22nd October 2024
- Coping with SAD: A guide for university students - 22nd October 2024
- Plugging into pain: ant toxin causes electrical sting - 18th October 2024