Precision fermentation, bee vaccine, chat checkout and the Bide

A collection of climate stories mostly

This is part of a series which usually includes at least one brand behaving badly. It’s a very grey January. The bad behaviour of some can wait until we see a little more light in the sky.

Everything here is bite-sized. If you’d like more in-depth study on any of these stories, post a comment on what you’re thinking.

Green discovery

#1 Precision fermentation

Courtesy of The Good Food Institute

When I think of fermentation and ancient civilisations, I immediately think of brewing and some form of alchemy to create a vaguely palatable alcoholic beverage which didn’t kill the imbibers. Just as important, if not more so, were the microbial cultures being used at the same time to preserve or improve the nutritional value of foods like kimchi and tempeh.

In more recent times, you might be aware of Quorn, less aware of the stringy fungus — Fusarium Venenatum it originates from perhaps, or the fermented production of chymosin, which stopped global cheese producers requiring rennet, an ingredient only found in the lining of a calves stomach.