U.S. start-up, Savor, has received financial support from Bill Gates for paving the way for the production of synthetic butter in a bid to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced from the global agriculture and forestry industries.
The company specialises in the production of ‘agriculture-free fats’, which is made using a thermochemical processing treatment which transforms the carbon matter into a fat-soluble.
“We start with a source of carbon, like carbon dioxide, and use a little bit of heat and hydrogen to form chains, which are then blended with oxygen from air to make the fats and oils we know, love and drool over,” the company states on its website.
The carbon used in the process is extracted from fossil fuels like natural gas, stored carbon dioxide and / or green hydrogen (H) – the latter of which generates lower net emissions, but at a higher cost.
“The process doesn’t release any greenhouse gases, it uses no farmland and less than a thousandth of the water that traditional agriculture does,” according to Microsoft owner and Savor investor, Bill Gates.
In its mission statement, the company highlights the need to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the agriculture industry, which it claims is responsible for deforesting 50% of the earth’s habitable land for crop and livestock farming.
Fossil fuel food
Savor identified differences in land use between synthetic and agriculture-based produce as the leading argument for exploring the commercial viability of fossil fuel food production.
Reducing global dependency on agriculture by making fossil fuels edible could lead to the reclamation of land which was previously zoned for farming, Savor said.
This would help mitigate global warming as it would facilitate the sequestration of vast amounts of atmospheric carbon, the company said.
In the face of growing global population and mounting food insecurity, Savor “felt compelled to explore the commercialisation potential of synthetic fat production” after researchers identified its “high technical readiness, high economic viability and high potential for impact”.
As mentioned, Savor is not the first to engineer carbon butter – German chemists successfully manufactured a coal-based margarine during WW2 to counter food scarcity / amid burgeoning food shortages, which was used to feed troops and citizens alike.
Synthetic fats are typically white in colour but beta carotene is added in the post production to replicate the yellow hue of natural butter in a bid to make it more appealing for consumers.
Synthetic butter
The company insists that synthetic butter is just as nutritious and delicious as their natural alternatives, however it acknowledged that more work needs to be done to convince consumers of it’s merits while overcoming the “pro-natural bias” that may deter consumption.
The company recognises that a lot of resources have been directed towards researching the environmental impacts of agriculture, while very little research pertaining to the viability of farm-free substitutes has been undertaken.
Previous efforts to increase sustainability have also been taken to produce food more efficiently, including reducing the demand for energy and pollution intensive produce, and the volume of inputs required.
It accepts that such alternatives may disrupt agri-economies and agri-businesses, but insists that the environmental consequences, including the “enormous potential reduction in GHG emissions, as well as in land and water use” would make the sacrifice worthwhile.
The company is in the process of expanding their product range with milk, ice cream and cooking oil expected and is looking for further investment to increase price competitivity.
