Categories
Food Tech

The new ingredient in Singapore’s signature dishes – Insects

Written by Science Centre Singapore on Digilah (Tech Thought Leadership)

Small beginning: Let one dish on your table be Insect protein or Lab meat. Insects could be a key contributor to ensuring future global food security, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

In many parts of the world bugs are already an established source of food.Food technology has made lab grown meat a possibility and along with the consumption of insect protein there is way to sustainable eating to feed the planet.

Imagine going to a popular hawker stall and you are served a plate of delicious fried bugs. Would you run or dig in? After years of saying ‘eww’ to insects, maybe it is time to look at insects from a new culinary perspective starting with our favourite local dishes.

With the looming presence of global warming and fear of food scarcity, insects might be our next big protein option.

There are several countries that are already enjoying insects as part of their diet and many more are slowly adopting this culinary trend.

According to Meticulous Research Inc., a US-based research company, the edible insect market is expected to hit $9.60 billion by 2030.

Why Are Insects the Protein Of The Future?

Some insects can provide high-quality protein and nutrients that are just as good as meat and fish. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), insects are high in fatty acids, rich in fiber and have many helpful micronutrients like zinc, iron, and magnesium.

Additionally, consuming insects is better for the environment. Insects produce lower greenhouse gases and use less water compared to conventional livestock like cows and pigs.

 At the same time, insect farming requires less space and is not as land dependent as conventional farming.

Other than that, insects are also safer for humans to eat compared to cows and chickens. According to Arnold van Huis, a professor emeritus of tropical entomology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the taxonomy of insects is considered much further from humans than conventional livestock.

This means humans would not contract diseases from eating insects as opposed to eating cows and chickens.

The demand for edible insects is currently growing and now is the perfect time to introduce insects into our daily meals. We reimagined a five-course meal with popular local dishes to get the ball rolling for Singaporeans to start trying insects!

Some of Singapore’s signature dishes with the insects

Mealworm Youtiao Rojak

Let’s start our critter course with some savoury rojak. Instead of topping the rojak with chopped peanuts, we can use fried mealworms! Did you know mealworms can pair well with almost anything?

Mealworms are the larvae of the Darkling beetle. They are usually found in dark and dry places like flour or stored chicken feed. This versatile insect protein is known for its unobtrusive umami flavour. It has a light and nutty aftertaste which would pair perfectly with the sweet and tangy rojak sauce.

Satay Grasshoppers

Many have described the taste of grasshoppers as something similar to prawns and sometimes even chicken. The most popular grasshopper to cook with in Asia is rice grasshoppers.

Adult rice grasshoppers are usually no bigger than your pinkie finger. They are usually stir-fried and are enjoyed as a side dish in Asia. They can also be marinated to taste and roasted over burning coals like our favourite Lau Pa Sat order!

Char Kway Teow with Lemon Ants

Usually, we would want to keep ants out of our food, but these Lemon Ants are worth keeping around! Lemon Ants, also known as Myrmelachista schumanni, are found in the South Americanchi jungle.

These ants get their unique citrusy and somewhat spicy flavour from the tree they nest in, the Duroia hirsute.

The flavour of these ants would burst just into your mouth when you take a bite. This means you don’t have to add extra chili or trouble yourself by squeezing a calamansi all over your Char Kway Teow.

Chili Scorpions

It may come as a surprise, but scorpions taste like softshell crabs and lobsters! The main difference between crabs and scorpions is that the scorpion has a more earthy taste.

The best scorpion for cooking is the Black Scorpion, also known as Heterometrus longimanu. This scorpion can be found in Pulau Tekong so we can locally source scorpions for dinner!

It would be interesting to try the earthy flavoured scorpion paired with the spicy chili crab sauce we all know and love. Additionally, you do not have to worry about the scorpion’s venom as it becomes non-venomous after it is cooked.

Ondeh-Ondeh Cricket Cake

If you still struggle with eating insects, then this dessert will be a piece of cake for you to eat. The secret is cricket flour!

Cricket flour is made by grinding dried crickets into a powder. The most popular commercial species of cricket is the European House Cricket.

The flavour of this species can be influenced by its flavour – grain for a mild, nutty flavour or fruits and carrots for a hint of sweetness.

Not only will the sweet Ondeh-Ondeh cake be gluten-free, but it is also a great way to start introducing insects into our diet!

Don’t judge an insect based on its looks! They are good for you, good for the environment and might even be tastier than you think.

Read how Singapore makes its insects safe for eating https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-information/risk-at-a-glance/insects

Most asked questions

Are dishes made with insects tasty?

Can insects provide sufficient protein?

Most asked queries

Insect protein

Scarcity

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Categories
Decision Making Tech

Research, Technology, and right decisions

Written by : Sumesh Raghwani on Digilah (Tech Thought Leadership)

Research and technology have had numerous benefits for society across various fields and aspects of life. Here are some keyways in which research and technology have positively impacted mankind:

 

    1. Improved Communication: Technological advancements such as the internet, mobile phones, and social media have revolutionized communication. People can now connect and communicate with each other globally in real time, enabling the exchange of information, ideas, and knowledge on a scale never seen before. This has facilitated collaboration, enhanced education, and fostered a sense of global community.

 

    • Healthcare Advancements: Research and technology have greatly improved healthcare outcomes. Medical research has led to the development of life-saving treatments, vaccines, and diagnostic tools. Advanced medical devices and imaging technologies have enabled early detection and precise treatment of diseases. Telemedicine has made healthcare more accessible, particularly for those in remote areas. Overall, research and technology have contributed to increased life expectancy and improved quality of life.

 

    • Enhancing Education: Technology has transformed the way we learn and access information. Online education platforms, digital libraries, and interactive educational tools have made learning more accessible and engaging. Students can access a wealth of knowledge and resources from anywhere, allowing for personalized and self-paced learning. Additionally, educational research has helped in developing effective teaching methodologies and curriculum enhancements.

 

    • Economic Growth: Technological advancements drive economic growth by fostering innovation and creating new industries and job opportunities. Research and development (R&D) initiatives lead to the discovery of new products, processes, and technologies, stimulating economic activity. Industries such as information technology, biotechnology, and renewable energy have emerged as a result of research and technological advancements, contributing to job creation and economic prosperity.

 

    • Environmental Sustainability: Research and technology have played a crucial role in addressing environmental challenges. Advancements in renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, have helped reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change. Sustainable agricultural practices and efficient waste management systems have been developed through research, leading to more eco-friendly practices. Furthermore, scientific research has provided valuable insights into environmental conservation and biodiversity preservation.

 

    • Increased Accessibility and Inclusion: Technology has made significant strides in improving accessibility and inclusivity for individuals with disabilities. Assistive technologies, such as screen readers and mobility aids, have empowered people with disabilities to participate more fully in society. Moreover, research and technological innovations have led to the development of universal design principles that benefit everyone, regardless of their abilities.

 

    • Enhanced Transportation and Infrastructure: Research and technology have transformed transportation systems, making them safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly. The development of electric vehicles, autonomous driving technologies, and high-speed rail systems has improved transportation options while reducing carbon emissions. Smart infrastructure, including intelligent transportation systems and sensor networks, has enhanced traffic management and optimized resource utilization.

These are just a few examples of how research and technology have benefited society. The continuous progress in these areas holds the potential for further positive impacts, addressing emerging challenges and improving the overall well-being of individuals and communities.

This research has also led to advancements in language understanding allowing me to grasp nuances, idioms, and specific domain knowledge more effectively.
Overall, the research and technology journey has been transformative to me, improving my performance, efficiency, user experience. As the journey continues, I look forward to further advancements that will enable me to continuously improve and adapt to better serve the needs.

Most asked questions

What is the role of research and technology in society?

Can R&D really work towards development of a country?

Most searched queries

Sustainability

Telemedicine

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Categories
AI Tech Climate Tech

From Dirt to Dish: Rethinking Food Production and Consumption 🍽🔥

Written by Marcus Parade on Digilah (Tech Thought Leadership)

𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐞 have over 8 billion gorilla’s 🦍🦍 living on our planet – would you say we have an overpopulation of gorillas?

As I find overpopulation very visible on our planet, the question arises, how can we feed all our people more sustainable, if our population worldwide is estimated by the UNO to be around 10 billion by the year 2050?

𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝:

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 dear 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 strolling through endless acres of golden cornfields stretching as far as the eye can see 🌽🌽

He said: “Oh Marcus, it feels so nice to be outside here in lovely nature?!”

I also love walking along golden cornfields and yet the fields feel to me only partly being in nature. Putting it baldly, we were also walking in simple production fields for farming products. We didn’t see animals nor insects.

🌲🌴 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 going on steadily since the last 10.000 years and an end is not in sight. The crazy race for more farmland, driven by climate change and an ever-growing population, is a ticking time bomb that is likely to trigger ecological collapse on a global scale.

1st. circle is from 10.000 years ago. 2nd. circle from 300 years ago. 3rd. circle from 5 years ago.

The question is, how do we feed all people, as further deforestation for more farmlands can in my opinion not be the solution.

In turn, around 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption in the world is lost or wasted every year. Where does it all go?

It is lost during production or wasted at the consumer level. At the same time around 10 % of our world population are starving.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?

We can change our consumer behaviour, as the production such as for meat needs 𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐒 amounts of more energy, water, space as well as emissions into our atmosphere. AND, less than only 20% of our worldwide farmlands are used for the direct consumption by us humans.

A staggering 80% of our planet’s farmland is devoted to livestock feed, biofuels, and other non-food crops, leaving precious little for direct human consumption.

𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬.

New agricultural technologies can be game changers such as:

1.💦💧 More precise watering solutions directly reaching the roots

2. 🚜🛰 Better efficient machines with more precision farming

3. 🌱☣ Biotechnology with genetic modification of plants to protect them better and produce more. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 bacteria can be created producing nutrients like proteins.

4. 💡🎲 Use of AI (artificial intelligence):

AI-powered 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐬 🤖 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 your farm’s new best friends – they collect real-time data on crop yields, plant health, and soil moisture levels. It’s like having a personal assistant who knows everything about your plants.

Self-driving tractors 🚜 and drones can be equipped with 𝐀𝐈-𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 optimize crop planting, fertilizing, and harvesting. With their precision and efficiency, they can help reduce labour costs and increase productivity.

AI can be like the ultimate 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 🕵. It can analyse all data from the very beginning up to table to help optimize logistics and reduce waste. It’s like having a personal assistant who knows everything about your plants and how they travel to us.

When it comes to crop monitoring, AI has a 𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞 👁👁 that even most farmers can’t beat.. AI peering deep into the heart 💚 of crops to detect even the slightest signs of disease or pests, empowering farmers to take proactive measures and safeguard their precious yields.

Around 70% of our freshwater is frozen, around 29% is groundwater and the rest is surface water. Source of chart: Netafim

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡?

Improving the production of food on our planet Earth 🌏 is a complex issue that involves various stakeholders including farmers, governments, researchers, and consumers.

While overpopulation remains one of our main challenges is the production of our food a central challenges for our common future of our climate and us humans.

Let’s embrace our future and change for better sustainability and life. 💛🌹🌞

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Categories
Smart Tech

Manual washing machines are back and stronger than ever

Written by Navjot SawhneySafaa Aouil Ghamzi on Digilah (Tech Thought Leadership)

Ever since humans started wearing clothes, women have been delegated to wash them. This unpaid labour trap has disproportionately affected women from the beginning of time. During the industrial revolution, a ground breaking invention changed the way humans washed their clothes forever. It was the electric washing machine. Whilst millions of people benefited from the time saved, a gap of inequality was forming in the Global South, where many people still handwash their clothes to this day. Lack of access to electricity, water, and cultural norms mean that 70% of the world’s population does not have access to an electric washing machine and is often not a sustainable option. 

Furthermore, 4.2 billion people do not have adequate sanitation and hygiene access globally. Unsafe and inadequate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene practices are the main reason for disease in low-income countries. The top diseases spread by poor hygiene include body lice, diarrhoea, pinworm, and bacterial skin infections. 

When combining all these factors, handwashing can get incredibly burdensome. Women and children face many health risks associated with handwashing clothes, notably skin irritation and contracting infections and water-borne diseases from direct contact with contaminated water sources. They often lead to health implications further down the line.

The Washing Machine Project was created to combat the issues associated with handwashing clothes. Fast forward three years, we have carried out research in 16 countries and have piloted our novel manual washing machine in Iraq and Lebanon. 

Our ethnographic research with 3,000 families, including 900 in Uganda 800 in Jamaica, Nepal and the Philippines, prove that handwashing clothes are disproportionately placed on women and children as young as 6. For children, this burden is detrimental to their education and childhoods. It is a laborious task that inflicts chronic pain for those who spend up to 20 hours per week handwashing clothes. Handwashing clothes is time spent away from family, education, paid work and risking their health. Something had to be done.

We created Divya, an efficient manual washing machine that saves 50% of water and 70% of the time, resulting in 750 hours saved annually per household. 

It’s a front-loaded washing machine with a 5kg drum capacity that uses no electricity. Divya spins at 500 revolutions per minute and spin-dries clothes with 75% of the water coming out in the dry cycle. The device is made predominantly from off-the-shelf components that can easily be replaced or fixed in poor communities. With Divya, women can now spend their free time pursuing paid work and benefit from an education instead of spending hours handwashing clothes. 

For people who are burdened by handwashing clothes, a Divya washing machine is simply a miracle. Here are some testimonials below:

“I have three girls who stay two or three hours a day washing by hand. We suffer from pain in our hands, back and legs. It’s a fantastic invention.” – Kawsek, a refugee in Lebanon.

“After this washing machine came to us, things got easier for us. We don’t get exhausted anymore. We are very grateful. Thank you.” – Lamiya, a refugee in Iraq.

We have now received orders and interest from 25 countries for our Divya washing machines. Our vision is to create a world-leading organisation that brings together Innovation, Research and Development to solve the world’s most pressing humanitarian and development challenges. Whether it’s washing machines, air conditioning or refrigeration, we want to do it all. 

Donate here to create more Smart Technologies to change lives : https://www.gofundme.com/f/thewashingmachineproject

Categories
Food Tech

MEAT ANALOUGES

Written by Priyanka Prajapati, Dr Meenakshi Garg and Dr Rajni Chopra

Digilah (Thought Leadership)

Author’s Email: meenakshi.garg@bcas.du.ac.in

Global Meat consumption continues to perceive an upward surge as demand is driven by population growth, individual economic gain, and urbanization. However, meat production would have a severe environmental impact and high ecological footprint due to increased land and water resources used during livestock rearing. Moreover, a shift in consumer preference has been observed towards consuming plant-based products due to awareness about health hazards associated with red meat. This created a significant break for food industries to develop a plant-based meat analogue that contains similar textural and nutritional attributes present in meat. According to the report published by Mordor Intelligence, the market for meat substitutes is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.91% up to the year of 2026. The term “meat analogue” is defined as a meat-free food product resembling texture, flavour, haptic experience, and nutritional status to original meat products. The result obtained from life cycle assessment studies depicts that meat analogues could be proved as a sustainable alternative to animal-derived meat as they have considerably lower environmental footprints. Different types of Plant protein currently employed in manufacturing meat alternatives are soy protein, Wheat gluten protein, and pea protein. Many nutritional components like high-quality protein (egg protein and whey protein), vitamin B12, calcium and iron have been incorporated in meat analogues to compete with original meat nutritive value. However, manufacturers have to depend on extensively processed ingredients or/and genetically modified (GMO) material in endeavoring meat-like texture and other sensory characteristics. Leg hemoglobin is a legume protein that carries heme molecule. This molecule is produced from GMO yeast and governs meat analogs’ color, texture, and flavour. Based on the study of Egbert and Borders (2006), the given formulation produced meat analogue having improved sensory qualities.

S.NoIngredientAmount (%)
1.Water(50%- 80%)
2.Plant- based Protein(10%-25%)
3.Non textured Protein(4%-20%)
4.Flavour compounds(4%-20%)
5.Lipids (0%-15%)
6.Binding agents(1%-5%)
7.Colouring Compounds(0%-0.5%)

Texturization of plant protein is an important step in achieving similar texture, appearance, and taste as like original meat products. Plant-based proteins need several transformational changes to achieve the fibrousness of meat muscles. The native globular shape of plant protein is converted to the linear shape of textured protein by applying different texture profiling techniques (e.g., extrusion technique, electro-spinning, proteins hydrocolloid blends, high temperature conical simple shearing, freeze structuring, and 3D Bio-printing). The standard method of modifying plant proteins are electro-spinning and extrusion. Electro-Spinning produces thin fibers of plant protein by using a blend of protein solutions assembled into meat analogues through binding materials. Due to its complexity and high manufacturing cost, this method was not suitable for large-scale production.

The extrusion technique is predominant because of its robustness and versatility to produce different kinds of products. This technique involves modifying the protein configuration by undergoing several changes in its structure like (denaturation, unfolding, crosslinking, and alignment). The viscoelastic mass of plant protein is extruded in one or twin-screw extruders and involves various operational steps like (compression, shearing, heating, and cooling) to impart meatiness. This process offers several advantages like high product yield, affordability, and is energy efficient.

Bio-printing and freeze structuring are some of the emerging techniques to modify plant protein’s structure. Bio-printing is also known as 3D printing, which involves digital modeling of food formulation. Paste of Plant protein is filled in the cartilage that builds the structure of meat analogue. The major drawback faced by the Bio-printing technique is its high cost of production, complexity in spatial structure, and scalability. On the other hand, freeze structuring produces meat analogues that mimic the original meat product by freezing the protein solution, followed by the formation of ice crystals that produce porous, well-aligned and interconnected fibers of plant-based protein.

The primary requisite of a plant-based meat analogue is the proper textural profiling which mimics the texture of muscles fibre and is responsible for the characteristic meaty flavour. The intended applications of meat analogue and type of plant protein determine the technique used for texture profiling. The ongoing research has already overcome many challenges of meat analogues products like (improving microstructure, taste, and healthiness) and affordable product price and increased product convenience. However, certain technological barriers and devoid of regulatory measures are some of the sectors that need improvement.

REFERENCES

  1. Boukid, Fatma. (2021). Plant-based meat analogues: from niche to mainstream. European Food Research and Technology. 247. 10.1007/s00217-020-03630-9.
  2. Kyriakopoulou, K., Dekkers, B. and Van der Goot, A.Z. Plant-Based Meat Analogues. Sustainable Meat Production and Processing, Chapter-6, 103–126. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-814874-7.00006-7
  3. Sun, C., Ge, J., He, J., Gan, R., & Fang, Y. (2020). Processing, Quality, Safety, and Acceptance of Meat Analogue Products. Engineering.7(5): 674-678
  4. Mordor Intelligence, Meat substitutes market – growth, trend and forecast (2021 – 2026). https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/meat-substitutes-market
  5. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanabandoim/2019/12/20/what-the-fdas-decision-about-soy-leghemoglobin-means-for-impossible-burger/?sh=21d7f89957f6