The problem: Synthetic foods are one way to reduce carbon emissions by scaling back the land used and carbon emitted by farm animals. But they are really expensive, and there’s still a bit of an ick factor with things like lab-grown meat.
The solution: A startup called Savor has found a way to turn carbon emissions into synthetic butter. It does this with a process similar to the one fuel producers use to turn carbon emissions into molecules called hydrocarbons, which are then made into synthetic oil. But by adding oxygen molecules, Savor turns it into fats. Add a few more ingredients for texture and flavour, and you have a butter substitute that not only uses less land and produces less emissions than dairy, but also removes carbon from the atmosphere.
What’s next: This butter might be an easier sell for customers, as Savor’s founders claim it can compete with the cost of real butter, and people are used to substitutes like margarine. Savor has also suggested it could make synthetic versions of other foods that use a lot of land, like palm oil and soybeans.