Sustainability at the cutting edge: EIT Food-funded FutureKitchen showcases algae plant with negative emissions in latest VR video

Last Updated : 29 May 2020

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EIT Food-funded Future Kitchen launched today its latest Virtual Reality video on an innovative algae cultivation. The video takes viewers on a journey to Iceland to discover how to produce algae, while taking care of our planet. The innovation’s benefits are the following:

Why Iceland? The country offers geothermal power; at the same time, it is usually cold and easy to cool down the plant’s systems.
The plant is carbon negative. Instead of polluting the environment it releases oxygen.
No sunlight is needed. Everything happens indoors – to have optimal control conditions and be efficient.
Algae is full of nutrients. That is great for animal feed but also for your own meals.

The full VR video on algae cultivation is available here.

Woman looking at algae through a microscope, FutureKitchen

Immerse in the VR experience

The algae video is part of a series that explains latest food technologies, supported by EIT Food, Europe’s leading food innovation initiative.

It allows people to move around in the lab, algae plant and its surroundings, meet experts and - become part of the food story. “We’ve noticed that young people are very curious about our VR experiences’’ said Dr. Holly T. Kristinsson, Consultant for Innovation and Market Analysis at Matis, and Coordinator of the Future Kitchen project. “We want them to get excited about food tech, sustainability, entrepreneurship – and make sure they can take informed decisions in the future’’.

Snapshot from FutureKitchen virtual reality experience

Insect food and robotics: more videos across 2020

In 2020 FutureKitchen expands the video’s interactive features, covering a variety of topics, such as insect food, robotics, personalised diets and food mindfulness. All videos are developed in a co-creation process, together with academia, start-ups and industry partners to create an honest and impactful food story.

All interested viewers are invited to look into the food-tech platform FoodUnfolded to explore the latest videos and get in touch with the video producers to gather insights or to provide feedback.

ENDS

Future Kitchen background

The FutureKitchen Series is an EIT Food project, launched on FoodUnfolded in 2019. In 2020, it sets out to further encourage and inspire a food system connection, increased consumer trust, and greater interest in food careers.

In 2019, the series started with a visit to a tomato farm in Iceland: the challenge of low temperatures is overcome by geothermal energy. Other videos explain how to fight food waste with 3D printed seafood or how your own kitchen can look like in the future, showing how to farm in your kitchen and how bread chips & tortillas are reducing food waste.

Some skillful chefs share their expertise too, teaching you how to cook seaweed soup, fish with seaweed and how 3D printed culinary dishes look like.

About Food Unfolded

FoodUnfolded, powered by EIT Food, is a global, digital platform that creates and shares original content on the latest food and agricultural innovations. It aims to connect the general public through entertainment and education on the most relevant topics of today, including health, nutrition and sustainability.

About EIT Food

This activity has received funding from EIT Food, the innovation community on Food of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) under Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, with the aim of creating a sustainable and future-proof food sector. The initiative is made up of a consortium of key industry players, startups, research centers and universities from across Europe. It is one of six Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC) established by the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT), an independent EU body set up in 2008 to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe.

Press Contacts

Rakel Halldórsdóttir
Project lead contact – FutureKitchen Virtual Reality Series
Matís ltd. - Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D
rakel@matis.is

Marie-Christine Thurm
Communication – FutureKitchen Virtual Reality Series
EUFIC – European Food Information Council
marie-christine.thurm@eufic.org

Davide Carrino
Media Manager
EUFIC – European Food Information Council
Davide.carrino@eufic.org