In Episode #211, I sit down with Dr Jared Raynes to discuss precision fermentation and the future of dairy.
“We need technologies like this to be able to actually feed the world in the coming decade.”
As our world becomes more populated and animal agriculture continues to unsustainably expand, we need to examine alternatives to the products people know and love. While animal-free dairy may sound like an impossible feat, innovation in the field of precision fermentation is proving otherwise. Dr Jared Raynes joins me today to explain what precision fermentation is, where this technology is now, and where it can take us in the future.
Jared Raynes, PhD is a leading scientist in the sustainable food industry. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and is believed to be the first to produce a fully synthetic casein micelle using precision fermented dairy proteins. Dr Raynes remains a leading researcher in the precision fermentation field, and is now working on developing this technology further to make precision fermented products available to the public.
“By 2050 we’re going to have another 2 billion people. How do we give those people nutritious, protein [rich] food without cutting down more rainforests and clearing more land for animal agriculture?”
By listening to this episode, you’ll gain an understanding of what precision fermentation is from both a scientific and outcome-based perspective. We break down the benefits of animal-free dairy, explain how it is created, and address potential concerns about genetic modification. Dr Raynes also offers insight into where this technology is used already, where it’s heading, and when we can expect to see animal-free dairy products on the shelves.
Specifically, we cover:
- Intro [0:00]
- Biochemistry & Jared’s story [4:08]
- Studying recreating casein [8:59]
- Alternative protein companies [24:45]
- Precision fermentation explained [27:39]
- GMOs: what can go wrong [33:00]
- What’s possible with precision fermentation [41:25]
- Environmental changes [53:00]
- Looking forward [1:00:15]
- Outro [1:17:40]
Precision fermentation technology is a very exciting step for sustainability and food availability. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of Dr Raynes’ and others’ work in this field.
If you found this episode insightful, you can connect with Dr Raynes on LinkedIn. You can also discover more of All G Foods, who Dr Raynes works for, on their website, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles. Learn more about their brands Buds Burger and Milk Cell through the linked websites.
The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.
Enjoy, friends.
Simon
More about Jared Raynes, PhD
Jared Raynes is believed to be the first scientist in the world to produce a fully synthetic casein micelle using precision fermented dairy proteins. In simple terms, the 36-year-old proved that it was possible to recreate the protein structure of milk (which is what allows us to make the dairy products we love!) without the use of an animal. Jared achieved this breakthrough using technology known as precision fermentation, which he likens to brewing beer: instead of the yeast making alcohol, it is reprogrammed to produce dairy proteins. Inspired to make the world a better place, Jared got a taste for the sustainable food industry while studying Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand under Prof. Dame Juliet Gerrard, the New Zealand Prime Ministere dairy a commercial reality in an environmentally responsible way. A resident of Sydney’s Inner West suburb of Annandale, Jared enjoys a flexitarian diet with his partner Leonie and their one-year-old daughter Malia. The family of three have significantly reduced their meat consumption due to a combination of health and environmental concerns. So much so, Jared predicts that others will soon learn of this and join the plant-based diet movement to some degree in the not-so-distant future.
