Food of the future: Russian biotechnology and the formation of a new food culture

The development of biotechnology, changes in dietary patterns and the growth of the urban population are shaping a new framework for the global food system. The key technological directions and challenges facing the industry were discussed by Sergei Ivanov, Executive Director of the EFKO Group, during the lecture "Breakfast from the Future" as part of the January Expert Dialogues.

According to Sergei Ivanov, the modern food system simultaneously addresses three objectives: ensuring food accessibility, maintaining health and reducing environmental pressure. At the same time, the effect of so-called "hidden hunger" is increasing — a deficiency of micronutrients despite sufficient or excessive calorie intake. In this context, the growth of the urban population is of particular importance: according to forecasts, the world’s population will reach 10 billion people, with more than 80% living in cities.

"We divide the food agenda into several key blocks: nutrition, health, lifestyle, food security and environmental impact. Food has long ceased to be just what we see on our plate — it is a complex system in which every change affects both people and the ecosystem," Sergei Ivanov noted.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

Sergei Ivanov believes that the main breakthrough occurred in the 2000s, when humanity learned to "read" the human genetic code and understand how bacteria function both around us and within the human body.

Based on this discovery, three key directions are developing:

1.  New agriculture — the very approach to growing plants and animals is changing, becoming more precise and efficient.

2.  Food from the lab — people have learned to create alternative proteins (such as plant-based meat), fats and other food components using microbes rather than traditional livestock farming.

3.  Programming of life — humans use tools for precise DNA editing and specialised artificial intelligence to design organisms with specified properties for medicine, production or other purposes.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

A separate area is cellular nutrition, based on working with the microbiome and cognitive functions. Sergei Ivanov emphasised that slowing the ageing of the microbiome is one of the key factors in maintaining health and performance in older age groups. Based on these developments, fortified dairy products have already been created that influence concentration, memory and stress levels.

"We proceed from the assumption that future food technologies must simultaneously improve quality of life, be widely accessible and reduce the use of natural resources per unit of output. This means moving from narrow niche solutions to a systemic transformation of familiar food categories," Sergei Ivanov stressed.

The importance of such an approach to nutrition and its impact on long-term development was also highlighted by independent futurist and essayist from Vietnam Steven Alber, who attended the event.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

"Today, there is too much artificial and chemical content in the world, making it impossible not to think about how we eat, how we feed people and how we change humanity’s relationship with food. Ignoring these issues in the long term may lead to very serious consequences," the expert emphasised.

At the conclusion of the event, participants had the opportunity to experience a number of solutions presented as elements of the "food of the future" in practice. Guests sampled plant-based meat snacks, sweets made with sweet protein without added sugar, as well as sugar-free and dairy-free ice cream.