Grow Your Own Meat in Electrolux Design Lab Winner

electrolux kitchen meat design competition cocoon photo

The Electrolux Design Lab competition always yields interesting results; this year competing industrial design students were asked to look way into the future, creating "Designs for the next 90 years." Swedish design student Rickard Hederstierna took the top prize (€ 5000 and a six month paid internship) for Cocoon. He envisions a future where we grow our meat much like we make popcorn in a microwave.

Cocoon prepares genetically engineered and pre-packaged meat and fish dishes by heating muscle cells identified by radio frequency identification (RFID) signals. The signals detect the specific dish and then suggest the required cooking time. This process uses science to create food, lifting a burden on the planet by reducing the need for further intensive farming and fishing. The negative effects of this process, including the mass transportation of food around the world, clearing of land and distortion of ecosystems, are then negated.

The jury declared it " daring, cutting edge and truly innovative in its focus on social and environmental issues. "

electrolux kitchen meat design competition moleculaire photo

I also loved the Moleculaire by Nico Kläber; It is a 3D food printer.

It autonomously prepares basic and otherwise difficult to create two and three dimensional parts of meals. It works with a layer by layer printing process using small particles from diverse ingredients. This provides simplicity, accuracy, repeatability and, of course, great tasting food!

This is not far-fetched at all; you can build your own 3D printer with free plans from Evil Mad Scientist Lab that prints in granulated sugar. (TreeHugger here)