In a thrilling scientific advancement, researchers from China have discovered a method to transform carbon dioxide (CO₂) into sugar. It has the potential to revolutionize the future of farming and mitigate climate change impacts.
The scientists affiliated with the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology have developed a novel bioprocess to convert methanol into white sugar (sucrose). Methanol is a simple alcohol that can be produced from CO₂ which is one of the major greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. One day, it may be possible to create food without the need to cultivate crops of sugarcane or sugar beets to produce sugar.
The researchers’ bioprocess is based on a laboratory-based process referred to as an in vitro biotransformation (ivBT) system. It is a laboratory-based biochemical transformation process, that converts methanol into sugar using unique enzymes and it is sustainable and environmentally friendly because methanol can be made from either industrial by-products or CO₂ captured from the air.
According to the team, this system has opened a new route for making food and contributes to the planet. They state in their article in Science Bulletin:
“Artificial conversion of CO₂ into food/chemicals represents a new strategy for addressing environmental and population issues while achieving carbon neutrality.”
This research follows up work carried out in 2021 by scientists at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, who showed the conversion of CO₂ into methanol under low-temperature conditions.
The researchers in Tianjin were able to achieve an 86% sugar conversion, which is a major benchmark in this area. Not only they made sucrose (typical sugar) and starch, an important energy food in human diets, and did it at lower energy than conventional farming.
The researchers did not just end there with sugar and starch, they also showed that their system could be varied to make other food related compounds like:
This development could be used to help deal with two of the biggest issues facing the world today:
Accruing carbon-based emission growing rates, which are contributing to global warming
Feeding a growing population that is anticipated to reach 10 billion people by 2100
Also Read: Healthy Babies Born Using DNA From Three Parents, How Is That Possible?
As the world searches for sustainable food options, this new approach aligns itself with the winding down of our carbon-based economy and there is a future vision of making food from thin air in a laboratory essence. Instead of deforestation taking place for farmland, we may have the ability to produce meals from lab-grown systems using carbon, not as grafted, but captured.
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