Food Sync

Dates

2020 - 2022
Author

Ole Witt
Recognition

PhEST Shortlist - PhMuseum 2022 Photography Grant

The food system transformation is just as important as the energy transition and the transportation transition. The fossil fuel engine is being replaced by electric motors, coal power plants will be upgraded to regenerative energies - and the food industry is also going to change permanently. One approach that will play an important role in this field is tech food.

Start-ups and companies around the world are researching how to use innovative technology to reduce the resources required for food production, establish new crops as sources of protein, or reduce food waste through digital networking. Many tech food approaches seem like visions from a science fiction story - and yet they are already part of our present day: Autonomous vertical greenhouse systems are created in warehouses, shielded from the sun, to grow crops unaffected by the seasons. Protein-rich microalgae are being cultivated in kilometer-long glass tubes, producing hundreds of times more biomass than conventional grain fields, and in the outskirts of Berlin, an insect larva is being bred that could revolutionize existing food cycles. The idea of using technological innovation to change the food industry is a whole movement. Food Sync gives an insight into this tech scene and underlines that not only Silicon Valley, but also European companies can do technological pioneering work.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Alternative agriculture - Vertical farming systems are technologized, multi-story greenhouses that can be operated in urban areas regardless of weather conditions. They are supplied with artificial light so that they produce crops all year round. Compared to conventional farming, some vertical farming systems can produce 100 times the amount of biomass.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Genetic crop samples Storage - The seed storage facility in Spitsbergen „Sval- bard Global Seed Vault“ is the largest of its kind. The facility stores safety duplicates the world’s most important crops in vacuumed samples so that they can be re-bred in the case of a global catastrophe.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Crop research on climate change - The fully automated plant culture hall in Saxony-Anhalt can imitate any climatic conditions. This makes it possible to determine how certain plant species will react to changes in the environment or the consequences of climate change.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Algae as a source of protein - To grow microalgae, all that is needed is water, light, Co2 and a minimal amount of nutrients. For humans, the algae can be taken as a dietary supplement. On a large scale, their cultivation will help supplement livestock feed, reducing the use of soy in factory farming.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Algae as a source of protein - One of the largest algae farms in Europe is located in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. On an area of one hectare, the green aquatic plants are cultivated in 500 kilometers of glass tubes. A conventional grain field produces between 5 and 8 tons of grain per year. An algae farm can generate up to 30,000 tons of biomass on the same area.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Insects as an alternative source of protein - The larva of the black soldier fly has a unique metabolism. It can feed on any biological product. If bred on a large scale, the larva can help to convert food waste from private households or supermarkets into high-quality animal proteins. These in turn can be used by humans or animals as a food source.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Insects as an alternative source of protein - The breeding cages of the black soldier fly are shielded from light. In this installation, scientists are testing whether the breeding and mating behavior of the animals is altered by different wavelengths of light.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Intravenous nutrition - In vital-substance-infusion, vitamins, amino acids, trace elements and minerals are intravenously fed to the patient. Officially, the consumption of supplemental micronutrients is considered as food and not as a medical drug.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Intravenous nutrition - A large blood count can determine which micro-nutrients are underrepresented in the human body. The vital-substance-infusion aims at optimally satisfying these deficiencies with an individually set dosage.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Autonomous cooking - The start-up „Aitme“ has developed a cooking robot that can autonomously produce meals and could replace canteens in medium-sized companies. Employees can pre-order dishes through an app, which the robot prepares at the specified time. This makes it possible to take into account the individual tastes, portion sizes and possible allergies of consumers.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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Plant-based meat substitute - The Beyond Meat Burger is considered the ultimate plant-based meat substitute. The U.S. company has developed a process in which the molecules in their veggie burgers are structured into fibers, resulting in a meat-like texture. Additionally, their products incorporate beetroot juice to simulate the impression of bloody meat. With their meat copy, the company also wants to appeal to non-vegetarians.

© Ole Witt - Image from the Food Sync photography project

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New infrastructure for food start-ups - The food incubator Kitchentown in Berlin has set itself the task of creating a technological infrastructure for young start-ups from the food industry. Kitchentown has various laboratories and kitchens to give startups the opportunity to develop and market new products with less initial capital.