If artificial eel meat could mitigate overfishing of young eels while retaining their delicious flavor and texture, would you buy it? As eels become a delicacy, pressure on their survival has increased, prompting startups to invest in artificial eel meat research and development. As wild young eels dwindle, eel prices continue to soar, yet foodies still cling to their love of eel rice and unagi sushi. Israeli food startup Forsea Foods is developing artificial eel meat, using organoid culture technology to create it. "We can produce a product that is identical in taste, texture, appearance, and nutritional value to eel," said Roee Nir, co-founder and CEO of Forsea Foods. This culture technology is ideal for seafood because the texture is uniform, unlike the fatty texture of beef. Forsea Foods, founded in 2021, is targeting artificial eel meat as its first product. Nir explained in an interview with Spoon that this is due to the high supply and price of eels, as well as the fact that eels are endangered. He pointed out that according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, more than 700 edible species in marine ecosystems are facing extinction, and the number of eels has decreased by 90% to 95% in the past decade. The reproduction process of eels is quite complex. They grow in rivers and migrate to the ocean to spawn when they mature, and they only lay eggs once in their lifetime. For many years, eel farming has relied almost entirely on wild-caught eel fry, resulting in over-consumption of natural resources and the decline of wild eels.

Rice is the essence of risotto. Traditional Taiwanese white rice is soft and fluffy, a significant difference in taste compared to risotto rice, which retains its shape even after long cooking and retains its firm core even after absorbing soup. The Hualien Agricultural Research and Development Center announced on the 23rd that it has developed "Hualien No. 26," Taiwan's first rice variety suitable for risotto. This rice, which imports over 100 tons of risotto rice from Italy annually, is expected to significantly reduce food miles by 98%. Three manufacturers have been authorized to mass-produce this rice through contract farming. "Hualien No. 26," Taiwan's first rice variety suitable for risotto, boasts a white and plump core. The Hualien Agricultural Research and Development Center spent seven years breeding and developing "Hualien No. 26," Taiwan's first rice variety suitable for risotto. Risotto is characterized by its rich, chewy texture, the key to a rich, chewy texture. The key lies in ensuring that the rice grains absorb the broth without becoming overcooked. Authentic risotto rice is typically imported from Italy. "When you go to a competition, the rice with white heart will usually be discarded." Yang Daji, director of the Hualien District Agricultural Improvement Station of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that Hualien No. 26 broke the farmers' accustomed thinking, because a high proportion of "heart white" (chalk plasmid) is exactly what is needed for risotto. Huang Jiaxing, an associate researcher at the Hualien Agricultural Improvement Station, explained that the higher the heart white, the more pores there are to absorb the soup. Hualien No. 26 not only has a high proportion of heart white, but is also large and fat, and has medium-chain starch. Therefore, it is very resistant to cooking and not easy to become mushy. It can meet the requirements of risotto for rice grains to be complete, chewy, and absorbent. Since 2016, the Hualien Agricultural Improvement Station has used the Italian risotto rice variety "Vialone nano" as the female parent and hybridized it with the Taiwanese "Taitung No. 30" which is resistant to rice blast and has stable yield. It took seven years.

On the 24th, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) released its "2035 Technology Strategy and Blueprint" and its first "Sustainability Report." President Liu Wenxiong stated that going forward, the ITRI will complete its sustainability report in the second quarter of each year to review progress toward its sustainability goals. In terms of R&D achievements, ITRI showcased its development of proprietary technologies to enhance industry competitiveness, including achieving industrial independence in key silicon carbide semiconductor materials and developing the first artificial ligament in Taiwan. To further enhance organizational sustainability, ITRI also released its "Sustainability Strategy Blueprint," showcasing its achievements in six key sustainability areas: technology R&D, industry promotion, social welfare, talent development, a friendly workplace, and a net-zero sustainable environment. The blueprint also showcases ITRI's commitment to promoting industrial sustainability by connecting with public institutions and international partners across industry, government, academia, and research to actively promote domestic and international industry exchange and technological development. Over the past 50 years, ITRI has been a key driver of Taiwan's economic growth. Now a large organization with over 6,000 employees, ITRI not only has a clear R&D direction but also discusses how to move forward toward organizational sustainability. In 2022, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) established a Sustainable Development Committee and an Organizational Sustainable Development Office. With reference to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the report was compiled based on six key areas: technology research and development, industry promotion, social welfare, talent cultivation, a friendly workplace, and a net-zero sustainable environment. The first sustainability report has been completed. Liu Wenxiong said that the 2023 sustainability report will be completed in the second quarter of this year, and the previous year's sustainability report will be completed in the second quarter of each year to review the sustainability goals.

To reduce the environmental burden of disposable products, more and more "reusable straws" are appearing on the market. But do these new manufacturing methods truly solve the problem? Due to varying comparison benchmarks, a definitive conclusion remains elusive. This time, we're letting the data speak for itself, comparing disposable and reusable straws, from manufacturing to disposal. Which are more environmentally friendly? Which reusable straws are more durable? A comparison of common reusable straw materials. First, we compared the number of uses of different reusable and disposable straws under normal usage. Steel straws, due to their sturdiness, can reasonably be used up to 500 times. Glass straws, while also made of a hard material, are more susceptible to breakage, so they can be used 100 times. Bamboo straws, being more natural, are more susceptible to moisture damage and are therefore calculated at 50 times. Glass and bamboo straws have the highest carbon emissions! Reusable straws actually emit more carbon than disposable straws! Whether purchasing reusable or disposable straws, consider not only the straw itself but also the packaging and accessories. This is because we calculated the environmental impact of various eco-friendly straws and disposable straws, and the packaging accessories that come with them, from manufacturing to disposal. It is also worth mentioning that glass straws and bamboo straws, which are called "environmentally friendly straws", are the two with the highest carbon emissions! Because each cleaning will cause 63% of the carbon emissions of steel straws, and 41% of the carbon emissions of glass straws and bamboo straws respectively. And the nylon cleaning brush head that comes with the straw is consumed by the upstream production chain due to the electricity and diesel consumed, as well as the storage bag production.

Have you had coffee today? Just place a small capsule into your coffee machine, press a button, and enjoy a steaming cup of delicious coffee. Convenient, fast, and skill-free, the capsule coffee market is growing rapidly, but capsule disposal remains a challenge. Recognizing consumers' environmental concerns, Swiss retail giant Migros will launch the world's first "capsule-free" coffee pod in 2022. Combining flavor, convenience, and zero waste, it's billed as the "greatest innovation ever" that will "revolutionize the coffee industry." Three wishes fulfilled at once: CoffeeB is more like a pod than a capsule. Its outer shell features Delica's patented natural protective film, which blocks oxygen and preserves the coffee's flavor. After use, the coffee pod doesn't need to be recycled or composted professionally; it can be left in your garden or flowerpot, where it will naturally decompose in a few weeks, forming a fertile compost. Migros explained that the outer shell is primarily made of seaweed, is thin, and odorless. It can be discarded with the coffee grounds after use. Like regular coffee pods, CoffeeB requires a dedicated coffee machine. Migros said that this system took five years to develop and most of the coffee machines are made of recycled materials. The highlight is the modular design, which means that replacing parts will be very convenient. The ingredients of the coffee beans are naturally not sloppy. Depending on the taste, they come from rainforest certified coffee, fair trade, or BIO organic coffee. Will consumers buy it? A year after CoffeeB was launched, Spoon reported that CoffeeB has entered the Swedish market.

Low-priced, highly replaceable fast-fashion secondhand clothing struggles to compete with new clothing in the market. To address this, the British secondhand platform Nuw uses a bartering concept instead of selling for a price. This innovative model allows the secondhand clothing market to operate smoothly, eliminating the need to buy new clothes. With the rise of new fashion trends, wardrobe changes are inevitable. Constantly buying new and discarding old pieces is an inevitable trend in fast fashion, but it also contributes to a continuous increase in carbon emissions. According to statistics, the fashion industry accounts for one-tenth of global carbon emissions, and up to 300,000 tons of waste textiles are dumped into landfills each year. Simply purchasing a white cotton T-shirt can emit as much carbon as a car traveling 50 kilometers. To address this issue, various secondhand clothing markets have emerged. On various secondhand clothing trading platforms, you can resell, give away, or donate your old clothes and buy clothes you didn't already own at a relatively low price. However, this model is generally only suitable for certain products, especially luxury goods and vintage clothing, and is not suitable for cheap, disposable clothing such as fast fashion. The reason is that people can buy new clothes at similar or cheaper prices, so second-hand fast fashion clothing is not attractive enough. Fast fashion products are low in price and rarity, making it difficult to resell them in the second-hand clothing market. Aisling Byrne from the UK witnessed the destructive impact of fast fashion on the local environment and community during a trip to India. The large amount of waste shocked her.