Will cows soon be “unemployed”? After artificial meat, artificial milk has also arrived! Will you accept it?

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Meat substitute companies saw sharp price increases right after their listing in the United States, and this trend has spread to the A-share market as well, where they continue to be highly sought after. With the surge in popularity of lab-grown meat, lab-grown milk has also gained attention as a result. According to a report by Wall Street See News on May 8, following artificial meat, artificial milk has also appeared on the market. An article on the global economic research website MishTalk states that scientists believe we are at a pivotal point in history where there is a significant change in the way milk is produced: cows are no longer necessary. After talking so much, what exactly is plant-based milk? From Silicon Valley in the United States to laboratories in Switzerland in Europe, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in developing bioengineered milk that tastes like regular milk but contains different proteins. 87% of regular milk is water, with the remaining components including proteins, enzymes, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. And it is the latter where real effort is needed in artificial milk technology. In the laboratory, scientists first test these chemicals by placing them in test tubes according to consumer needs, and then use bioengineered yeast to produce true milk proteins. The goal is to replicate the taste of regular milk while also making it more nutritious. From the perspective of the global liquid milk industry, plant-based milk has the potential to become a disruptor. Its competitors include not only traditional milk but also plant protein milks that have gained popularity among health-conscious people in recent years, particularly oat milk. Furthermore, the article mentions that several corporate giants are conducting related research, such as DowDuPont, BASF, Nestle, and others. What are the advantages of artificial milk? So the question is, what are the advantages of plant-based milk compared to traditional liquid milk? Advantage 1: Better health. Taking human milk oligosaccharides as an example, this substance can regulate the gut microbiota, prevent diarrhea, and combat infections. Recently, the World Health Organization has also found that it can prevent infants from becoming obese. In the laboratory, the creation of artificial milk allows for the direct addition of human milk oligosaccharides, without the need for any mammals or further processing. Advantage 2: Better for the environment – Approximately 3% of greenhouse gas emissions each year can be attributed to dairy production. If the world stopped consuming dairy products and meat, 75% of agricultural land could be saved, an area equivalent to that of the United States combined with China, the European Union, and Australia. Of course, for artificial milk to be truly accepted by the market, it is not only necessary to control costs (the initial cost of artificial milk was twice that of regular milk), but it is also essential to be ready to face the challenges posed by dairy farmers and dairy product consumers. Would you accept artificial milk?