Bill Gates-Backed Company Crafts ‘Butter’ From Thin Air—Tastes Like ‘Real Thing’
Photo 33390884 © Alinai | Dreamstime.com
Butter, but not as we know it. A California startup called Savor has whipped up a storm with its latest creation: butter made from thin air, or more precisely, carbon dioxide and water. Yes, you read that right. The company, backed by Bill Gates, aims to spread a little less guilt with every slice of bread.
Savor’s cutting-edge process involves capturing CO2 and combining it with hydrogen and oxygen through a thermochemical process. This method deconstructs and reconstructs the basic components of fat to mimic the taste and texture of real butter. The result is a spread that not only “tastes like the real thing” but also significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and conserves farmland and water resources.
Traditional butter isn’t exactly Mother Nature’s friend. Producing a kilo of it chucks out a whopping 16.9 kilograms (37.3 pounds) of carbon dioxide. Savor’s airy alternative, on the other hand, yields a mere 0.8 grams—a difference that could make a real impact on our planet.
@savorfoods Hi:) We are working on making the best butter ever. We use an agriculture-free process and are excited to share our progress as we develop it and try it out in a lot of tasty recipes🤩 #buttertok #buttermaking #butter #butterrecipe #bestbutter
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“These are real fats, not a substitute,” the startup stresses. “That means all the calories to carry all the flavor. All they lack is the compromise—on performance, environmental impact, or price.” On TikTok, it shows how its version can be used to make croissants, doughnuts, cookies. You know, just like the real deal.
@savorfoods I donut know about you, but these look preettyy tasty 🤤 We were so happy with how well our butter performed in these donuts on the first try! #donuts #buttertok #donutrecipe #dessertrecipe #foodscience
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Kathleen Alexander, CEO of Savor, shares that the innovation can be adapted to behave like a desired form of fat, be it beef tallow or milk fat—without the cow. Early taste tests have churned out positive feedback, and the company is gearing up for more formal responses.
Gates is a fan. The billionaire has raved about the taste and believes this technology could be a game-changer in the fight against climate change.
“I’ve tasted Savor’s products, and I couldn’t believe I wasn’t eating real butter,” he pens on his blog. “The big challenge is to drive down the price so that products like Savor’s become affordable to the masses—either the same cost as animal fats or less. Savor has a good chance of success here, because the key steps of their fat-production process already work in other industries.”
@savorfoods How would you rate how well this butter melted? 🤓 On a serious note, melting is just one of the many ways we test our agriculture-free butter while its in development! To make a butter that performs as well as- or better thanðŸ˜- dairy butter, we have to perform a wide range of testing because there are soooo many ways butter can be used! (Video inspired by the #cookiedancing trend🫶ðŸ») #butterdance #buttermelt #buttertok #foodscience
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But, as with any new product, there are hurdles to overcome. Savor is currently navigating the regulatory landscape and aims to hit supermarket shelves by 2025. Who knows? Butter made from CO2 and water could become a staple on breakfast tables around the globe before you know it.
[via New Atlas, Moneycontrol, The Guardian, Fast Company, cover photo 33390884 © Alinai | Dreamstime.com]
