Researchers study lab-grown coffee to improve food security

Researchers at the University of Turku are investigating cell-cultivated coffee at a molecular level. The study, which included the first doctoral thesis on the subject, found that the lab-grown powder shares significant chemical similarities with green coffee beans.

This technology, previously pioneered by VTT in Espoo, involves using a piece of a coffee plant leaf to grow biomass in a bioreactor. The process takes approximately one month, whereas traditional coffee plants only yield one to two harvests per year.

Experts suggest that cell-based agriculture could enhance food security and reduce dependence on traditional producer countries. This research comes as climate change, pests, and rising prices threaten global coffee supplies and consumption.