Zero Acre Farm is bringing to market a multi-purpose cultured cooking oil that claims to be a healthier alternative to corn, soybean, and canola oils. Cultured oil is cooking oil made by fermentation – the process of microorganisms (or “cultures”) consuming natural sugars and converting those sugars into entirely new foods.
Zero Acre’s oil starts with a culture of food-producing microorganisms (the company doesn’t specify which kinds). Natural plant sugars sourced from sugarcane and sugar beets are then added to the culture, and the microorganisms convert them into oils and fats.
Cultured oil is primarily monounsaturated fat. It’s also vegan, keto, kosher, Whole30 Approved®, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, allergen-free, pesticide-free, glyphosate-free, GMO-free, and deforestation-free, according to the brand. Indeed, the environmental benefits of cultured oil are plenty.
It requires 85% less land use than canola oil, produces 86% less greenhouse gas emissions than soybean oil, and uses 99% less water than olive oil. Today, 740 million acres — an area that would cover 90% of India — are dedicated to growing soybeans, palm trees, and other oilseed crops in the world.
The California-based company identified vegetable oils as one of the most consumed foods in the world and the fastest-growing sub-sector of global agriculture, coming with numerous health risks and environmental costs.
Looking to open up a whole new category, Zero Acre Farms recently raised $37 million from star investors such as Robert Downey Jr.’s FootPrint Coalition Ventures and Richard Branson, as it seeks to bring an end to the era of vegetable oils.
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