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According to a report by the Nikkei on August 5, food giants are introducing biotechnology to prevent food crises. Meiji Holdings uses cell technology to cultivate cocoa, the raw material for chocolate, and Ajinomoto Co., Ltd. applies proteins produced by microorganisms to food. Due to abnormal climate and population growth, food supply may be in short supply. For Japan, which has a low self-sufficiency rate, biotechnology is also related to food security.

In terms of food technology such as culture technology, Europe and the United States are at the forefront, and the laws are becoming more and more perfect. Japan has not yet formulated safety standards and labeling rules for cell foods, etc., and related foods cannot be sold. In order to create an environment conducive to technological development, the Japanese government needs to improve the law.

Meiji is using the technology of California Cultivation, a U.S. startup. California Cultivation extracts cells from natural cocoa and uses a culture device to grow the cells. The cocoa powder it cultivates is expected to be licensed for sale in the U.S. in fiscal 2024.

Compared with natural cocoa powder, cultivated cocoa powder contains more antioxidant cocoa flavanols, a type of polyphenol. Chocolate-flavored foods produced using cultivated powder will be sold in the United States in 2025. Due to abnormal climate in West Africa, the main producing area, the supply of cocoa beans is insufficient and the price is high. Meiji has made additional investments in California Cultivation Company to support the latter in strengthening its cultivation equipment.

Ajinomoto applied this technology to food by providing carbon dioxide as nutrition to microorganisms to produce proteins. Its characteristic is that it has a low environmental impact.

Its partner, Finnish startup Solar Food, has developed powdered protein and has obtained sales approval from the Singapore government. Using Solar Food's protein powder as one of the ingredients, Ajinomoto has developed a new snack that will be trial-marketed this summer. It is said that the snack has improved umami and fragrance and has higher nutritional value.