Researchers make real edible fake butter

Dubbed "green gold", avocados have become very popular in recent years. According to estimates by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2020, the world consumes about 5 billion kg of avocado annually. However, this comes at a high cost to the environment: about 2,000 liters of water are used to grow just one kilogram of avocado, and forests are also cleared to make land for avocados, CNN reported on August 12.

Ecovado looks a lot like a real avocado.

British researcher Arina Shokouhi has developed a "fake avocado" to replace real and more environmentally friendly avocados called Ecovado. She hopes it will inspire people to think twice before cutting avocados to use on toast or make avocado sauce.

At first glance, it is difficult to distinguish Ecovado from the real thing. Ecovado shell made with beeswax and natural food coloring contains charcoal powder and spinach. The pulp is made from 4 simple ingredients: peas for base, apple for freshness, cold pressed canola oil for creaminess and a hint of hazelnuts. A whole chestnut or hazelnut is used as a nut butter.

Shokouhi teamed up with Jack Wallman, a food scientist at the University of Nottingham, to develop Ecovado. Wallman studied the molecular properties of avocados to find out what gives the fruit its creamy, creamy texture.

Horseradish differs from butter in molecular structure and it is difficult to mask their "bitter smell". However, after a while of research, the team of experts also found a way to balance the ingredients and create a good quality butter substitute. Shokouhi said it took the team eight months to perfect the formula.

Shokouhi hopes Ecovado will bring health and environmental benefits because it is locally sourced food. Horseradish beans are relatively easy to grow in the UK, with around 740,000 tonnes harvested in the country each year.

Shokouhi's products received interest from a number of potential investors. She is still perfecting Ecovado and hopes it will be sold in supermarkets for the same price as real butter. Shokouhi also experimented with Japanese edamame beans. She thinks it is possible to produce Ecovado in more countries using different local ingredients in the future.

"The taste may not be 100% like real butter, but that's not too important, as long as you can still eat it with bread, it looks like butter, delicious and healthy," she shared.