Artist Alexandra Genis on 3D printing flavor molecules

Listen again. Artist and food designer Alexandra Genis is set on challenging your notion of artificiality and what sustainability means in the context of food production. Are natural and wild foods really better? We explore her work and how artificial foods, technology, and art can help us reimagine a better food system.

  • 1:50 The Atoma project, turning individual molecules into spices
  • 2:48 The complexity of flavor and the limits of what we can taste
  • 10:45 The importance of artificial foods in a post-agricultural age 
  • 22:00 Other projects Alexandra’s worked on 
  • 24:00 Vision for the future food system

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Posted in: Latvia

Dr. Mikelis Grivins on foraging and the blackmarket for wild foods

Listen again. Foraging exists in a delicate balanace with nature. If we take too much, it can lead to environmental degradation. At the same time, it survives as a cultural tradition and a key way families put food on the table. My guest today is Dr. Mikelis Grivins a researcher at the Baltic Studies Center. In this episode, we discuss the four kinds of foragers commonly seen in Europe, the ethics of foraging, and the black market that exists around wild foods.

  • 4:00 Overview of alternative food systems are important
  • 17:00 4 types of foragers across Europe
  • 20:20 Exploitation, transparency & regulation in the wild food market
  • 25:00 Wild washing
Posted in: Latvia

Baltic Studies Centre Dr. Mikelis Grivins on foraging across Europe, the Latvian food system, and alternative food networks

Dr. Mikelis Grivins is a senior researcher at the Baltic Studies Centre, a research institute focused on studying sustainable rural and regional development, agro-food systems, farming and innovations. We dive in Dr Grivins work on alternative food networks, foraging, and wild foods across Europe. We also discuss similarities and differences between the Nordic and Baltic food systems. There’s lots of food for thought in this episode as we explore history, philosophy, regulation, black markets, and new perspectives.

  • 2:30 Overview of The Baltic Food System and how it has evolved 
  • 8:30 Why alternative food systems are important
  • 20:00 4 types of foragers across Europe
  • 30:50 Exploitation, transparency & regulation in the wild food market
  • 50:40 The Nordics-Baltic food system and why collaboration is important 

This podcast was recorded live at the Future of Food Hackathon in Riga, Latvia and is supported by the Nordic Council of Minister’s Office in Latvia. For more conversation, join our community on Instagram and hear more episodes on www.nordicfoodtech.io.