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Precision Fermentation
Precision fermentation is a biotechnological process within cellular agriculture that uses microorganisms as mini bio-factories to produce specific proteins, fats, and other organic molecules. This method is a subset of cellular agriculture but differs by focusing on the production of complex organic molecules rather than cellular structures or tissues.

Overview
The process relies on biotechnology, tissue engineering, molecular biology, and synthetic biology to produce precise ingredients, offering a sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional agricultural products.

Environmental Impact
Animal agriculture is linked to significant environmental degradation and is criticized for its inefficiency, contributing to climate change. Precision fermentation presents an opportunity to produce food with a fraction of the land use, water, and energy, minimizing the ecological footprint of food production.

History
The emergence of precision fermentation can be traced back to the production of commodities like insulin and rennet. Innovations in the 1970s and 1980s, such as the creation of artificial human insulin (Humulin) and genetically engineered rennet, set the stage for modern precision fermentation techniques.

Process
The precision fermentation process involves the selection and insertion of specific genes into microorganisms. These modified microorganisms are then cultured in bioreactors, where they produce the target molecules, which are subsequently purified and used in various consumer products.

Industry Impact
This technology has already transformed the insulin and cheese industries by creating safer, more efficient, and reliable products. The adoption of precision fermentation is now expanding into the dairy and meat industries, providing sustainable alternatives that are gaining market share.

Future Prospects
Forecasts by think tanks like RethinkX predict a drastic reduction in the demand for animal-derived food products by 2035 due to the rise of precision fermentation, which could lead to a significant release of land and resources for rewilding and other beneficial uses.