A NotCo, foodtech global and leading plant-based food reference, teamed up with renowned chef Diego Oka to recreate a 100% plant-based version of traditional turtle soups. The cook and a team of culinary experts from the company demonstrate how to prepare the recipe without harming green turtles during an action carried out in Peru, for local citizens accustomed to consuming the dish. The project’s documentary was released on April 17th, and you can check it out in full, below.
Over the past decade, the population of green turtles has declined significantly, reaching just 85,000 worldwide, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Although climate change and habitat loss also play an important role in this process, the continuous consumption of the soup is an aggravating factor, and in several regions, it keeps chelonians threatened with extinction. Although several governments consider its hunting illegal, the Peruvian nation itself and countries like Ecuador and Mexico treat the meal as a cultural delicacy, and that is why they have not stopped consuming it.
Given this context, the chef and his team went to Peru to teach the population how to prepare NotTurtle Soup, a version of the traditional dish without ingredients of animal origin. To do this, the skills of Giuseppe, the proprietary artificial intelligence of foodtech, were used. This technology analyzes thousands of plant species at a molecular level to form new plant options, suggesting tasty, functional and sustainable combinations.
“It’s a powerful AI platform that can help solve long-standing industry problems and more. If Giuseppe was able to replicate green turtle soup in just two weeks, we are not only providing an alternative for an endangered species, but it is also a way to do much more with technology. We saw an opportunity to test our AI and we are more than satisfied with the results”, says Matias Muchnick, CEO of NotCo.
Status of turtles in Brazil
Despite ongoing efforts to ban the consumption of turtle meat in several regions, the animal is still used in soup recipes in Brazil, mainly in Manaus (AM). A study conducted by biologist Willandia Chaves, a researcher at the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech University, reveals that around 1.7 million creatures are consumed in a year at the site.
Another survey, this time by WCS Brasil, also points out that 13% of Manaus teenagers said they had already consumed turtles (turtles, tortoises and tracajás). Additionally, 35% of respondents reported that their families did so as well.
“A lot of people are scared of AI right now. But this is an incredible way to show that when humans and technology come together, we can solve any problem. NotCo’s AI technology has significantly reduced research and development time. With this type of speed and efficiency, the opportunities are endless”, concludes Diego Oka.
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