Fancy a plant-based burger or probiotic beer?

Mr David Yeung, founder and chief executive of social venture group Green Monday, holding a burger made from 100 per cent plant-based meat products at the Food Industry Asia Food for the Future Summit at Marina Bay Sands yesterday. With him are his s
Mr David Yeung, founder and chief executive of social venture group Green Monday, holding a burger made from 100 per cent plant-based meat products at the Food Industry Asia Food for the Future Summit at Marina Bay Sands yesterday. With him are his staff Sandra Lim (centre) and Angelica Leung. PHOTO: DIOS VINCOY JR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

Chew on this: What's on the menu are cups that you can drink out of and then eat, and burgers made entirely from plant-based sources. Wash all that down with a glass of probiotic beer and, for dessert, have a delectable diabetic-friendly brownie.

These were just some of the futuristic food options on show at the 2019 Food Industry Asia Food for the Future Summit, held at Marina Bay Sands yesterday.

The summit put on display an array of future foods, many produced by Singapore companies, that might one day be found on supermarket shelves and dining tables here.

First up is the "Ello Jello" cup. Shaped like a Red Solo Cup, it has a wobbly consistency, and can hold cold and room-temperature drinks. Flavours available are orange, lychee, peppermint and green tea, and cups come in two sizes - 6cm and 10cm. Ello Jello's parent company, Evoware, also has other environmentally friendly products, such as a plastic packaging replacement made entirely out of seaweed that is fully soluble, digestible and safe to eat.

But if drinking from a jello glass is not your cup of tea, then get the Beyond Meats burger - its patty is made entirely from plant-based sources. The burger will surely be a hit with vegans, vegetarians and anyone who does not want their food to come from the suffering of animals.

There is also minced pork from Beyond Meats, served with a side of low-glycemic index brown rice developed by the Singaporean-run The Little Rice Company. The special strain of brown rice tastes like white rice, with a similar consistency and texture.

The company, which has facilities in Myanmar, has found a way to double the yield of this strain of rice, compared with that from regular rice strains.

To end the meal on a sweet note, have some brownies developed by post-doctoral student Gao Jing from the National University of Singapore. These brownies are infused with a special plant-based nutrient that slows down the release of sugar when the brownie is eaten.

This helps to keep the sugar levels of diabetics and pre-diabetics in check and make this sweet treat a guilt-free dessert.

If you prefer cookies, try some chocolate chip ones made from cricket flour instead of wheat flour. These baked goodies taste just like regular cookies, without a hint of cricket in any of them.

In fact, nothing on the menu tastes out of the ordinary - no less delicious for being a lot different.

Say cheers to this, as you take a swig of probiotic beer that is good for the gut.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 26, 2019, with the headline Fancy a plant-based burger or probiotic beer?. Subscribe