Hinoman, an Israeli agritech company, hopes to make mankai the new kale with an innovative hydroponic harvesting method revealed at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo earlier this week. Israel was one of more than 95 countries represented at the event, gathered to present and discuss new developments to ensure sustainable food supplies for people around the world.
At 0.5 milimeters, mankai is a vegetable protein rich in minerals and fatty acids, even more of a superfood than soybeans or spinach. Because of its mild taste, mankai can easily be added to food and beverages as a nutritious supplement or eaten in its raw form. The protein itself is not a new invention; a product of Southeast Asia, people in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam are already familiar with its health benefits. However, the hydroponic technology that Hinoman’s team of engineers and agronomists spent 8 years developing to cultivate it is. Grown in water without pesticides or soil under carefully controlled conditions, Hinoman can harvest their mankai daily year-round, producing higher quantities at faster rates.
As the world’s population continues to increase, efforts to ensure global food security become more urgent. The UN projects that Earth will hold 9.6 billion people by 2050, and National Geographic reported in 2014 that 800 million already don’t have enough to eat as is. Hinoman hopes that its research will help change this trajectory.
“Hinoman is focused not only on how this planet will feed 9 billion people by 2050, but also to ensure that people will be fed in a healthy manner,” said CEO Ron Salpeter in a statement. “We believe that our all-nature solution contributes to that mission.”
