Food is one of humanity’s biggest sustainability challenges
The global food system has become one of the leading drivers of the climate crisis.
Today, it accounts for approximately 34% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while up to 40% of food produced is wasted throughout the value chain.
But the challenge is not only environmental. The rapid growth of obesity, metabolic diseases, and other diet-related health conditions reflects a system that struggles to balance sustainability, nutrition, and consumer experience.
At the same time, the transition toward more sustainable food systems faces a critical barrier: consumer acceptance. Although the plant-based market and new food alternatives continue to grow, mass adoption remains limited by challenges related to flavor, texture, and sensory satisfaction.
Source: Rodriguez-Valeron et al.
Multiple studies agree that accelerating the food transition requires more than sustainability alone — it requires developing foods that people genuinely want to choose every day. Flavor, texture, and sensory experience will be decisive factors in transforming the way we eat without compromising the pleasure of food.
All of our functional ingredients come from Lemna, a tiny but mighty aquatic plant capable of cleaning water as it grows producing valuable compounds.
We are rethinking how food is produced
Water cleaning process
Proprietary extraction
Greenhouse Wastewater
Lemna Growth Systems
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B2B Sales
CPGs
Circular Economy: We create ingredients while cleaning water
As we scale our business, we scale our impact
SDG 2 — Zero Hunger
Plant-based ingredients that help reduce reliance on animal protein and support a more resource-efficient food system.
SDG 3 — Good Health and Well-being
Enables reformulation of processed meats with less pork, saturated fat, and cholesterol while maintaining taste and texture.
SDG 6 — Clean Water and Sanitation
Lemna captures excess nutrients from agricultural water before they reach surrounding freshwater systems.
SDG 14 — Life Below Water
By reducing nutrient runoff at the source, we help prevent eutrophication and protect downstream aquatic ecosystems.
microTERRA intercepts nutrient pollution at its source, transforms it into a valuable food ingredient, and uses that ingredient to reduce the environmental footprint of everyday foods.
We do not simply treat a waste stream or produce another alternative ingredient. We connect water remediation, circular production, food reformulation, and consumer adoption in a single scalable value chain.
Climate Impact
The transition toward more sustainable food systems requires transforming not only what we eat, but also the way ingredients are produced. At microTERRA, our climate impact happens on two levels: from the source and through the displacement of animal proteins.
On one side, we cultivate Lemna using agricultural wastewater, capturing nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that would otherwise pollute water systems and accelerate eutrophication processes. This allows us to transform waste into a valuable resource for the food industry.
On the other hand — and even more importantly — our ingredients enable a 1:1 replacement of animal proteins, especially from pork, beef, and chicken, significantly reducing the environmental footprint associated with intensive meat production.
Climate Impact per ton of MAS U
82 tons
of equivalent CO2 equivalent avoided
55,600
m3 of water saved
Reduces dependence on highly resource-intensive food systems
Health Impact
Today’s food system is not only an environmental challenge, but also a public health crisis. The global rise in obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders is directly linked to diets high in sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats commonly found in ultra-processed foods and animal-based proteins.
At microTERRA, we develop functional ingredients that help create healthier foods without compromising flavor, texture, or sensory experience. Our ingredients enable the reduction of sugar, sodium, and animal proteins high in fat and cholesterol, supporting the development of more balanced and appealing products for consumers.
We believe the transition toward more sustainable food systems will only be possible if we also create foods that people genuinely want to eat every day: more nutritious, more accessible, and with a better flavor experience.
Health Impact per ton of MAS U
1.4 tons
of total fat reduced
3 ton
of cholesterol reduced
We're passionate about circular economy and believe we can revolutionize the way we approach water management and food production.