With the plethora of global food production problems and the struggle with food waste, it isn't surprising that more and more scientists and laboratories are looking for innovative new ways to produce good and healthy food that will not negatively impact the environment. One of those labs is Ikea's very own Space10 lab, which according to Forbes is based in Copenhagen and recently outlined several new bug- and algae-based food items currently in development. You read that right, bug- and algae-based food. Here's what they're currently working on that have some people, even vegans, curious about the Future of cuisine.

1. The Dogless Hotdog

Meat lovers and sausage enthusiasts may find it hard to let go of their highly processed food of choice, the hotdog, once they go vegan, but for Ikea, they believe that "healthy and sustainable food need not be bland." IKEA wrote on Medium that their "Dogless Hotdog" is meat-free and instead is made up of healthy vegetables such as baby carrots, beet and berries, mustard and turmeric cream, onions, cucumber salad and a special herb salad mix. The bun isn't your plain old bread and is actually a bun made with the algae spirulina, so you're actually ingesting a lot of beta caroten, chlorophyll, and iron, which are all good for you.

2. The Bug Burger

This might be as gross as it sounds to some who are horrified at the thought of consuming meat alternatives.

This burger patty is, in fact, made out of some veggies like potatoes, beetroot, and parsnip. But the main star of the patty are mealworms, which are described as the "larval form of a darkling beetle." But then again, we wouldn't really know what goes into our sausages. Are they really all pure meat and fat? Do you want to know the answer to that question?

3. The Neatball

IKEA is also currently developing the "Neatball" for those who are looking for protein alternatives. There are two kinds of "Neatballs," one that's purely vegetable-based featuring carrots, parsnips, and beets, while the other has the added mealworms for a more meaty taste and feel.

To take vegan eating a step further, IKEA is also developing more sustainable vegetables through their hydroponics technology.

This enables the growth of crops without the need for soil, helping them cultivate greens without sacrificing nutrients. In fact, they already have their own salad bar that's entirely made out of all the greens they've grown in their lab. How's that for innovation? Would you try any of these food products in development?
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