Tinker imagineers designed FOODTOPIA for the Leiden Boerhaave Museum. The exhibition provides an overview of over one century’s worth of food innovations in the Netherlands. Guest curator Louise O. Fresco, food expert, shows her personal top 10 of exciting innovations for the future. Ranging from algae appetizers to personal foods.

FOODTOPIA focuses on the challenge of providing 6 billion people with sustainable, high-quality food by the year 2050. In search of the answer, visitors take on the role of scientists in this exhibition. ‘The exhibition presents the story of food supply innovations in an accessible and attractive format thanks to the beautiful design, which stimulates the senses,’ according to Fresco.

‘Tomato seed costs €50,000 a kilo, which makes it more expensive than gold.’ This and other factoids adorn an installation of balancing porcelain plates. Surrounding the installation, infographics show the facts and figures of the world’s food problem. The visitors find out which issues we, as a society, find on our plates, and can respond to food-related statements.

Innovations such as cultured meat, 3D-printed food, a camera that determines the freshness of fish, as well as the electro ejaculator, space food and good old margarine are on show in the food lab. They illustrate how scientists are always looking for new and inventive solutions to the food question. Surrounded by jars with colourful, edible seaweed and scent extracts, visitors will realise that this ambition is of all times.

What are the most promising developments for the future? At the end of the exhibition, immersed in foodtopic images, you get to sit down at the interactive table of the future, laid by guest curator Louise O. Fresco. Trays with potato seed, miniature robots, insect lollipops, and other delicacies roll by. You get to discover the story behind these innovative food concepts by taking them off the conveyor.

FOODTOPIA is open to the public until 1 November 2015.