**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** NEW STRATEGIES ARE NEEDED TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE, DELICIOUS, AND NUTRITIOUSFOODS TO AN EVER-GROWING POPULATION. WE MAY BE ABLE TO FIND SOLUTIONS IN THE CELLS OF SOME OF EARTH'S TINIEST CREATURES, MICROBES. WHILE MICROBES HAVE BEEN USEDFOR CENTURIES IN FERMENTEDFOODS, WE ARE NOW ABLE TO USE THEM AS BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOODS. WE KNOW THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO THIS BUT WE AREN'T SURE HOW TO DO IT YET.SPECIFICALLY, WE WILL USE 3D FOOD BIOPRINTING, A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT OPENS UP POSSIBILITIES FOR NEWALTERNATIVE PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS OWING TO ITS UNIQUE ABILITY TO CREATE SMALL ORGANIZED STRUCTURESTHATTASTE AND FEEL LIKE MEAT OR SEAFOOD FILETS. IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL LOOKAT USING THEROOTS OF MUSHROOMS (MYCELIUM) AND MICROSCOPIC PLANTS (ALGAE) TO PRODUCE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT WE WILLCAREFULLY PRINT INTO THE EXACT SHAPES, FLAVORS, AND TEXTURES WE EXPECT FROMA WIDE ARRAY OF FOOD PRODUCTS.WE WILL PROTECT THESE PRINTEDPRODUCTS FROM SPOILAGE AND OFF-FLAVORS WITH A NEW ANTIOXIDANT FOOD INGREDIENT DERIVED FROM KENTUCKY DISTILLERS' SPENT GRAIN, WHICH HELPS DISTILLERS OF AMERICA'S SPIRIT (BOURBON) MAKE USE OF THEIR MOST IMPORTANT BY-PRODUCT. THE WHOLE PROCESS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR ITS ABILITY TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE US ECONOMY. THE WHOLE PROJECTWILL USE THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD TO SYSTEMATICALLYOPTIMIZE THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE A BASELINE OF KNOWLEDGE FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN SUSTAINABLE AMERICAN FOOD PRODUCTION.