The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan
The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan
The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan
The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan The Future Sausage by Carolien Niebling, Milan

Milan Salone 2017: Butchering the future

10 : 04 : 2017 Milan Salone 2017 : Food Futures : Whole-system Thinking

Milan – Designer Carolien Niebling has re-invented the humble sausage in a bid to prepare humanity for a future protein shortage.

  • The Future Sausage is a research project and book that address the impending scarcity of protein-rich foods
  • The publication features recipes developed in collaboration with a molecular chef and a master butcher

Niebling’s project explores a near future scenario in which we can no longer rely on meat, dairy products and eggs as sources of protein and will have to turn to fungi, plants and insects instead. Based on research into texture, fermentation processes and traditional butchery techniques, the designer speculates about alternative ingredients and methods of preparing processed meat products. ‘I decided to use sausage as a medium for the project because it was the first ever edible designed object, and the thinking behind it came from the scarcity of quality resources and inventive butchery,’ explains the designer.

Documenting Niebling’s research as well as the potential alternatives, The Future Sausage book examines technical design issues such as moistness, flavouring, glue and preservation, and introduces readers to different kinds of edible proteins available on our planet. ‘The goal is to move away from our relatively impoverished supermarket selection and transform ourselves from Eximius fornivores [supermarket food-eaters] back to omnivores [all-eaters],’ says Niebling.

The Big Picture

Food designers are exploring the long-term implications that depleting resources will have on our food culture. For more, read our Whole-system Thinking macrotrend.

Discover More Daily Signals
Heineken leverages the power of fandom to spark friendship between strangers

Daily Signals

Heineken leverages the power of fandom to spark friendship between strangers

International brewer Heineken has launched Fans Have More Friends, a sponsorship platform built on the idea that shared passions are one of the fas...
Fandom : Sports : Drinks
Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals shaping culture right now. This week, foresight analyst Seyi ...
Bridgerton : Regency : Balls
Stat: Uptick in night-routine content reflects a shift towards protective wellness

Daily Signals

Stat: Uptick in night-routine content reflects a shift towards protective wellness

Night-routine content on TikTok rose 46% year-on-year in Q4 (October–December) 2025, reaching 13.2m weekly views, according to new research from Kyra.
Health : Wellness : Sleep
The Future Laboratory launches 2026 events calendar

Daily Signals

The Future Laboratory launches 2026 events calendar

The 2026 events calendar is here. Don’t just follow the future – get ahead of it. Join The Future Laboratory in 2026 for a programme of inspiring p...
The Future Laboratory : Events : Calendar
How diet sodas fell out of fashion

Daily Signals

How diet sodas fell out of fashion

Consumers are turning their backs on diet drinks, with zero sugar emerging as the preferred signifier of healthier indulgence.
Drink : Health : Food Retail
Stat: Alcohol abstinence in England rises as sober-curious lifestyles gain traction

Daily Signals

Stat: Alcohol abstinence in England rises as sober-curious lifestyles gain traction

Almost a quarter of adults in England (24%) now abstain from alcohol, marking a notable rise from previous years when non-drinkers consistently acc...
Drink : Stat : Statistics
How forpeople used bio-electrical tree data to shape Tree Aid’s rebranding

Daily Signals

How forpeople used bio-electrical tree data to shape Tree Aid’s rebranding

London-based creative studio forpeople has unveiled a pro bono rebranding for international development charity Tree Aid, placing living systems at...
Design : Nature : Technology
Bara brings Welsh flavours to South London

Daily Signals

Bara brings Welsh flavours to South London

Bara is London’s first café dedicated to Welsh cuisine, opening in February 2026 in Peckham, southeast London.
Food : Hospitality : Cuisine
Stat: Silent mental health crisis among women over 50

Daily Signals

Stat: Silent mental health crisis among women over 50

Almost two in three women over 50 in the UK struggle with their mental health, yet nearly nine in 10 do not seek help, according to new research co...
Generation X : Women's Health : Mental Health
Childline gamifies digital pressure to prompt reflection among teens

Daily Signals

Childline gamifies digital pressure to prompt reflection among teens

British counselling service Childline has launched a new campaign, Race to a Milli, designed to raise awareness of the pressures of online life for...
Technology : Health : Wellness
You have 1 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN