Mushroom Boxes: The Nature-Inspired Solution Making Cold Chain Sustainable

The cold chain industry helps move food, vaccines, and other perishable goods around the world. But it also has a big carbon footprint, so finding cleaner, smarter ways to improve the system is really important.    In this episode of Balancing the Future, Chai and Micah sit down with Tapasvi Bhatt, a PhD scholar from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and winner of the 2026 METTLER TOLEDO Innovator Award. Along with his peer researchers, he built a way to lower the cold chain’s carbon footprint: a box made from mushrooms.    Tapasvi explains that cold chain boxes are often insulated with non-recyclable materials like petrochemical foams or polyurethane, which take a long time to break down. On top of that, it is usually cheaper to make a new box than to return and reuse the original, adding even more carbon emissions to the supply chain.    That’s why Tapasvi and his team developed a box made from a mycelium composite, which is a mix of mycelium, oats, and other biodegradable materials. These boxes insulate well, can be reused several times, and break down easily in soil. If widely adopted, this technology could significantly reduce the cold chain industry’s carbon footprint.    Micah and Chai also discuss other possible uses for mycelium composite, including building materials, furniture, and even coffins.     LINKS:  Tapasvi Bhatt on LinkedIn  METTLER TOLEDO Website  METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn  Balancing The Future Podcast Website  Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn  Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn  EPISODE SOURCES:  METTLER TOLEDO Innovator Award  The Growing Pavillion, Amsterdam, The Netherlands  The Hy Fi Pavillion, New York City, USA  7 Unexpected Uses Of Mycelium Composites You’ll Love Knowing – Bina Biox   ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE:   Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.      We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.      Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.       Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode.    ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO:  Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner.  METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.