Spirulina Protein Stick and COOL Drink Combo

What is the Spirulina Protein Stick and COOL Drink Combo?

A popular food item that is eaten by thousands of shoppers every day at the 100+ Gung-ho Shopping Mall, it is designed to be a quick bite to eat and drink so that shoppers can stay fueled while browsing and shopping the mall's many floors. It is sold primarily by food stalls and small carts and can be found on most of the one-hundred-plus floors of the mall. The combo is cheap and can be attained quickly in mere moments, so that the imbiber of the combo can eat, drink, and continue to shop quickly and efficiently.

Spirulina Protein Stick

Designed to be able to be eaten by anybody, Spirulina Protein is a protein derived from green algae, in this form, it is grown, mashed to a paste mixed with some extra binding additives, shaped into meat-like hunks and grilled on a stick. It is extremely rare for someone to have any dietary restrictions that stop them from eating this carefully cultivated protein stick.
The Spirulina Protein Stick can only be ordered one way, grilled, and on a stick. However, various flavouring powders are made available to shake onto the protein bites which can give it a variety of taste sensations. Common flavours found at Spirulina Protein Stick stalls and carts include Wormhole Wasabi, Hypernova Herb, Quantum Cheese, and many more. Names vary depending on the brand. If eaten without grilling and flavouring the Spirulina Protein tastes deeply earthy and somewhat grassy, almost like a mildly bitter seaweed. However, when grilled in this form, it takes on a more nutty flavour.

COOL Drink

Is a modular drink that only comes in one flavour, COOL, however, it can be requested at a variety of different viscosities or levels of carbonation. It can either be completely flat or so carbonated it tricks the tongue into thinking it's spicy. It can also be as thin as water, or as thick as pudding. Its flavour, COOL, tastes of a mix of citrus and mint; though neither is present in its formulation.
The ingredients of COOL Drink are far more mysterious than Spirulina Protein, and its ingredients list has never been made publically available. Earning itself immunity from the ingredient transparency laws of the system, likely through shady means. What is known, is that it is sold by its manufacturer to hundreds of food stalls and carts in powdered form, either in bulk form in large buckets or in individual paper packets. This powder is then mixed with water and then agitated using a mixer until the desired texture is attained.

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A farm where blue-green algae is grown and turned into Spirulina Protein

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Spirulina Protein Manufacturing

Spirulina is grown in a variety of places both on the planet of Livio, where its main consumer base resides at the 100+ Gung-ho Shopping Mall, and on various planets and moons in the Federated Territories of Vash. It is grown in specialized buildings where the environment can be controlled so that cultivation of the plant can reach peak efficiency.
It is grown in large tanks of fresh water, often in long raceway systems. The water in these tanks has to be meticulously controlled, ensuring that a specific pH balance, temperature, and nutrient levels are met. Once the Spirulina is grown, it appears as a large sheet of blue-green algae-like growth on the surface of the water, it is harvested. After it has been harvested, it is filtered for impurities, washed, and dried. Typically some preservatives and/or nutrients are added to it at this stage. It is then powdered.
For use in Spirulina Protein Sticks, the powder is mixed with water and several binding agents until it becomes tacky and somewhat dough-like. They are left to proof for several hours, and then upon completion, they are shaped into meat-like chunks and dehydrated. These dehydrated chunks are then sent out to the various stalls and carts, who then rehydrate them, skewer them and grill them for consumption.

Summary

The Spirulina Protein Stick and COOl Drink Combo is a popular food item primarily available in the 100+ Gung-ho Shopping Mall, and eaten by thousands of shoppers as they travel about the mall shopping.
The combo is comprised of two items, the Spirulina Protein Stick; an easily digestible nutrient-rich protein grilled and placed on a stick. And the COOL Drink, a pleasant and refreshing drink that tastes of citrus and mint and can be ordered as thick or thin viscosity and be either be flat or carbonated. It does not come in other flavours.

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Controversy

Despite the Spirulina Protein Stick and COOL Drink Combo's popularity, it is not without its controversies. First is the growing and manufacturing of Spirulina, a kind of blue-green algae which is grown en masse locally for use in the protein stick product. However, due to the amount required annually, growers of the algae often take shortcuts. Including not sanitizing their growing systems in between crops, using illegal and often dangerous additives for increased crop yield, and unsafe packaging and shipping practices. This has led to a variety of cases where consumers have gotten sick from consuming tainted protein.
The other frequent controversy surrounding the combo is with the formulation of the COOL Drink powder. Mainly health advocates are calling for the ingredients list and manufacturing details to be released. The concern is that no one knows what is being ingested, and that the drink could be dangerous for people's health despite its refreshing nature. Manufacturers have scoffed at these attempts and adamantly state that the drink is safe and that no one should be concerned. All this, even though the main distributor of the powder has received local political immunity from having to publically release their ingredient's list. Which has left many suspicions.

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