Alternative protein innovations and challenges for industry and consumer: an initial overview

Abstract

Over one fourth of today's greenhouse gas emissions are the result of agriculture, with the production of meat representing a large portion of this carbon footprint. As the wealth of low- and middle-income countries continues to increase, the demand for animal-sourced protein, such as dairy and meat products, will escalate. At this point in time, livestock feed alone utilizes almost 40% of the world's cropland. The rapidly increasing world population, coupled with a need for environmental sustainability, has renewed our attention on animal-protein substitutes. Apprehensions over climate change have aided an acceleration in the research and development of alternative proteins, which may replace some animal-sourced protein over time. The alternative dairy and meat industry is developing at a yearly rate of 15.8% and is predicted to reach 1.2 trillion $USD by 2030. This emerging market incorporates new technologies in plant-made protein production, manufacturing of animal proteins by fermentation using microbial bioreactors, and accelerated production of cultivated (also known as cell-based) meat. These new technologies should change the global market drammatically. This article describes the history of the alternative protein industry and its' current status, then offers predictions of future pathways for this rapidly accelerating market. More speculatively, it discusses factors that lead to shifts in consumer behavior that trend toward the adoptation of new technologies.

Nano-Food Farming: Toward Sustainable Applications of Proteins, Mushrooms, Nano-Nutrients, and Nanofibers

“…The rapidly increasing global population, demand for food production, generation of food waste, and need to establish a sustainable environment have renewed interest in animal-protein substitutes such as plant, algal, fungal, and insect sources [121,122] and in the development of effective waste management strategies [123]. In addition to these practices, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising tool due to the unique properties of nanomaterials [124] and by offering opportunities to make food production more sustainable [125].…”

Ernährung ohne Fleisch – der neue Trend

“…Es gibt bislang keine ausreichenden Beweise dafür, dass der Verzehr von pflanzlichen Fleischalternativen gesünder ist als der von Fleisch. Zum Beispiel enthalten pflanzliche Fleischalternativen in Form von Würstchen, Burgern oder Nuggets im Vergleich zu unverarbeitetem Fleisch neben den höheren Mengen an Natrium und Fetten auch zahlreiche Zusatzstoffe, einschließlich Farb-, Geschmacks-und Bindemittel [5]. So zeigten Studien, dass der Ersatz von Fleisch durch pflanzliche Fleischalternativen nicht unbedingt ein gesundes Ernährungsmuster widerspiegelt [9,10].…”

Designing a More Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Food Supply: A Roadmap for Future Food and Agricultural Research

“…These foods should also be affordable, convenient, and delicious; otherwise, they will not be adopted by consumers . A variety of alternative protein-rich sources are being investigated for this purpose, including plants, insects, microbes, and cultured cells. ,, Scientists are working to improve the sensory and nutritional attributes of these products as well as to reduce their costs. ,− For some of these alternative protein sources (especially cultured cells), there is still a need to economically scale up their production so they can compete with meat production.…”

“…Many of these products have a long history, but it is possible to create novel protein-rich foods that can be used instead of animal products, such as chewy spicy red spheres, soft lemony yellow pyramids, or firm lilac cubes (Figure ). The most common source of alternative proteins used to create meat analogs or substitutes are plant proteins, but other types are becoming more popular, including those obtained from mycelium, insects, and cells grown in bioreactors. ,,, Bioreactors may be used to cultivate animal cells (such as those isolated from cows, pigs, chicken, or fish), insect cells (such as those isolated from fruit flies or worms), or microbial cells (such as yeast, bacteria, or algae). There are unique challenges with the production of protein-rich foods from each of these nonanimal sources.…”