TY - JOUR
T1 - Plant-Based Meat Alternatives
T2 - Technological, Nutritional, Environmental, Market, and Social Challenges and Opportunities
AU - Andreani, Giulia
AU - Sogari, Giovanni
AU - Marti, Alessandra
AU - Froldi, Federico
AU - Dagevos, H.
AU - Martini, Daniela
PY - 2023/1/15
Y1 - 2023/1/15
N2 - There is a growing awareness that fostering the transition toward plant-based diets with reduced meat consumption levels is essential to alleviating the detrimental impacts of the food system on the planet and to improving human health and animal welfare. The reduction in average meat intake may be reached via many possible ways, one possibility being the increased consumption of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs). For this reason, in recent years, hundreds of products have been launched on the market with sensory attributes (i.e., taste, texture, appearance, and smell) similar to their animal counterparts; however, these products have often a long list of ingredients and their nutritional values are very different from animal meat. The present review aims to highlight the main opportunities and challenges related to the production and consumption of PBMAs through an interdisciplinary approach. Aspects related to the production technology, nutritional profiles, potential impacts on health and the environment, and the current market and consumer acceptance of PBMAs are discussed. Focusing on the growing literature on this topic, this review will also highlight research gaps related to PBMAs that should be considered in the future, possibly through the collaboration of different stakeholders that can support the transition toward sustainable plant-based diets.
AB - There is a growing awareness that fostering the transition toward plant-based diets with reduced meat consumption levels is essential to alleviating the detrimental impacts of the food system on the planet and to improving human health and animal welfare. The reduction in average meat intake may be reached via many possible ways, one possibility being the increased consumption of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs). For this reason, in recent years, hundreds of products have been launched on the market with sensory attributes (i.e., taste, texture, appearance, and smell) similar to their animal counterparts; however, these products have often a long list of ingredients and their nutritional values are very different from animal meat. The present review aims to highlight the main opportunities and challenges related to the production and consumption of PBMAs through an interdisciplinary approach. Aspects related to the production technology, nutritional profiles, potential impacts on health and the environment, and the current market and consumer acceptance of PBMAs are discussed. Focusing on the growing literature on this topic, this review will also highlight research gaps related to PBMAs that should be considered in the future, possibly through the collaboration of different stakeholders that can support the transition toward sustainable plant-based diets.
KW - alternative proteins
KW - consumer acceptance
KW - flexitarianism
KW - meat analogs
KW - SDGs
KW - sustainability
U2 - 10.3390/nu15020452
DO - 10.3390/nu15020452
M3 - Article
C2 - 36678323
AN - SCOPUS:85146720753
SN - 2072-6643
VL - 15
JO - Nutrients
JF - Nutrients
IS - 2
M1 - 452
ER -