Alternative proteins; A path to sustainable diets and environment

Feb 17, 2025Current research in food science

Alternative Proteins as a Way to Healthier Diets and a Better Environment

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

The demand for plant-based protein sources is increasing as alternatives to traditional animal-derived meat.

Meat analogues are emerging as viable substitutes due to environmental and ethical concerns.
Recent research evaluates commercially available plant proteins for their potential in meat replacement.
Improvements in physicochemical, textural, and structural attributes of meat alternatives aim to replicate the qualities of animal-derived meat.
Challenges in widespread adoption of meat alternatives include meeting sensory and nutritional expectations.
A comparison of environmental impacts suggests plant proteins may offer benefits over animal proteins.
Future research is needed to address existing gaps between plant-based analogues and traditional meat.

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With a growing global population and the resulting pressure on natural resources, the supply of high-value protein has become increasingly limited. The rise of environmental and ethical concerns has led to the emergence of meat analogues as a credible alternative to traditional animal-derived meat. Growing demand for plant-based protein sources has gained attention as viable alternatives to conventional animal proteins. This article reviews commercially available plant proteins for meat replacement and evaluates recent research on producing meat analogues, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Beyond production, an examination of the physicochemical, textural, and structural attributes of the meat alternatives is conducted, highlighting the improvements made in achieving sensory and nutritional parallels with animal-derived meat. Furthermore, this article explores the current commercial applications of meat alternatives, highlighting the challenges faced in their widespread adoption and suggesting future research directions. The comparison of the environmental impacts of plant proteins and animal proteins is also presented. The ultimate goal is to develop meat substitutes that closely mimic the sensory, nutritional, and aesthetic qualities of real meat. Despite promising innovations in processing technologies, challenges remain that researchers are actively addressing to close the gap between plant-based meat analogues and animal-derived counterparts.

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Alternative proteins; A path to sustainable diets and environment

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