Abstract
Alternative proteins are receiving increased global attention. This burgeoning interest in plants (especially plant-based meat alternatives), insects, algae, and cultured meat has been attributed to their reported health benefits, lower environmental impact and improved animal welfare compared to conventional animal-based meat. Food producers and the media are promoting acceptance of these products, claiming superior nutritional, environmental and ethical credentials and a desirable novel sensory experience. However, the evidence supporting these claims remains unclear. In this review, we summarise the main evidence underlying the nutritional, sensorial, economical, ethical, and environmental reasons reported for the rise in consumer demand for alternative proteins. We found many of these reasons to lack a strong evidence base. For instance, evidence is emerging for the nutritional benefits of plant-based meat alternatives, but present claims are largely based on established evidence for plant-based diets. Significant research gaps remain, especially longitudinal evidence on the sustained effects of replacing conventional animal-based proteins with alternative sources. For many alternative proteins, challenges exist in achieving desirable sensory properties akin to animal-based meat to promote their acceptance by consumers. Overall, fundamental shifts in the food system are required to create a culture in which healthful and sustainable food choices are the norm.
Highlights
Sales of meat-free foods increased by 40% from 2014 to 2019 in the United Kingdom [1], while sales of Impossible Foods alone increased by more than six times in Singapore, HongKong, and Macau in 2019 [2]
The current review focuses primarily on the health, environmental, sensory, safety, and animal welfare concerns as the main reasons reported to motivate consumers to opt for alternative proteins, with the perception that these options are healthier [22,33], better for the environment [34], and less cruel to animals [35]
A higher price may be driven by early demand for these new plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs), but is unlikely to be sustained, with analysts recommending that PBMA costs will need to significantly decrease if they are to be price-competitive with conventional meat in the long term [99]
Summary
Sales of meat-free foods increased by 40% from 2014 to 2019 in the United Kingdom [1], while sales of Impossible Foods alone increased by more than six times in Singapore, Hong. Macau in 2019 [2] This surge in demand for animal-free alternative proteins has been attributed to increased consumer interest in health alongside rising concern for the environment and animal welfare [3]. Despite the significant increase in global media interest in alternative proteins, the evidence supporting some of the key drivers of consumption is mixed, and consumer acceptance of new plant- and insectbased alternative proteins is not universal This may be due to cultural differences as there is widespread acceptance of PBMAs and cultured meats in China and India [13], whereas consumers in the United States and Europe are reported to have more polarised views [13,17,18]. We (iv) highlight some of the research gaps in our current understanding of what motivates consumers to make the sustained switch to alternative proteins as part of a dietary change which is both healthful and sustainable
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