Meat substitutes: current status, potential benefits, and remaining challenges

Abstract

Replacing traditional meat with meat substitutes may reduce environmental degradation and improve people’s health. We discuss two categories of meat substitutes: plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) and cultured meat (CM). Despite their benefits, some people may not accept these foods. Neither PBMA nor CM take the form of a solid piece of meat (e.g. a steak), and such cuts are popular. PBMA and CM are novel, and some people may avoid or be uninterested in trying these unfamiliar foods. People may be threatened by PBMA and CM because they have strong attachments to traditional meat or it threatens their social values as a meat eater. Also, PBMA and CM may be too expensive. An important limitation of the available research is that some meat substitutes are still relatively unknown or unavailable. Understanding consumers’ perceptions of meat substitutes will require them to have more direct experience with these products.