Environmental Impact Of Meat Research Articles

Bioactive peptides derived from bovine and porcine co-products: A review

The use of meat processing co-products to recover economically valuable food ingredients, with health-promoting properties represents an opportunity to enhance the economic performance of the meat industry and to reduce the environmental impact of meat production. This paper discusses the potential of meat processing co-products for use as substrates for bioactive peptide generation with varied bioactivities including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antihypertensive properties. Moreover, the current state-of-art of meat-derived bioactive peptides is reviewed with a focus on peptides with proven in vivo bioactivities. Practical applications Meat processing co-products represent a problem for meat processors due to the large volumes generated and its high pollutant load. These co-products are usually used for low-value purposes. However, co-products such as blood or lung can be used as resources for the generation of bioactive peptides with health-promoting properties which could be used as ingredients in the functional foods industry.

Segmentation of Australian meat consumers on the basis of attitudes regarding farm animal welfare and the environmental impact of meat production

While public concern over the welfare of farm animals is believed to have intensified across Australia in recent years, no empirical research has sought to examine and quantify the heterogeneity in farm animal-welfare (FAW) concerns among Australian meat consumers. The present study is the first to address this knowledge gap. Data were collected in 2015 by using a comprehensive online survey instrument completed by a representative sample of 1009 Australian meat consumers. Sample quotas were set for age, gender and location. Using these data, we were able to segment meat consumers according to their attitudes towards FAW and perceptions regarding the environmental impact of meat production. Six unique segments were identified and characterised by purchase behaviour, livestock-management knowledge, farming background and experience, beliefs regarding the consumer/farmer implications of improved FAW, influential information sources, participation in FAW-related activities and socio-demographic variables. Our findings showed that the majority of Australian meat consumers (70%) hold neutral views regarding FAW. However, there are two segments, termed ‘concerned-FAW’ (10%) and ‘anti-FAW’ (20%), which expressed strong views with respect to FAW. Overall, consumer knowledge regarding livestock-management practices was low across all segments, with only 11–42% of consumers indicating that they felt sufficiently informed about FAW. This insight into perceptions of FAW by different segments and the impact of meat production on the environment can assist the industry in developing targeted information campaigns to address consumer concerns and allow better-informed meat purchase decisions.

The influence of product preparation, familiarity and individual traits on the consumer acceptance of insects as food

Insects are highly valued as food in many cultures but have only recently gained interest in the West as a sustainable alternative to reduce the environmental impact of meat production. Despite the growing consumer interest in insect consumption, there is still a great disparity between curious trying and actual acceptance. The aim of this study was to examine how the product preparation, familiarity and individual traits (e.g. food neophobia) influence the consumer acceptance of insects as food. Dutch consumers (n=976) evaluated 8 mealworm product images on 4 acceptability measures (product appropriateness, expected sensory-liking, willingness to buy, willingness to try). Product images varied according to mealworm visibility (visible/invisible), carrier flavour (savoury/sweet) and carrier origin (Western/Asian). High product acceptability was not simply achieved by adding mealworms to familiar foods. Acceptability depended very much on the perceived appropriateness of mealworms as food and the perceived appropriateness of the product combination. However, mealworm products were always expected to be inferior to the carrier products, even when visually identical. Familiarity with mealworms and individual traits played a relatively minor role, and influenced the willingness to try more than the other acceptability measures. We conclude that appropriate product design is important but insufficient to achieve consumer acceptance of insects as food in the West. Additional incentives are required to encourage acceptance beyond the mere willingness to try. We discuss the complexities underlying the consumer acceptance of insects as food and reflect on how acceptance might be increased in the future.

Eating like there's no tomorrow: Public awareness of the environmental impact of food and reluctance to eat less meat as part of a sustainable diet

Reducing meat consumption is central to many of the scientific debates on healthy, sustainable diets because of the high environmental impact of meat production. Missing from these debates are the public perspectives about eating less meat and consideration of cultural and social values associated with meat. The aim of this study was to explore public awareness of the environmental impact of food and their willingness to reduce meat consumption. Twelve focus groups and four individual interviews were conducted with adults from a range of socio-economic groups living in both rural and urban settings in Scotland. Public understanding of the link between food, environment and climate change was explored, with a focus on meat and attitudes towards reducing meat consumption. Data were transcribed and analysed thematically. Three dominant themes emerged: a lack of awareness of the association between meat consumption and climate change, perceptions of personal meat consumption playing a minimal role in the global context of climate change, and resistance to the idea of reducing personal meat consumption. People associated eating meat with pleasure, and described social, personal and cultural values around eating meat. Some people felt they did not need to eat less meat because they had already reduced their consumption or that they only ate small quantities. Scepticism of scientific evidence linking meat and climate change was common. Changing non-food related behaviours was viewed as more acceptable and a greater priority for climate change mitigation. The study highlights the role meat plays in the diet for many people, beyond nutritional needs. If healthy, sustainable dietary habits are to be achieved, cultural, social and personal values around eating meat must be integrated into the development of future dietary recommendations.

Communicating the environmental impact of meat production: challenges in the development of a Swedish meat guide

Environmental impacts from food consumption are dominated by the consumption of livestock products. Changes in consumption patterns are necessary to reduce these impacts. Information is a policy instrument that can influence consumers to make more sustainable choices, as well as increasing awareness of the problem and hence creating acceptance for financial policy instruments, e.g. taxes. Environmental studies of livestock often focus on greenhouse gas emissions. Although the carbon footprint of meat correlates with several other impact categories, there is a risk of conflicts with categories such as biodiversity loss, pesticide use and animal welfare. In an interdisciplinary project, a consumer guide was developed to assist Swedish consumers and food professionals at retail level in making less environmentally harmful meat choices and to act as a communication tool, raising awareness of the different environmental aspects of meat production and potential conflicts with animal welfare. A series of design requirements were established for the guide as regards communication and environmental assessment from a life cycle perspective. Following these, four indicators (carbon footprint, biodiversity, use of pesticides and animal welfare) were chosen to represent the impact on the environment and animal welfare from different choices of meat and other protein sources. For each indicator, criteria were developed that placed the products included in the meat guide in one of three different groups, represented by the well-known traffic light system of red/yellow/green. This first attempt to develop a meat guide for the Swedish market has several limitations, but should provide valuable guidance to consumers and can act as a basis for discussion in the important task of decreasing meat consumption and choosing better meat alternatives.

Can carbon footprint serve as an indicator of the environmental impact of meat production?

The carbon footprint (CF), the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted during a product's lifecycle, was evaluated as an indicator of the wider environmental impacts of meat production using existing life cycle assessments of different types of meat (pork, chicken and beef). The CF generally acts as an indicator of acidification and eutrophication potential, since more efficient use of nitrogen leads to less eutrophying and acidifying substances being released to the environment and to lower GHG emissions in nitrous oxide form. GHG mitigation strategies based on more efficient use of feed can therefore also lead to decreased acidification and eutrophication potential. Decreased GHG emissions due to increased productivity mean less land is required for feed production, so CF can act as a proxy for land use. For the impact category primary energy use, apparent conflicts with CF were identified. Pasture-based beef production can be either very energy-efficient or energy-demanding, but both forms produce high CH4 emissions from enteric fermentation. For monogastric animal production, CF can function as an indicator of primary energy use, as both energy use and GHG emissions originate mainly from feed production. It is unclear how the biodiversity impact category correlates to CF. More intensive production can allow more land to be left in its natural state, but can involve increased use of pesticides and fertilisers and monocropping locally, threatening biodiversity. Using CF as an indicator of the environmental impact of meat can generate conflicts with other environmental categories in some cases. However, the risk of damaging other environmental areas when acting on CF must be weighed against the risk of further neglecting to act on global warming by failing to exploit the current market momentum of carbon footprinting.

Modified atmosphere packaging of fresh meats–sudden partial adaptation caused an increase in sustainability of dutch supply chains of fresh meats

AbstractIn the past decade, a major transition evolved in the Dutch fresh meat industry with ramifications for the entire meat business. In 1995, more than 95% of all fresh meat products for consumers were either sold loose or packed in the traditional way, i.e. on a white styrofoam tray with stretch wrap. Almost a decade later, about half of the meat industry has adapted the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology. Strikingly, the first trials with this technology had already been conducted in The Netherlands in 1964, but it took four decades for the technology to conquer the Dutch meat industry. This paper argued that the partial adaptation of MAP diminished the product losses in fresh meat sales and hence the environmental impact of meat production and consumption. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A beef herd model for simulating feed intake, animal performance, and manure excretion in farm systems1

A beef herd submodel was created for integration with other farm components to form a whole-farm model capable of simulating a wide range of beef production systems. This herd submodel determined the best available feed or feed mix to meet the fiber, energy, and protein requirements for each of up to six animal groups on the farm. The groups comprised any combination of cows, nursing calves, young heifers, yearling heifers, stockers, and finishing cattle. Protein, energy, and mineral requirements were determined for each group using the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System, Level 1. Diets were formulated to meet these requirements with available feeds, and the resulting feed intake, growth, and manure DM and nutrient (N, P, and K) excretions were predicted. Required feed characteristics included CP, ruminally degradable protein, acid detergent insoluble protein, NDF, P, and K concentrations. Feed intake was predicted by considering energy intake, potentially limited by fill, and exceeding a minimum roughage requirement. Fill and roughage limits were functions of feed NDF concentrations adjusted to consider particle size distribution and the relative rate of ruminal digestibility or the physical effectiveness of the fiber. The herd submodel was verified to predict feed intakes, nutrient requirements, diets, and manure excretions similar to those recommended or measured for beef animals. Incorporation of the beef herd submodel with other farm components, including crop growth (alfalfa, grass, corn, small grain, and soybean), harvest, storage, feeding, grazing, and manure handling, provided the Integrated Farm System Model. This comprehensive farm-simulation model is a useful research and teaching tool for evaluating and comparing the long-term performance, economics, and environmental impact of beef, dairy, and crop production systems.

Environmental impacts of food purchases investigated in a modular LCA

The environmental impacts caused by different types of consumers while purchasing food products were investigated in a diary study and assessed with a modular LCA approach. This research shows, in collaboration with a group of psychologists, the ecological, economic, and cognitive restrictions and options for an ecological orientation of food purchases. The extent of environmental impacts of food purchases depends on various factors, for example, agricultural technique, transport distance, packaging or the consumption phase. It is not easy for consumers or even for experts to account for these impacts. The analysis made it possible to show the influence of different product characteristics within the total environmental impact of meat and vegetable purchases. The predicted more ecological types of consumers caused lower environmental impacts than the so-called „anti-ecologists“. The life-cycle-inventory considers all environmental impacts related to a particular consumer decision. The environmental impacts are evaluated with the new Eco-indicator 99. This simplified LCA method allows investigating the trade-offs among different decision characteristics. It can be shown that most of the decision parameters, such as origin, production method, type of conservation, might have an influence on the overall impacts of a vegetable product. Greenhouse production and products transported by air cause the highest surplus environmental impact. The agricultural production determines the overall environmental impacts for meat products.