Abstract
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.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 452000-452000 |
Number of pages | 1 |
Journal | Nutrients |
Volume | 2023 |
Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Keywords
- SDGs
- alternative proteins
- consumer acceptance
- flexitarianism
- meat analogs
- sustainability