Plant-Based Meat Alternatives: Technological, Nutritional, Environmental, Market, and Social Challenges and Opportunities

There is a growing awareness that fostering the transition toward plant-based diets with\r\nreduced meat consumption levels is essential to alleviating the detrimental impacts of the food system\r\non the planet and to improving human health and animal welfare. The reduction in average meat\r\nintake may be reached via many possible ways, one possibility being the increased consumption\r\nof plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs). For this reason, in recent years, hundreds of products\r\nhave been launched on the market with sensory attributes (i.e., taste, texture, appearance, and smell)\r\nsimilar to their animal counterparts; however, these products have often a long list of ingredients and\r\ntheir nutritional values are very different from animal meat. The present review aims to highlight the\r\nmain opportunities and challenges related to the production and consumption of PBMAs through\r\nan interdisciplinary approach. Aspects related to the production technology, nutritional profiles,\r\npotential impacts on health and the environment, and the current market and consumer acceptance\r\nof PBMAs are discussed. Focusing on the growing literature on this topic, this review will also\r\nhighlight research gaps related to PBMAs that should be considered in the future, possibly through\r\nthe collaboration of different stakeholders that can support the transition toward sustainable plant-\r\nbased diets.