Alternative proteins; A path to sustainable diets and environment
Shima Jafarzadeh, Zeinab Qazanfarzadeh, Mahsa Majzoobi, Samira Sheiband, Nazila Oladzadabbasabad, Yasaman Esmaeili, Colin J. Barrow, Wendy Timms
Abstract
With a growing global population and the resulting pressure on natural resources, the supply of high-value protein has become increasingly limited. The rise of environmental and ethical concerns has led to the emergence of meat analogues as a credible alternative to traditional animal-derived meat. Growing demand for plant-based protein sources has gained attention as viable alternatives to conventional animal proteins. This article reviews commercially available plant proteins for meat replacement and evaluates recent research on producing meat analogues, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Beyond production, an examination of the physicochemical, textural, and structural attributes of the meat alternatives is conducted, highlighting the improvements made in achieving sensory and nutritional parallels with animal-derived meat. Furthermore, this article explores the current commercial applications of meat alternatives, highlighting the challenges faced in their widespread adoption and suggesting future research directions. The comparison of the environmental impacts of plant proteins and animal proteins is also presented. The ultimate goal is to develop meat substitutes that closely mimic the sensory, nutritional, and aesthetic qualities of real meat. Despite promising innovations in processing technologies, challenges remain that researchers are actively addressing to close the gap between plant-based meat analogues and animal-derived counterparts. • The various plant-based proteins and their potential to meet consumer expectations are assessed. • The article explores recent innovative processing technologies to enhance the sensory and nutritional qualities of meat analogues. • An in-depth analysis of the physicochemical, textural, and structural attributes of plant-based meat alternatives is conducted. • The environmental impacts of plant-based proteins versus animal-derived proteins are compared. • The current challenges in the widespread adoption of meat alternatives and future research directions to enhance the structure-function relationships of plant-based proteins are provided.