Plant-Based Meat Substitutes in the Flexitarian Age: An Audit of Products on Supermarket Shelves

Abstract

Demand for plant-based meat substitutes is growing globally for nutritional and environmental reasons, with Australia the third-fastest growing vegan market worldwide. This study aimed to profile and compare plant-based meat substitutes (mimicking meat) with equivalent meat products, and 2015 data. An audit undertaken in May (updated in September 2019) from four metropolitan Sydney supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA), collected nutrition information and Health Star Rating (HSR) from 137 products (50 burgers, 10 mince, 29 sausages, 24 chicken, 9 seafood, 15 other). Mean (± standard deviation (SD)) and median (range) was calculated for nutrients and HSR. Plant-based options were generally lower in kilojoules, total and saturated fat, higher in carbohydrate, sugars, and dietary fibre compared with meat. Only 4% of products were low in sodium (58–1200 mg/100 g). Less than a quarter of products (24%) were fortified with vitamin B12, 20% with iron, and 18% with zinc. HSR featured on 46% (3.6–4.4 stars). On-pack claims were vegetarian/vegan/plant-based (80%), protein (63%), non-genetically modified/organic (34%), gluten free (28%). Product numbers increased five-fold (↑429%) in four years. The plant protein trend has prompted innovation in meat substitutes, however wide nutrient ranges and higher sodium levels highlights the importance of nutrition guidelines in their development to ensure equivalence with animal-based proteins.

Got Mylk? The Emerging Role of Australian Plant-Based Milk Alternatives as A Cow’s Milk Substitute

“…A cross-sectional survey of plant-based milk alternatives was conducted between November 2019 and January 2020 in Metropolitan areas of Melbourne and Sydney. The data collection process replicated a previously recognised procedure [10,52]; however, the examination included three market categories: retail supermarkets, health food stores and local independent cafes with non-dairy milk offerings. The following major supermarkets were surveyed: Woolworths Group, Coles, Aldi and Independent Grocers of Australia (IGA), which collectively constitute 80.1% of the Australian grocery market share [53].…”

“…By virtue of their positive perception and high sensory acceptance [5,6], plant-based milk alternatives broaden avenues for serving the needs of diverse populations that harbour concerns associated with dairy. Its consumption coheres with the growing prevalence of health conditions, including milk protein allergy and lactose intolerance [7,8], consumer demand for vegan/vegetarian foods [9,10] and concerns with animal welfare [11]. Moreover, the resource and waste-intensive nature of industrial dairy production are indisputable [12,13], leading many consumers to perceive plant-based milk alternatives as being expedient over cow's milk in environmental sustainability [14,15].…”

Lower intake of animal-based products links to improved weight status, independent of depressive symptoms and personality in the general population

“…In addition, results remained stable even after adjusting for education, which is a strong predictor of both obesity 41 and eating habits 42 , and when taking inter-individual variance in personality traits into account 43 . Speculating on possible underlying mechanisms, animal-derived products in general are often denser in calories and in total and saturated fats compared to plant-based foods 44 . In addition, meat and dairy products are oftentimes consumed as processed food, e.g.…”

Plant-Based Meats, Human Health, and Climate Change

“…This is especially important for vegans and vegetarians, and the elderly (even omnivores) who often have low B 12 status (Herrmann et al, 2003a,b;Andrès et al, 2004), and rely on food fortification and/or supplementation to meet B 12 needs. It is important to highlight that only less than a quarter of plant-based meat substitutes are fortified with B 12 (Curtain and Grafenauer, 2019).…”

“…While ingredients vary amongst plant-based meat products, the new generation of alternatives is formulated specifically to mimic the sensory experience and macronutrient content of meat by using plant proteins (e.g., soy, pea, potato, rice, wheat, and/or myocprotein), fats (e.g., canola, coconut, soybean, and/or sunflower oil), and other novel ingredients (e.g., soy leghemoglobin, red-colored vegetable extracts, and/or flavoring agents). Additionally, various vitamins and minerals that are naturally found in meat (e.g., zinc, iron, and Bvitamins) are increasingly added to plant-based meats (Curtain and Grafenauer, 2019). By doing so, novel plant-based meat alternatives are able to closely mimic the Nutrition Facts panels of meat (Figure 1).…”