Safety of Alternative Proteins: Technological, Environmental and Regulatory Aspects of Cultured Meat, Plant-Based Meat, Insect Protein and Single-Cell Protein

Abstract

Food security and environmental issues have become global crises that need transformative solutions. As livestock production is becoming less sustainable, alternative sources of proteins are urgently required. These include cultured meat, plant-based meat, insect protein and single-cell protein. Here, we describe the food safety aspects of these novel protein sources, in terms of their technological backgrounds, environmental impacts and the necessary regulatory framework for future mass-scale production. Briefly, cultured meat grown in fetal bovine serum-based media can be exposed to viruses or infectious prion, in addition to other safety risks associated with the use of genetic engineering. Plant-based meat may contain allergens, anti-nutrients and thermally induced carcinogens. Microbiological risks and allergens are the primary concerns associated with insect protein. Single-cell protein sources are divided into microalgae, fungi and bacteria, all of which have specific food safety risks that include toxins, allergens and high ribonucleic acid (RNA) contents. The environmental impacts of these alternative proteins can mainly be attributed to the production of growth substrates or during cultivation. Legislations related to novel food or genetic modification are the relevant regulatory framework to ensure the safety of alternative proteins. Lastly, additional studies on the food safety aspects of alternative proteins are urgently needed for providing relevant food governing authorities with sufficient data to oversee that the technological progress in this area is balanced with robust safety standards.

Meat Analogues in the Perspective of Recent Scientific Research: A Review

“…Moreover, sources of building proteins for meat analogues other than plants should not be overlooked. Over the years, the possibility of using proteins from fungal fermentation (mycoproteins), insects, microalgae and even non-pathogenic bacterial strains, among others, has been investigated [ 9 ].…”

“…Stem cells are collected and then differentiated into desired tissues under strictly controlled conditions and in the presence of an appropriate medium. Animal serum-based medium is most commonly used to produce cultured meat, but research is underway to develop serum-free medium for safety and ethical reasons [ 2 , 9 ]. Recent research in meat analogues along with their formulations are shown in Table 1 .…”

“…Despite many technological advances in the production of meat analogues, the most widely used texturing method for amorphous plant materials to date is extrusion [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The principle of the method is to subject a food mixture containing proteins to hydration and high temperature, high pressure and mechanical interactions [ 8 , 41 ].…”

“…For example, 6 kg of plant protein is needed to produce 1 kg of meat protein [ 8 ]. Animal production is, thus, insufficiently efficient, and it becomes crucial for food security to look for alternative protein sources: plant protein, protein from insects or protein from unicellular organisms [ 9 , 10 ]. No less important motivation for change is the environmental impact of animal production.…”

“…There is a known link between the consumption of processed meat products and an increased likelihood of certain diet-related diseases: obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, colorectal cancer or strokes [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. We should also not forget the risks of zoonotic diseases, i.e., avian influenza and human CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) associated with bovine BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or mad cow disease), Q fever, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) [ 7 , 9 , 13 ]. Another health risk associated with livestock production is the increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogenic microorganisms (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ) [ 7 ].…”