Strategies for Sustainable Substitution of Livestock Meat

Abstract

The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly discernible everywhere, and initiatives have been taken worldwide to mitigate climate change. In agriculture, particularly meat production from the livestock sector is known to contribute to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that drive climate change. Thus, to mitigate climate impact, strategies that include a shift in consumption patterns, technological advancements and reduction in food wastes/losses have been discussed. In this review, strategies that focus on meat consumption patterns are evaluated from the technological feasibility, environmental impact and consumer acceptance viewpoints. While plant-based substitutes have efficient nutrient conversion and lower GHG emissions, consumer perception, cost, and other trade-offs exist. Although cultured meat precludes the need of any animals and large land areas, its environmental impact is not clear and is contingent upon production systems and the achievement of decarbonization. Reducing wastes and the re-use of meat processing by-products have the potential to lower the environmental impact. Valuable proteins, heat, electricity and biofuels extracted from wastes and by-products not only reduce the disposal of wastes but also offset some GHG emissions. Perception related challenges that exist for all substitution strategies require specific consumer target marketing strategies. Policy measures such as taxation of meat products and subsidies for alternatives are also met with challenges, thereby requiring reforms or new policies.

Chinese Consumers’ Attitudes and Potential Acceptance toward Artificial Meat

“…It is claimed that the ever-increasing demand for meat is unlikely to be met through conventional meat production, due to the limited arable land and water resources [3]. As such, despite improvements of conventional breeding and production systems, researchers and private companies have devoted themselves to the development of better alternatives to meat, other than highly marketed vegetarian meat alternatives [4]. There is another type of meat alternative on the horizon-cell-based meat, or so-called artificial meat, also known as cultured meat, cultivated meat, in vitro meat, or lab-grown meat [5,6], which can be grown from live animal stem cells rather than from farm animals [7].…”

“…1 Much less,2 2 Less, much less-1 and less-2 sometimes were analyzed together;3 3 Neutral;4 4 More,5 5 Much more, more-4 and much more-5 sometimes were analyzed together;6 Number of responses;7 (percentage of responses).…”

“…P/H/E: primary school/high school/engineering school; 2 Meat S: meat scientist;3 Meat W: meat worker;4 Other S: scientist work outside meat sector;5 Others: people not scientist and outside the meat sector; Based on estimated marginal means; a-e : different letters in the same section indicate means with significant statistical differences at the 0.05 level; To correct for multiple testing, a Bonferroni-adjustment was used.…”

Potential Development of Sustainable 3D-Printed Meat Analogues: A Review

“…With respect to plant wastes, a wide variety of proteins and fibers can be derived that can be used for the production of meat analogs. The utilization of wastes is cost-effective and environmental friendly [102]. Likewise, meat byproducts and wastes can also be utilized as major ingredients in the development of products that mimic traditional meat foods such as sausages and patties.…”

“…Apart from deeply entrenched attitudes toward livestock meat, unfamiliarity and ideation are major impediments in the acceptance of several types of meat analogs [102]. Particularly, 3DP brings several types of unfamiliar elements to the food production sector.…”