Alternative Meat as Future Food, Seeking a Sustainable Future

Abstract

Alternative meat is a protein food produced by cultivating animal cells, processing insects, and extracting vegetable raw materials, rather than slaughtering animals, and has been suggested as an alternative to conventional meat to solve the current factory farming and animal rights problems. The global alternative meat market is expected to reach $29 billion by 2035 from $1.78 billion in 2025. Alternative meat has significantly lower water and land use and greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional meat production methods and is free from the emerging animal ethics problem. However, with the current technology, there is a limit to reproducing the taste, texture, and nutritional content of actual meat, so continuous technology development is needed. The negative perception of some consumers and the absence of alternative meat-related systems are also challenges to be solved. This paper deals with the types, characteristics, market status, and the latest technology trends of alternative meat. In addition, we aim to contribute to the development and establishment of alternative meat by looking at alternative meat from the perspective of consumption and investigating the challenges that the alternative meat industry must solve to establish itself as a future food source.

Keywords

• alternative meat
• future food
• cultured meat
• edible insect
• plant-based meat
• consumer market
• mycoprotein