ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS: - 

Alternative or smart-protein products mimic natural meats in properties like taste, mouthfeel, as well as texture and are considered to be meat replacements. These products utilize raw materials and processes which do not involve breeding or sacrificing animals and even in case of cultivated meat where animal tissue is grown in a bioreactor using animal cells, a harmless procedure is adopted for harvesting animal cells.  

 

The concept of meat substitutes is not entirely new, some traditional examples include falafel, tempeh and soy-based products while products like Beyond burger, Impossible burger etc are recent examples of sophisticated and more complete meat alternatives produced using specialised processes.

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Compared to natural meat products, alt-proteins make a stronger case of being a better option not only because they are sustainable and environmentally friendly but also because more recent meat alternatives boast of comparable or even better nutrition profiles than the conventional animal meats.

Broadly, alternative proteins can be categorized into three sub-types: -
1. Plant-Based Meat
2. Cultivated Meat

3. Fermentation Derived Meat
 

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PLANT-BASED MEAT: -

Plant-based meats alternatives are manufactured using plant and other non-animal products to resemble the taste and mouthfeel of meat products. The primary ingredients utilized in plant-based meat substitutes are usually soybeans (and other legumes), gluten, lentils, and tofu, yuba, and a spread of nuts. 

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What Is Plant-Based Meat Made From?

Plant-based meat is often made up of a spread of ingredients, counting on the sort of meat being produced and therefore the company creating it. Common ingredients include grains and legumes, which are utilized mainly for their protein content along with fibers and starches, which may be converted into isolates, flours, and concentrates.

 

Through a process referred to as twin-screw or high moisture extrusion, whereby ingredients are put through hydration, shearing, and cooking, these ingredients are made to more closely mimic meat characteristics, while eliminating unwanted aromas, flavors, or textures.  For example, Beyond Meat burger features pea protein isolate as the star ingredient. Shear cell technology developed by researchers of Wageningen University is also a promising method for production of texturized vegetable protein (TVP).

 

Aside from protein components in grains and legumes, fibers and starches also are utilized in extruded plant-based meats to assist make products more realistic. Whole muscle meat products are able to produce a more realistic fibrous composition because of these ingredients which may even be used to create realistic sausage casings.

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This article by Florian Wild beautifully explains the evolution of plant-based meat alternatives. 

 

Are Plant-Based Meats Healthier Than Conventional Ones? 

Plant-based meats are often healthier since they contain no cholesterol whatsoever while containing high amounts of fiber, a nutrient sorely missing from many meat-centric diets, since conventional meat is entirely lacking in fiber.

Plant-based meat companies also are ready to amplify their products’ nutrient profiles by fortifying them with various vitamins and minerals, almost like how conventional dairy is fortified with nutrients like vitamin D.

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In addition to the present, plant-based meats aren't crammed with antibiotics and hormones that are fed to animals in factory farms. this is often particularly important since antibiotic resistance may be a serious, and growing, the problem around the world.

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Who Are the large Players of Plant-Based Meat?

The big players within the plant-based meat industry aren't all new companies. In fact, many of them have been around for many years – and include a number of the most important animal protein companies within the world, like Maple Leaf Foods, known for products like hot dogs and other processed conventional meats.

 

Yet the meat industry’s interest in plant-based meat signals a growing trend of consumer interest in alternatives. Below is a list of major players within the plant-based meat industry.

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•  Beyond Meat

•  Boca (The Kraft Heinz Company)

•  Dr. Praeger’s

•  Field Roast (Maple Leaf Foods)

•  Gardein (Conagra)

•  Impossible Foods

•  Lightlife (Maple Leaf Foods)

•  MorningStar Farms (Kellogg’s)

•  Quorn (Monde Nissin)

•  Sweet Earth (Nestle)

• Tofurky

Some upcoming Indian companies in this space : -

• Blue Tribe Foods

• Evo Foods

• Imagine Meats

• Mister Veg

 

For further insights about the plant-based industry, check out the state of industry report by the Good Food Institute.

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