The second group of alternative proteins are relatively new to the EU or specifically for protein production, but there are long-running precedents for their use in other cultures and contexts: these include micro- and macro-algae cultivation and insects. The third group includes alternatives that are entirely new in…
Plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy products aim to replicate at least to some degree the taste and textures of conventional animal proteins. These exist on a spectrum: from plants high in protein that are unprocessed or minimally processed, such as peas and lentils, to more processed products such as soy-based…
While the EU is not deficient in protein for food or feed per se, alternatives to conventional animal proteins are increasingly being considered, from the perspective of: health and nutrition, environmental sustainability, to increase resilience in EU food security. The range of alternative proteins considered in a…
Conventional proteins (plant- and animal-based) dominate the global and EU protein balance. Globally, most dietary protein comes from plants (57%) (mainly wheat, corn, and rice) and secondarily, from animal-derived sources (i.e. meat (18%), dairy (10%), fish and shellfish (6%), and other animal products (9%)). In…
Protein is essential to human and animal development, affecting growth, repair, and tissue maintenance functions. Protein forms critical enzymes, hormones, and antibodies. It acts as an energy source, assists with transporting and storing substances like oxygen and iron, and provides tissue structure. Proteins also…
Projections for the protein balance in future years can support better decision-making for alternatives versus conventional sources. Looking ahead to 2050 offers an opportunity to consider different scenarios in this context. In this section you can explore the potential future protein balance for conventional…
Trends in meat production and consumption since the 1960s indicate a continuous increase worldwide,[1] with the most recent growth occurring in Asia. This is mirrored by an increase in feed production, where Asia leads.[2] Europe and North America may, by contrast, be approaching ‘peak meat’, i.e. the point when…
Projections of plant-based protein production to 2050 have often been drawn under the assumption of a shift in diets, away from meat and towards plant-based food.[1] Such a shift could be encouraged by a protein availability crunch in the period to 2030. This would entail redirecting land use towards producing…
Heat stress, water scarcity, reduced feed crop and forage quality, and diseases are some of the challenges to livestock induced by climate change. Those are expected to reduce feed intake, which impacts growth, reducing milk production and increasing mortality. Indirectly, heat stress reduces protein content and yield…
One study[1] estimates that, by 2035, alternative proteins (including plant-based alternatives) will account for 11% of the global protein market for food, and may reach up to 22%. That considers Europe and North America as the most mature markets for alternative proteins, with the biggest potential in Asia-Pacific…
In this part of the map you can explore four non-plant alternative protein sources in comparison with conventional animal products and soy, accross selected criteria. The criteria include: energy requirements; environmental impacts, (including land use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste production), and…
Conventional livestock production involves energy intensive processes. The cultivation of feed crops and energy needs for heating, cooling and lighting in animal rearing, combined with processing and transport of animal products, collectively contributes to the substantial energy footprint of animal-based proteins…
Here is a quick comparison of energy use and environmental impacts of alternative proteins vs. conventional sources. More details are available by clicking on the links below or the corresponding small nodes on the map. Land use Water use Greenhouse gas emissions Waste
Below is a quick comparison of nutritional quality across the alternative protein sources. Find out more by clickling on the links below or on the corresponding small nodes on the map. Macronutrient content Micronutrient content
Alternative proteins (other than plants) have the potential to substitute for conventional animal-based products, in some cases as a complete replacement and in others partially, for example, as an ingredient or supplement in human or animal diets. To illustrate, cultured meat and fermented alternative proteins…
Research and development (R&D) activity is a critical component in the advancement of alternative proteins, encompassing the contributions from research institutions, universities, startups, and established companies. These entities support innovation through a variety of means, including the publication of scientific…
Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and the Commercial Readiness Index (CRI) are two assessments used to gauge the maturity and market readiness of a technology or product. Industrial capability encompasses the collective ability of an industry or sector to develop, produce, and market a product, drawing upon available…
While there has been much policy and investor interest in plant-based alternatives in recent years, interest in alternative proteins (other than plants) as potential substitutes for animal-based products has grown in recent years. This presents an opportunity to contribute to the overall protein balance. This section…
This section explores obstacles and opportunities for alternative proteins in Europe. Zoom in to investigate the policy options that EU policy-makers could consider to address the main issues for the alternative protein sectors. A baseline that reflects the current situation is used as a benchmark for the assessment…
This baseline reflects the current situation, and is used as a benchmark for the assessment of the alternatives. Food consumption trends - There is a continued drive to consume proteins in the EU, much of which is currently from animal sources, which account for 55-60% of dietary proteins. There also is an increasing…
What could EU policy-makers do if they wish to advance the development and production of alternative proteins? This section of the map offers possible ways forward. The policy-options include a description of their objectives and main features, their fit within the overall EU policy framework and their feasibility, as…
Greater targeted research funding would support addressing uncertainties and knowledge gaps, helping to mitigate some of the risks associated with investing in alternative protein development. It could also be instrumental in driving the necessary innovations that may address the most problematic aspects of some of…
Public investments would address some of the industrial obstacles to growing the alternative proteins sector in the EU. The option would contribute to financing scaling up in the alternative protein sector. This would include support to infrastructure for producing alternative proteins (as well as other food…
The EU legal framework applying to the alternative protein sector, including the novel food regulation, can be made more supportive and efficient, thus removing burdens hindering decision-making within the sectors while protecting consumer interests and the environment. 1. Include environmental impacts in risk…
The overall protein balance at EU level relates to multiple distinct policies and regulatory issues: industrial policy, nutrition, food safety, food security, marine development, agriculture, climate and environment, research and development, innovation, intellectual property. Addressing EU needs in this area is a…
Algae include both seaweed (macroalgae) and microalgae, and they have been an important human food for thousands of years.[1] However, their use has varied over time, including in several European countries. Today algae are primarily consumed in Asia; consequently, more than 97% of world algae production is also in…
Insects, like algae, have been consumed in many parts of the world for centuries. The focus on their use as a potentially important source of food and feed is a relatively recent trend in western countries.[1] This was propelled by factors that include, amongst others, policy work carried out by the FAO (the Food and…
Microbial fermentation for alternative protein production encompasses three at times overlapping processes: traditional fermentation, which has been used for thousands of years and includes alternative proteins such as tempeh and tofu; biomass fermentation, which uses microorganisms to scale up protein production; and…
Cultured meat (also referred to as cell-based meat or cultivated meat) involves in vitro meat production in a laboratory using animal cells. It represents an entirely new approach to producing alternative proteins, as compared to algae, insects and microbial fermentation, for which there are historical precedents as a…
Algae production worldwide has grown rapidly since 2017; Greene et al. suggest that, considering protein demands and sustainability concerns alongside limited market penetration to date, algae could contribute more than the total projected protein demand to 2050.[1] Henchion estimates that algae could potentially…
The insect market for food and feed is forecast to reach an estimated production volume of 3.1M tonnes by 2030. As the EU market for insects opens progressively following the first authorisations of insects as novel foods, the production potential for insects as food is estimated to reach 260,000 tonnes by 2030.[1]…
Witte et al.[1] assess the potential for alternative proteins derived from microorganisms to contribute to the protein balance for food. In their base case scenario, they estimate that microorganism-based alternatives to meat will reach 22M metric tonnes globally by 2035, or 2.5% of the global protein market for meat…
Only one study was identified that makes projections for cultured meat production as far into the future as 2050.[1] Despite variations, projected production volumes were generally low, with an aggregated 54% probability that less than 100,000 tonnes of cultured meat would be sold (at any price point) before the end…
Land use There is minimal land use associated with the culture of microalgae, especially if onshore production is located on marginal, non-arable lands.[1] Some microalgae production happens in fermenters, which require feedstocks for growth, including sugars, the production of which requires land.[2] Macroalgae do…
Land use Overall, the operation of insect farms, including large-scale farms, requires comparatively smaller infrastructure and facilities than for other animal-rearing operations. Growing feed (e.g., grains and carrots) account for the largest portion of land use in insect production. Insects are generally reared in…
Land use The land use impact of microbial fermentation depends principally on feedstocks. Just like meat production, some microbial fermentation relies on crops. Glucose from refined maize or sugar cane is used to feed the organisms that ferment, whether they are bacteria or fungi. Nonetheless, land use for growing…
Land use The land use requirements of cultured meat production depend on the sources of feedstock used to provide nutrients for the cells. Estimates that rely on highly efficient production systems for cultured meat (e.g. using blue-green algae as a source of nutrients) indicate that land use requirements would be…
The potential for algae to become a widely consumed substitute for conventional protein sources in Europe is limited due to several constraints. These include: food safety concerns, a lack of consumer awareness regarding the environmental benefits of consuming algae, and aversion towards the taste, texture, odour and…
Current consumption patterns and studies of consumer acceptance indicate that the complete substitution of conventional animal-based foods with insects in the short to medium term is unlikely.[1] The potential to be incorporated into compound foods as a substitute for a conventional animal-based ingredient is greater…
Macronutrient content The literature highlights both the high nutritional quality of algae, and the need for further studies on the specific nutritional profile of different varieties, the bioavailability of the nutrients they contain, and how those vary depending on modes of production and processing.[1] The…
Energy use in algae production varies greatly between microalgae (Spirulina, Chlorella) and macroalgae (sugar kelp), and depending on the production method (i.e. in open ponds or in bioreactors). Electricity is required at all microalgae production stages: cultivation, water treatment, harvest, washing…
The conditions of the Northern Atlantic differ substantially from the extensive shallow water areas found in Asia, the main producing region. Therefore, cultivation methods and equipment for growing algae in Europe differ, and more R&D is needed there to scale up production. Furthermore, stabilisation and processing…
Macronutrient content The nutritional quality of insects depends on various different factors, including: species, development stage, their diet, as well as: environmental or abiotic factors (i.e., non-living chemical or physical elements of the environment, such as acidity, salinity, humidity, radiation, etc.)[1]…
Insect farming occurs in temperature-controlled environments, making it an energy-intensive activity. Energy use in insect production significantly varies depending on the animals’ diet. For instance, it has been estimated that larvae of black soldier fly grown on high quality feed substrates account for an energy use…
Some key technical issues for the EU insect sector include proving the safety of certain former foodstuffs (e.g., meat, fish) as insect feed substrates, which is currently prohibited by EU regulations. Also, despite the circularity potential of using insect frass as organic fertiliser, some EU Member States allow…
At present, the large scale production and commercialisation of mycoproteins as meat alternatives throughout the EU – the most notable example of which is Quorn – has not raised any significant food safety concern. Furthermore, the proximity between mycoprotein and the texture and taste of meat have made it easy to…
Macronutrient content Mycoprotein have been noted for their high fibre and protein and low fat content. While the digestibility of protein in mycoprotein is lower than that of milk casein,[1] it is still considered a robust source of protein. Mycoprotein is also high-fiber, which contributes various benefits, in…
Fermentation for the production of food or feed proteins consumes energy in two main ways: for the production of feedstocks, and; for powering the production process itself (external electricity). There is high uncertainty regarding those impacts, and a wide range of estimates are found in the literature, reflecting…
A lack of sufficient food-grade industrial capacity and infrastructure to scale up commercial production (and of the capital investment that it requires) is a technical obstacle to the growth of the microbial fermentation sector and uptake in the EU. Addressing large scale processing challenges more generally will be…
In principle, cultured meat has the potential to directly substitute for conventional animal proteins (rather than as a supplement to or ingredient in other foods, as in the case of insects, for example). The taste, smell, texture, appearance and nutritional composition could be – if not identical – at least very…
Macronutrient content The macronutrient content and related nutritional quality of cultured meat are not well-known.[1] No studies were identified that assess this in human or animal subjects. Life cycle analyses and other studies of cultured meat have generally assumed that the macronutrient profile – and especially…
Lifecycle analyses have estimated different energy use levels for cultured meat compared to their conventional counterparts, depending on the underpinning assumptions including the type of bioreactor and growth medium used.[1] Estimated energy use ranges from slightly lower than conventional beef but similar to or…
Replicating the complex structure, texture, and overall appearance of conventional meat is a significant challenge for the cultured meat sector. Achieving a product that is indistinguishable from conventional meat still requires considerable research and development. Significant challenges in scaling up production…
Agriculture currently uses one third of the available land globally. Livestock production accounts for 70% of all this agricultural land, while cropland occupies the remaining 30%.[1] Yet livestock provides less than 20% of calories humans get from food. Competition for land for the cultivation of soy for food and…
Water is an essential resource for global food security. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it takes 3,000 litres of water to produce food for one person’s daily needs, whereas up to 15,000 litres are needed for the production of 1 kg of meat.[1] Other data sources find: 2,714 litres of…
Livestock production is currently accountable for a significant share of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (between 11 and 19% depending on the source).[1] In this regard, it has been estimated that 100 g of beef has the highest environmental impact in terms of CO2 equivalents (a mean of 50 kg)…
Meat processing generates large quantities of waste, which consist primarily of: organic by-products, including offal; processing streams (e.g. wastewater), and; packaging material, among others. While for some by-products of meat specific management strategies can be applied - minimisation, reuse or recycling - other…
Conventional proteins are important sources of micronutrients such as zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, copper, A, B and D vitamins. By contrast, their contribution to dietary fiber, magnesium, and vitamins C and E is poor.[2] Focussing on dairy products, they contribute to a large share of micronutrient…
Conventional sources of protein for food, and particularly meat, are rich sources of protein. They also contain fat, but no or little carbohydrates or dietary fiber. Ruminant products (beef meat, dairy) also contain trans-fatty acids, while meat from monogastric species (pork, chicken) does not. They are a core source…
The commercial landscape of algae production in Europe has been growing steadily in recent years. The number of European seaweed start-ups has reportedly nearly tripled in the past ten years.[1] Most seaweed companies are found in France, and then the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway and the Netherlands, Spain…
Only few years ago insect companies were largely concentrated in Northern Europe.[1] However, with the progressive removal of regulatory barriers to access the EU market, insect companies are now more evenly distributed across the EU territory. For instance, the majority of companies that are members of the…
Globally, investments (both public and private) in fermentation (and particularly in precision fermentation) have increased significantly, and recently on a level close to the amounts invested in plant-based alternatives. There is evidence of a trend since 2019, after only occasional investments in those sectors in…
Global investments in cultured meat (and cultured seafood) companies tripled on average annually from 2016 to 2022, for a total of USD 2.8 billion in those six years. In Europe, investments in cultured meat increased in 2022 as compared to 2021, despite a decrease globally. In 2022, more than 150 companies were…
The TRL system provides a consistent metric to help determine how close a technology is to being ready for its intended use, with a scale ranging from 1 to 9 that measures the developmental progress of a technology, from conceptualisation to full operational deployment.[1] Progression through the TRLs represents the…
Technological and commercial readiness Seaweed and microalgae has been used as a food source and in supplements for many years in the EU and are considered to be at TRL 8-9 for these applications, with well-established harvesting, processing, and consumption patterns. This was confirmed in a study of 223…
Technological and commercial readiness of insects Following the regulatory approval of the most common edible insects as novel foods, including mealworms, and the expansion of the list of food-producing animals that can be fed with insects, the EU market has reached the highest level of technology readiness (i.e., TRL…
Technological and commercial readiness of microbial fermentation The microbial fermentation sector is complex and diverse. As a result, it has reached different levels of technological maturity and commercial readiness for different applications. Mycoproteins for meat substitutes have been commercially available for…
Technological and commercial readiness of cultured meat Cultured meat technology has advanced beyond the initial research and concept phase (TRLs1-4), including the basic understanding of biological processes to produce meat in vitro, such as cell culture and tissue engineering. A number of companies and research…
Industrial capability encompasses the collective ability of an industry or sector to develop, produce, and market a product, drawing upon available technology, production capacity, and technical expertise. In the context of alternative proteins, this includes understanding the main EU firms involved in product…
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