Plant-based meat analogues: effect of processing on their protein quality and environmental sustainability

Food production has been intensified significantly to meet food and nutrition security needs of the rapidly increasing global population. The environmental impact has been detrimental and thus, sustainable proteins alternatives are being explored. Plant proteins are widely used because of their low cost, accessibility, health benefits, and ethical considerations. Plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) have been developed to widen consumer options. PBMAs are intended to mimic the appearance, mouthfeel, and taste of meat.

From review of available literature, processing methods used in converting plant protein powders to fibrous meat-like structure can denature proteins and expose their reactive side chains to interact with other components in the food matrix. They can form complexes that can resist digestion and reduce bioavailability of essential amino acids. Based on the amount of protein, the climate impact of PBMAs was twice as much as that of peas, thrice as nuts, and slightly higher than other pulses. However, when compared to animal proteins, the difference is remarkable. PBMAs recorded 0.99 kg CO₂ eq./100g of protein whereas beef recorded 50 kg CO₂ eq./100g of protein. This review shows that in closely simulating meat structure in PBMAs, p<span style="color: black;">rocessing methods used can affect protein quality and increase their environmental impact.