Meat Analogs: Prospects and Challenges

Various alternatives to meat in the form of plant-based meat alternatives are becoming popular among consumers and occupy a significant market share. As compared to conventional meat products, meat analogs have inherent merits of lower environmental impact/ footprint (land, water, and carbon), the potential to supply high-quality protein to the burgeoning population, and the absence of animal welfare and ethical issues. The present focus of the food industry is to develop advanced meat analogs mimicking the physical, functional, and sensory qualities of conventional meat. Various advanced technologies are applied in the processing of plant proteins for texturization and improving functionality, such as electrospinning, extrusion, sonication, high-pressure processing, antisolvent precipitation, mechanical elongation, shear structuring/Couette shear cell, mechanical elongation, freeze-alignment, and 3D/4D printing. The application of unconventional and sustainable sources of plant proteins could further improve sustainability in the future. However, the high level of processing, organoleptic attributes, and lack of bioactive compounds are some challenges faced by the meat analog industry.