From Farms to Labs: The New Trend of Sustainable Meat Alternatives

Meat analogs or meat alternatives mimic conventional meat by using non-meat ingredients. There are several reasons for the rising interest in meat alternatives, e.g., health-consciousness, environmental concerns, and the growing demand for sustainable diets. Factors like low-calorie foods, low-fat, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and flexitarian lifestyles are also contributing to this change (conventional to meat analogs). Numerous meat substitutes are presently being launched in alternative meat markets. Plant-based meat, restructured meat, cultured meat, hybrid cultured meat, and insect protein-based meat are prevalent among meat alternatives. The scope of meat alternatives, including plant-based meat, cultured meat, restructured meat, and insect-based protein products, is expanding due to advances in food technology. Innovation in food technology plays a crucial role in sustainable food production. Still, there are some challenges to the market of meat alternatives, including consumer acceptance, the appearance of meat alternatives, and the cost of production. Innovative approaches, such as advanced technologies and awareness of meat alternatives to the meat consumer, are required to deal with these challenges. This review briefly examines the technological advances, regulatory requirements, pros and cons, and market trends of meat alternatives. The finding of this review highlights the importance of meat alternatives as a sustainable resource of food. Moreover, meat alternatives can fulfill the increasing demand for meat and also decrease the environmental impact.  Additionally, this review also explores ways to improve the overall market scenario of meat alternatives.