**Abstract**

Vegetarian protein diet based food industry have emerged as one of the fastest growing industries with largest than ever shelf space it has created in today's market. The rapid growth of plant protein industry is attributed to increased health awareness, economic and environmental sustainability issues of animal proteins and their nutritious, economical, and healthy food image among masses. Technological interventions like extrusion texturization has enabled the food engineers to create the imitation meat which approximates the esthetic attributes (texture, flavor, and appearance, binding ability, chewiness, firmness or softness) and/or chemical nature of meat. These texturized plant proteins are healthier and economical meat substitutes with sufficient opportunity to manage modify or change their functional properties in accordance to specific consumer demands.

**Keywords:** meat proteins, protein transition, sustainability, plant proteins, innovation, plant-based meat alternatives

## **1. Introduction**

Meat on behalf of satisfying all the basic urges of consumer as a typical textured, juicy, flavorful, chewy food is the non-vegetarians first preference which also fulfills all the nutritional requirements of the consumers too. But the negative impression tagged with meat from very beginning always questioned its consumption may be it is related with ritualistic aspects or their significant effect on the environment due to an inefficient consumption of energy and land along with the emission of gases by meat production units [1]. The organizations and the policy makers which are involved with the sustainable production and consumption are expecting to make a shift towards more sustainable products for the consumers. However, certain products can be tagged as an alternative to the market meat which covers very less proportion of the market, called as meat replacers or meat substitutes. To overcome the dilemma of entire situation for the production of sustainable food to fulfill the needs and requirements of meat lovers the food researchers and processors formulated "meat analogue" providing higher or at least same nutritional and health benefits along with the satisfaction of meat consumption. Analogues are the structurally similar compounds slightly differs from one another on the basis of composition, in the case of meat, analogue are the products structurally similar to meat but differs

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*Veganism - a Fashion Trend or Food as a Medicine*

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**Figure 1.** *Growth of meat substitutes in different continents and the eutrophying emissions of various food commodities.*

in composition. They are also known as mock meat, imitation meat or faux meat approaches the qualities (mainly flavor, texture and appearance) esthetically present in meat and also fulfills the chemical characteristic of particular meat type. Such as "surimi" which is a meat-based, less expensive/healthier alternative particularly to a meat product. A general meaning of meat analogue is the food constituting non-meat ingredients sometimes without any inclusion of dairy products however, fulfilling all the nutritional and characteristic requirement of actual meat product. The meat analogue covers the maximum market which includes either vegans, vegetarians and the non-vegetarians who are in urge of reduction of meat consumption either for ethical or for health reasons and also includes people with dietary laws based on religion, such as Buddhist, Halal and Kashrut which is expected to be increasing in the upcoming years according to the data given in **Figure 1** globally the meat substitutes market was assessed to account for USD 1.6 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 3.5 billion by 2026, recording a CAGR of 12.0% during the forecast period. The market is primarily driven by the increasing demand for plant-based meat products among the millennials.

The base of some vegetarian meat analogues is built on the recipes which are older than centuries viz., rice, wheat gluten, legumes, pressed tofu or tempeh with flavor addition which make them to taste like beef, chicken, ham, lamb, seafood, sausage, etc. Another meat analogue based on soybean constituting boiled soy milk layered by a thin skin is called as Yuba. Some more recent developments in soy based meat replacers is TVP (Textured Soy Proteins) derived from dry bulk commodity from soy, myco-protein-based quorn excludes vegans because it contains egg white which acts as a binder. Meat analogue functions as a meat replacer in the diet. The market does not only include vegetarian population but also include non-vegetarians who are in the urge of reducing their meat consumption either due to ethical or health perspectives. These innovations are the advantageous to the people who are concerned about the health related problems arises with the fat, cholesterol and salt overconsumption. There is also a need to develop new ways for the fulfillment of the nutritional requirements of poor at a minimum cost. Thousands of plant proteins are fortunately available in the world, explored or yet to be explored for the production of meat alternatives.

## **2. Driving forces for the development of meat analogue**

Although the meat has a rich nutrient composition which includes essential nutrients like proteins, micronutrients such as zinc, iron and vitamin B12, but taking sufficient intake of these nutrients is possible without taking meat in the diet with the consumption of variety of other foods available. In western countries, where

**71**

**3.1 Economy and sustainability**

*Plant Proteins as Healthy, Sustainable and Integrative Meat Alternates*

various meta-analyses and prospective studies had undergone shows a moderately high mortality rate than usual in participants consuming more amount of processed and red meat. High intake of processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer is the strongest evidence of the adverse effects. The relative risk of colorectal cancer [2] and cardiovascular deaths [3] as a function of average processed meat intake shown in **Figure 2**. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under World Health Organization categorized red meat and processed meat, due to its association with colorectal cancer probably being carcinogenic to human being [4]. According to an estimation by IARC 34,000 deaths due to cancer worldwide per year are attributable to diet high in processed meats and if the associated reports with the eating patterns of red meat were taken casual, 50,000 cancer deaths could be possible worldwide per year due to the high intake of red meat [5]. In Western Europe, the processed meat average intake is 26.4 g/day [6] will lead to an increase in the risk of colorectal cancer upto 9%. As compared to plant based foods meat produces more per unit energy emissions because there is a loss of energy at each trophic level. Within the types, the energy emission increases with poultry, mammals and ruminants production. As a reason for methane production, meat is a single most important source, which is known for its high warming potential, significantly low half-life as compared to CO2 in the environment [7]. Grassland system careful management contributes to the storage of carbon, but it cannot be considered as a profitable effort. The use of fresh water in the agriculture field is anyhow more than any other human activity, in which the one third portions is required for the livestock, so in the areas where there is less water availability meat production is a major competitor with the other water use which also includes the maintenance of natural eco system. Production of meat is an important source of phosphorous, nitrogen and the cause of other pollutants that affects the biodiversity particularly through conversion of land to pasture and arable feed crops. **Figure 2** represents the nutrition runoff into the surrounding environment and waterways which pollute ecosystem, where meat and meat products shows maximum pollution rate.

*Incidence of colorectal cancer (A) and development of cardiovascular diseases associated with red meat* 

**3. Comparative overview: plat proteins vs. animal proteins**

From our ancestral period onwards, meat plays a distinct role among other food

sources. Comparatively high protein content, energy that are readily available,

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94094*

**Figure 2.**

*consumption.*

*Plant Proteins as Healthy, Sustainable and Integrative Meat Alternates DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94094*

**Figure 2.**

*Veganism - a Fashion Trend or Food as a Medicine*

in composition. They are also known as mock meat, imitation meat or faux meat approaches the qualities (mainly flavor, texture and appearance) esthetically present in meat and also fulfills the chemical characteristic of particular meat type. Such as "surimi" which is a meat-based, less expensive/healthier alternative particularly to a meat product. A general meaning of meat analogue is the food constituting non-meat ingredients sometimes without any inclusion of dairy products however, fulfilling all the nutritional and characteristic requirement of actual meat product. The meat analogue covers the maximum market which includes either vegans, vegetarians and the non-vegetarians who are in urge of reduction of meat consumption either for ethical or for health reasons and also includes people with dietary laws based on religion, such as Buddhist, Halal and Kashrut which is expected to be increasing in the upcoming years according to the data given in **Figure 1** globally the meat substitutes market was assessed to account for USD 1.6 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 3.5 billion by 2026, recording a CAGR of 12.0% during the forecast period. The market is primarily driven by the increasing demand for plant-based meat products among the

*Growth of meat substitutes in different continents and the eutrophying emissions of various food commodities.*

The base of some vegetarian meat analogues is built on the recipes which are older than centuries viz., rice, wheat gluten, legumes, pressed tofu or tempeh with flavor addition which make them to taste like beef, chicken, ham, lamb, seafood, sausage, etc. Another meat analogue based on soybean constituting boiled soy milk layered by a thin skin is called as Yuba. Some more recent developments in soy based meat replacers is TVP (Textured Soy Proteins) derived from dry bulk commodity from soy, myco-protein-based quorn excludes vegans because it contains egg white which acts as a binder. Meat analogue functions as a meat replacer in the diet. The market does not only include vegetarian population but also include non-vegetarians who are in the urge of reducing their meat consumption either due to ethical or health perspectives. These innovations are the advantageous to the people who are concerned about the health related problems arises with the fat, cholesterol and salt overconsumption. There is also a need to develop new ways for the fulfillment of the nutritional requirements of poor at a minimum cost. Thousands of plant proteins are fortunately available in the world,

explored or yet to be explored for the production of meat alternatives.

Although the meat has a rich nutrient composition which includes essential nutrients like proteins, micronutrients such as zinc, iron and vitamin B12, but taking sufficient intake of these nutrients is possible without taking meat in the diet with the consumption of variety of other foods available. In western countries, where

**2. Driving forces for the development of meat analogue**

**70**

millennials.

**Figure 1.**

*Incidence of colorectal cancer (A) and development of cardiovascular diseases associated with red meat consumption.*

various meta-analyses and prospective studies had undergone shows a moderately high mortality rate than usual in participants consuming more amount of processed and red meat. High intake of processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer is the strongest evidence of the adverse effects. The relative risk of colorectal cancer [2] and cardiovascular deaths [3] as a function of average processed meat intake shown in **Figure 2**. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under World Health Organization categorized red meat and processed meat, due to its association with colorectal cancer probably being carcinogenic to human being [4]. According to an estimation by IARC 34,000 deaths due to cancer worldwide per year are attributable to diet high in processed meats and if the associated reports with the eating patterns of red meat were taken casual, 50,000 cancer deaths could be possible worldwide per year due to the high intake of red meat [5]. In Western Europe, the processed meat average intake is 26.4 g/day [6] will lead to an increase in the risk of colorectal cancer upto 9%. As compared to plant based foods meat produces more per unit energy emissions because there is a loss of energy at each trophic level. Within the types, the energy emission increases with poultry, mammals and ruminants production. As a reason for methane production, meat is a single most important source, which is known for its high warming potential, significantly low half-life as compared to CO2 in the environment [7]. Grassland system careful management contributes to the storage of carbon, but it cannot be considered as a profitable effort. The use of fresh water in the agriculture field is anyhow more than any other human activity, in which the one third portions is required for the livestock, so in the areas where there is less water availability meat production is a major competitor with the other water use which also includes the maintenance of natural eco system. Production of meat is an important source of phosphorous, nitrogen and the cause of other pollutants that affects the biodiversity particularly through conversion of land to pasture and arable feed crops. **Figure 2** represents the nutrition runoff into the surrounding environment and waterways which pollute ecosystem, where meat and meat products shows maximum pollution rate.
