Search Results (14)

Literature suggests that umami, Maillard reaction, and flavor complexity could contribute to sensorial acceptability of plant-based alternatives, but that was yet to be tested. Two field studies with 612 paying customers evaluating a complete meal were conducted in an operating restaurant in Sweden. In the first study, a gray pea burger (Control) was compared to burgers with added monosodium glutamate (MSG) (Umami), grilled (Maillard), or both grilled and added MSG (Complex). In the second study, a simplified gray pea burger (Control 2) was compared to a grilled burger with MSG and aromatics (Complex 2). Check-all-that-apply (CATA) tests show that participants perceived sensory differences between the samples, but their effects in hedonic ratings were inconclusive; only the Maillard sample was significantly more liked than Control and Complex burgers in Study 1. Although limited to their variables and context, these two experiments indicate that umami, Maillard reaction, and complexity, per se, are not key factors to improve liking and willingness to buy (WTB) of plant-based dishes. These results suggest that rather than trying to emulate sensory characteristics considered associated with meat, future research could prioritize addressing cultural barriers to vegetarian food. Full article

Currently, at least one third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the agricultural sector, with meat production making a particularly significant contribution. Therefore, alongside the ongoing efforts to transform transport and cut its emissions, it is essential to adopt urgent measures that limit GHG emissions from food production, consumption and distribution. Without them, the Paris Agreement goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 cannot be met, and the most severe impacts of climate change will not be avoided. In principle, lowering emissions from the global food system may appear simple, as no new technology (for example, electric cars or carbon-neutral fuels) is required to decarbonize transport. However, since meat consumption accounts for the majority of food related GHG emissions, it must be coupled with a sharp reduction in the large-scale production and consumption of animal foods. Encouragingly, a growing number of consumers already choose diets that are both healthy and environmentally sustainable. As meat reduction gains popularity in these groups, plant-based products are expanding in the marketplace, mainly in the form of snacks, pasta, pizzas and especially vegan or vegetarian burgers. Thus, almost spontaneously, components of the Westernized diet, rich in ultra-processed foods, salt, sugar and animal protein, are gradually being replaced by plant-derived nutrients that are healthier and more environmentally friendly. To accelerate this trend, legal measures could be introduced to improve the nutritional quality of widely consumed, low-nutrient snacks and to promote agricultural reforms that encourage the production of nutrient-dense legumes and pseudocereals. Full article

Background: Vegan/vegetarian (VEG) restaurants and VEG options in omnivore (OMNI) restaurants may serve unhealthful plant-based food that may be more harmful than a typical American diet. Methods: A sample of 561 restaurants with online menus were analyzed over a 3-year period. Each plant-based menu entrée was counted, up to a maximum of ten entrées per restaurant, meaning that a restaurant customer could select from ten or more healthful plant-based choices. Entrées containing refined grains (e.g., white rice and refined flour), saturated fat (e.g., palm oil and coconut oil), or deep-fried foods were counted as zero. Results: We evaluated 278 VEG and 283 OMNI restaurants. A full menu (10 or more plant-based entrées) was available in 59% of the VEG, but only 16% of the OMNI (p < 0.0001). Zero healthful options occurred in 27% of OMNI, but only 14% of VEG (p = 0.0002). The mean healthy entrée count for all restaurants was 3.2, meaning that, on average, there were only about three healthful plant-based choices of entrées on the menu, significantly more in VEG (4.0 vs. 2.4 p < 0.0001). The most common entrée reduction was for refined grains (e.g., white flour in veggie-burger buns or white rice in Asian entrées, n = 1408), followed by fried items (n = 768) and saturated fat (n = 318). VEG restaurants had a significantly higher frequency of adequate VEG options (≥7 options, 24% vs. 13%, p = 0.0005). Conclusions: Restaurants listed as VEG have a slightly higher number of healthful entrées than OMNI restaurants, which offer more limited vegan/vegetarian options. Given the published relationship between unhealthful dietary patterns, chronic illness, and mortality, we propose that detailed nutrition facts be publicly available for every restaurant. Full article

South Africa produces high-quality maize, yet food insecurity and malnutrition are prevalent. Maize is a staple for most South Africans and is often eaten as pap, gruel cooked from maize meal (corn flour) and water without diet diversification. Considering the reliance on maize in low-income communities, could nixtamalised maize products be developed that are nutritious, homemade and consumer-acceptable? Nixtamalisation could offer a solution. However, its acceptability and nutritional benefits remain in question. We aimed to develop a product using consumer-led methods. Consumer panels evaluated and selected products using overall acceptability (9-point hedonic scale), Just-About-Right (JAR) and penalty analysis. Consumer-acceptable nixtamalised chutney-flavoured maize chips were moderately liked (7.35) and reached acceptable JAR scores (74.2%). The nixtamalised products were liked and liked very much (56%), 61% of panel members agreed and strongly agreed to purchase and prepare, and 50% to consume nixtamalised products. Nutrient analysis of the chutney chips showed high energy (2302 kJ/100 g) and total fats (23.72), of which saturated fats were 11.47%. Total fibre (17.19 g/100 g), protein (6.64 g/100 g), calcium (163.3) and magnesium (53.67 g/100 g) were promising, while high phosphorous (566.00 mg/100 g) may indicate anti-nutrients present. Nixtamalisation can alleviate food insecurity and malnutrition in countries such as South Africa. Full article

Background: The interest in meat alternatives has increased over the years as people embrace more varied food choices because of different reasons. This study aims to analyse the nutritional composition of ready-to-use meat alternatives and compare them with meat (products). Methods: Nutritional composition values were collected in 2022 of all ready-to-use meat alternatives in Belgian supermarkets, as well as their animal-based counterparts. A one-sample t-test was performed to test the nutritional composition of ready-to-use meat alternatives against norm values, while an independent samples t-test was used to make the comparison with meat. Results: Minced meat and pieces/strips/cubes scored favourably on all norm values. Cheeseburgers/schnitzels, nut/seed burgers and sausages contained more than 10 g/100 g total fat. The saturated fat and salt content was lower than the norm value in each category. Legume burgers/falafel contained less than 10 g/100 g protein. Vegetarian/vegan minced meat and bacon contained fewer calories, total and saturated fat, and more fibre compared to their animal-based counterparts. Conclusions: Minced meat and pieces/strips/cubes came out as the most favourable categories regarding nutritional composition norm values. Vegetarian/vegan steak came out the least favourable compared to steak, while vegetarian/vegan minced meat and vegetarian/vegan bacon came out the most favourable compared to their animal-based counterparts. Full article

Within the food sector, there is a growing embrace of meat substitutes as a more sustainable alternative to meat, driven by ethical, environmental, and health considerations. This study aims to explore consumer behavior and willingness to pay (WTP) for plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs), illustrated by the example of vegan burger patties. The sample of the study (n = 433) consists of young consumers roughly below 30 years of age, known as Generation Z (Gen Z). The study aims to (1) assess of the importance of PBMA attributes to Gen Z, and (2) approximate Gen Z’s willingness to pay for specific PBMA attribute levels. A choice-based conjoint analysis was used to assess Gen Z’s preferences for meat substitutes. The findings indicate that the most crucial PBMA attribute is origin, followed by price and the primary vegan ingredient. Notably, Gen Z values domestic and EU-sourced products positively, contrasting with the negative perception of third-country imports. Organic production is associated with a positive part-worth utility, whereas the attribute fat content has almost no impact. Consequently, WTP is approximated to be the highest for products of domestic origin compared to the significant discount required for non-EU origin. All other attribute levels have a much lower impact. Despite sociodemographic variables, the respondents’ eating habits (vegan, vegetarian, etc.) most significantly influence the approximation of the importance of some of the PBMA attributes, in particular price and primary ingredient. Full article

Vegetarian and vegan diets are increasingly being adopted in Spain, a trend mainly driven by ethical concerns for animal welfare and the environment. This has resulted in a growing market for plant-based substitutes of meat products. However, available data on the nutritional value of such meat analogues in Mediterranean countries are still limited. In this study, the labelling information of four categories of plant-based meat analogues (n = 100) and the corresponding conventional meat products (n = 48) available on the Spanish market was surveyed and compared. The nutrient content of plant-based meat analogues varied significantly, due to the wide range of ingredients used in their formulation. Some of these products were found to have a low protein content, which in others was enhanced by the addition of cereals and legumes. Compared to the meat products, the plant-based analogues contained lower levels of total fat as well as saturated fat, which ranged from 30% of total fat in burgers to less than 15% in meatballs, sausages, and nuggets; in contrast, they contained higher amounts of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Overall, the meat analogues cannot be considered as nutritionally equivalent substitutes to conventional meat products due to a high variability of protein content and other nutrients. Full article

How will we be fed in the future? Without a doubt, the recent development has to undergo a change, to stick to the aims of sustainable development. Modern agriculture is in the compulsion of its consumers’ behaviour and the constantly growing amount of food required for feeding the world population. This nutrition is taken into individual responsibility, but to be able to make decisions regarding sustainable nutrition, educational work is required. By determining the environmental impact of different ingredients, Burger.i.doo contributes to the Education of Sustainable Nutrition and empowers its gamers to gain and extend their knowledge about the consumption of capabilities. It is designed for students aged 14 to 18. The aim is to create the most sustainable burger, which is measured in five categories: greenhouse gas emission, water consumption, land use, price and taste, by comparing the different categories of vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian and different meat options of burgers. To evaluate the impact of the game, a survey was conducted. It shows that the key targets of the construction of the game are fulfilled: the gamers had fun, learned about the impact of food on the environment and the game had a positive influence on their environmental consciousness. Full article

New food sources are explored to provide food security in sustainable ways. The submerged fermentation of edible filamentous fungi is a promising strategy to provide nutritious and affordable food that is expected to have a low environmental impact. The aim of the current study was to assess the novel use of Aspergillus oryzae cultivated in submerged fermentation on oat flour as a source for food products that do not undergo secondary fermentation or significant downstream processing. The fungus was cultivated in a pilot-scale airlift bioreactor, and the biomass concentration and protein content of the biomass were assessed. A tasting with an untrained panel assessed consumer preferences regarding the taste and texture of minimally processed vegetarian and vegan burger patties made from the biomass, and how the patties fared against established meat-alternative-based patties. The cultivation of Aspergillus oryzae resulted in a yield of 6 g/L dry biomass with a protein content of 37% on a dry weight basis. The taste and texture of the minimally processed fungal burger patties were to the liking of some participants. This was also reflected in diverse feedback provided by the participants. The cultivation of the fungus on oat flour and its utilization in developing burger patties shows its promising potential for the production of nutritious food. The applications of the fungus can be further developed by exploring other favorable ways to texture and season this relatively new functional food source to the preferences of consumers. Full article

This paper’s purpose is to shed light on the current understanding of the environmental benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets, considering the inclusion of a significant share of processed foods, such as plant-based burgers. We review recent Environmental Life Cycle Assessments of the three main diet types, omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan, and then assesses the environmental impacts of adding two commercial brands of plant-based burgers to vegetarian and vegan diets. The recent literature confirms that compared to omnivore diets adhering to the same dietary guidelines, vegan diets reduce land-use impacts by 50–86%, water use by 22–70%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 21–70%, while vegetarian diets achieve reductions of 27–84% in land use, 15–69% in water use, and 24–56% in greenhouse emissions. The environmental benefits of vegan and vegetarian diets are not affected by the consumption of highly processed plant-based burgers. Consumers reduce land use, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions between 87% and 96% by choosing a Beyond or Impossible burger instead of a regular beef patty. These results are robust to the uncertainties associated with a variety of beef production systems; there is no indication that a situation or condition may make beef burgers more environmentally friendly than these two plant-based alternatives, or that the addition of plant-based meats to vegan and vegetarian diets may reduce their environmental benefits. Full article

Meat analogue research and development focuses on the production of sustainable products that recreate conventional meat in its physical sensations (texture, appearance, taste, etc.) and nutritional aspects. Minced products, like burger patties and nuggets, muscle-type products, like chicken or steak-like cuts, and emulsion products, like Frankfurter and Mortadella type sausages, are the major categories of meat analogues. In this review, we discuss key ingredients for the production of these novel products, with special focus on protein sources, and underline the importance of ingredient functionality. Our observation is that structuring processes are optimized based on ingredients that were not originally designed for meat analogues applications. Therefore, mixing and blending different plant materials to obtain superior functionality is for now the common practice. We observed though that an alternative approach towards the use of ingredients such as flours, is gaining more interest. The emphasis, in this case, is on functionality towards use in meat analogues, rather than classical functionality such as purity and solubility. Another trend is the exploration of novel protein sources such as seaweed, algae and proteins produced via fermentation (cellular agriculture). Full article

Green consumption is an emerging environmental topic receiving global attention. Because livestock production is a primary source of greenhouse gas emission, the “low-carbon diet” has become a new trend in the catering industry. Fast food companies have been launching vegetarian products because artificial meat requires less water and land resources than traditional livestock and has lower carbon emissions. This study explores the influence of consumers’ attitude, subjective norms (SNs), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on their purchase intention for vegetarian burgers from the product knowledge (PK) and environmental concern (EC) perspectives. Based on the theory of planned behavior, the purchase intention of people from different food cultures to pay for fast food burgers is discussed. Five hundred questionnaires were distributed, of which 436 were valid. The results revealed that: (1) consumers’ SNs, PBC, and EC significantly affect purchase intention (PI), and SNs and PK have no significant relationship with PI; and (2) vegetarians are willing to pay higher prices than nonvegetarians. This study recommends that industry personnel should attempt to increase consumers’ knowledge regarding artificial meat and expand marketing channels to improve the convenience of purchasing artificial meat foods by conducting lectures and media promotion, respectively. Full article

Demand for plant-based meat substitutes is growing globally for nutritional and environmental reasons, with Australia the third-fastest growing vegan market worldwide. This study aimed to profile and compare plant-based meat substitutes (mimicking meat) with equivalent meat products, and 2015 data. An audit undertaken in May (updated in September 2019) from four metropolitan Sydney supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA), collected nutrition information and Health Star Rating (HSR) from 137 products (50 burgers, 10 mince, 29 sausages, 24 chicken, 9 seafood, 15 other). Mean (± standard deviation (SD)) and median (range) was calculated for nutrients and HSR. Plant-based options were generally lower in kilojoules, total and saturated fat, higher in carbohydrate, sugars, and dietary fibre compared with meat. Only 4% of products were low in sodium (58–1200 mg/100 g). Less than a quarter of products (24%) were fortified with vitamin B12, 20% with iron, and 18% with zinc. HSR featured on 46% (3.6–4.4 stars). On-pack claims were vegetarian/vegan/plant-based (80%), protein (63%), non-genetically modified/organic (34%), gluten free (28%). Product numbers increased five-fold (↑429%) in four years. The plant protein trend has prompted innovation in meat substitutes, however wide nutrient ranges and higher sodium levels highlights the importance of nutrition guidelines in their development to ensure equivalence with animal-based proteins. Full article

This study aimed to determine the volatile profile of cashew apple fibers to verify which compounds are still present after successive washings and thus might be responsible for the undesirable remaining cashew-like aroma present in this co-product, which is used to formulate food products like vegetarian burgers and cereal bars. Fibers were obtained from cashew apple juice processing and washed five times in an expeller press. Compounds were analyzed by the headspace solid-phase micro extraction technique (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), using a DB-5 column. Sensory analysis was also performed to compare the intensity of the cashew-like aroma of the fibers with the original juice. Altogether, 80 compounds were detected, being esters and terpenes the major chemical classes. Among the identified substances, 14 were classified as odoriferous in the literature, constituting the matrix used in the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Odoriferous esters were substantially reduced, but many compounds were extracted by the strength used in the expeller press and remained until the last wash. Among them are the odoriferous compounds ethyl octanoate, γ-dodecalactone, (E)-2-decenal, copaene, and caryophyllene that may contribute for the mild but still perceptible cashew apple aroma in the fibers that have been pressed and washed five times. Development of a deodorization process should include reduction of pressing force and stop at the second wash, to save water and energy, thus reducing operational costs and contributing to process sustainability. Full article