Meat alternatives selling faster than sales of processed meat

Sales of plant based meat substitutes have made steady gains in developed markets, as they move away from being the preserve of vegetarians to becoming popular among the wider group of flexitarians seeking to reduce their meat intake, reports Euromonitor International.

Although 3D printed meat cannot claim to break grounds in ethical terms in the same way as in-vitro meat does, its emergence could also contribute in shifting consumer acceptance towards alternative types of meat. While the ability to use 3D printers to reproduce muscle tissue is already assured, the obstacles remain to give the end product a taste and texture comparable to cooked meat.

Due to its current limitations, 3D printed meat, in a similar way to in-vitro meat, is likely to initially take the shape of the most processed types of meat with other ingredients, such as burgers and sausages, rather than trying to replicate meat cuts with muscles.

Raphael Moreau, food analyst at Euromonitor International, says, “The opportunities for personalisation offered by 3D printed meat could be seized by foodservice outlets. Meanwhile, plant based meat substitutes are likely to benefit from efforts to improve 3D printed technology to create more sophisticated meat-like textures.

“While plant based meat substitutes still have bright days ahead of them before being challenged by other types of meat alternatives still years away from being commercially competitive, the increased popularity of plant based meat alternatives among consumers, fuelled by growing ethical concerns and improvements in mimicking meat, could herald the potential future acceptance of a wider range of alternatives to meat, once they become available. Industrially processed meat may be particularly vulnerable, potentially challenged by newer types of substitute products which can claim to score higher on ethical grounds, provided that their quest for achieving the holy grail of ‘meatless meat’ tastes is not scuppered by a consumer backlash against over engineered food or by legislation undermining their development.”

Related content

Leave a reply

Food and Drink Technology