Plant-Based Proteins for Alternative Meat

In recent years, plant-based meat substitutes, i.e. products made from plants that are designed to taste exactly like meat and be marketed to meat-eating consumers, have generated a lot of hype. The challenge in creating realistic plant-based meat alternatives comes from attempting to recreate a complex composite material using a much simpler system of individual plant proteins. Most foods based on plant-based proteins utilise only 2% of the 150 plant species consumed for food around the world. It is rare to see plant-based meat products that do not rely on soy, wheat, or pea protein. In this premium article, IDTechEx dives into the types of plant proteins used for plant-based meat and compares their properties.