According to a recent study of plant-based meats, 6 of the top 10 sources of alternative proteins are from allergens, principally soy, peanuts and tree nuts.
STEVEN CRISTOL: The recent high-profile successes of plant-based meat alternatives (think Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods) are the tip of a welcomed iceberg as plant-based proteins of all types continue to gain traction… A growing number of food companies have made great strides in mitigating long-time barriers to adoption of plant-based alternatives, including taste, texture, satiation, insufficient protein content, availability, labeling and shelf life.
At least 200 companies, three dozen business incubators, almost as many nonprofits and several high-profile academic research initiatives are developing or supporting development of new proteins. But even as we cheer plant-based protein innovation and increased acceptance, there is missed opportunity in failing to address this question: What if the ingredients found in so many plant-based alternatives were not the very same ingredients that hundreds of millions of people must avoid due to food allergies?
The link between food sensitivities, sustainability and climate action deserves more attention… Food allergies afflict up to 10 percent of the world’s population. In the United States alone, more than 26 million adults have food allergies and 24 million more believe they have food allergies because of symptoms from other conditions. So, attitudes toward these allergies impact consumer behavior of some 50 million U.S. adults and hundreds of millions in the rest of the world…
As more emerging-market economies eventually recover from COVID-19 and consumer buying power increases, so will global demand for allergen-free plant-based foods. Satisfying that demand simultaneously will help address hunger, health and environmental stewardship… According to a recent study by Kerry Group, 90 percent of consumers of plant-based meat alternatives read ingredient labels. The same study found that, in foodservice, six of the top 10 sources of alternative proteins are from the allergens list above (principally soy, peanuts and tree nuts). Seeing any of these ingredients can trigger immediate rejection from any consumer with a food allergy or a belief that they have allergies…
Allergens are used in so many products because they have been such a crucial part of delivering plant-based protein with satisfying taste and texture. But the allergy-sensitive population is being left behind, and its size and growth trajectory is becoming a great and expanding opportunity for companies, shareholders and our fight against climate change…
The obvious-but-inevitable conundrum is this: How do you replace these allergens with safer ingredients without reversing the plant-based progress on good taste, texture and other variables that drive satisfaction and demand?… What is required in R&D, sustainable sourcing and consumer education is heroic. But it should all be worth it — not just for the large and growing allergic population but for all of us and the generations to come who must live on this planet. SOURCE…
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