Food & Beverage Asia June/July 2020

34
ON THE TABLE
Meatless –
The next new normal?
Traditional meat has a special place in consumers’
diet. However, eating habits has evolved and meat
alternatives are increasingly being served at foodservice
outlets and restaurants, as Andy Kusumo, Director of
Science and Technology at Quorn, elaborates more to
Food & Beverage Asia.
A meatless future?
How will you describe the role of traditional meat in today’s food
ecosystem, and why is it still the dominant food in people’s diet?
Andy Kusumo: Modern human beings have an innate preference
for meat as most have the notion that it is an important source
of complete protein, with all the essential amino acids, highly
bioavailable iron and B vitamins, needed in their diet. Meat has
important socioeconomic as well as nutritional functions, and in
many societies the consumption and provision of certain types
of meat signals status or hospitality. It is because of the critical
importance of meat to the sustainability of the food system that
so much attention is paid to future trends in meat consumption
and the meat alternatives sector.
Can you elaborate on the drivers for the transition to meat
alternatives, and how will this impact the meat industry,
particularly livestock agriculture?
Kusumo: In the coming years, and with global warming threatening
yields from the land and sea, global food production will struggle
to keep up with more hungry months. The meat alternative sector
is on the rise globally because more people are understanding
the impact of a meat-heavy diet on health and
our environment, and more specifically, the
negative impact of animal agriculture on global
sustainability.
A study in 2010 estimated water consumption in
beef production at 15,415 litres per kilogramme,
a far cry from the 322 litres needed to grow one
kilogramme of vegetables. Experts say that by
2050, the developed world will need to reduce
its meat consumption by 50% and if we don’t
make the changes to our diets now, the increased
demand for meat cannot be met.
Quorn Meat Free Crispy Nuggets come
in a light crispy, and is a snack for all the
family to enjoy
In your opinion, should meat alternative completely replace
traditional meat? Even so, how will you envision a meatless
future, and how innovations in meat alternatives shape the
food value chain of the future?
Kusumo: To meet the protein needs of a projected population of
around 10 billion people by 2050, an inclusive, sustainable, healthy
and nutritious manner is a significant challenge, but achievable.
To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to meet the
Paris Agreement climate-change targets, transformation of the
food value chain is essential. Innovation and experimentation in
both alternative and traditional proteins will be critical.
Asia has a far longer history of using plant-based and insectbased
products as high-protein alternatives to meat, which would
suggest people in this region may be predisposed to accept new
non-animal alternatives. Environmental and welfare issues are
also gaining traction in Asia, particularly amongst the young,
middle-class consumers.
Alternative protein products, such as Quorn, are
already available in more than 20 countries, in high
and middle-income countries. The next decade will
see a potential tipping point, where alternative
protein product is moving from being a “niche food”
into a “mainstream food” in these countries. The
improved quality of novel products and possible
intervention by governments are two factors that
may accelerate the change.
While the shift towards alternative proteins is
just beginning to gain momentum in this region,
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE / JULY 2020