part 1

What Are Alt Proteins?

Part 1

Three types of proteins.

“Alt proteins” is an umbrella term encompassing a new array of ingredients used in high-protein foods intended to substitute conventional animal products. In many cases, alt proteins can provide convincing (or even identical) alternatives to proteins found in resource-intensive meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy products—without resorting to the traditional methods associated with animal agriculture.

Alt proteins are typically categorized into three pillars based on their production methods: plant-based, fermentation-enabled, and cultivated. Insect proteins are sometimes considered a fourth pillar. Alt proteins can be derived directly from plants, microbes such as fungi, or animal cell cultivation. In fact, there is nothing in animal products—be it proteins, fats, collagens, and more—that cannot be produced using these technological processes.

Each of these technologies can also be combined, with the product from one process used as an ingredient in another. Examples would include the use of fermentation technology to create “heme” to impart a more meat-like flavor to plant-based foods, or the use of plant-based materials to provide functional support/texture for cultured products.

Explore this interactive story

Okay, alt proteins are processed, but so is most of the food we eat, right?

As with most foods you eat, alt proteins are processed, but so are the canned beans in your pantry and the bread on your counter and even the pickles in your fridge. Processing and adding ingredients can increase a product’s nutritional composition and bioavailability. In fact, the FDA mandates that certain foods be fortified with nutrients that may otherwise be lacking in a typical diet—the addition of vitamin D to cow’s milk, for example.

When people think of processed foods, they’re often referring to ultra-processed foods—corn transformed into cheese puffs, chicken into chicken nuggets, or nutrients into baby formula. Ultra-processed foods are often examined closely because diets dominated by ultra-processed foods—including the standard American diet—can lead to negative health outcomes. At the end of the day, at least one-quarter of the conventional animal meat products we consume are in some way processed, especially hot dogs, bacon, salami, and even the meat in your turkey sandwich. While some alt proteins may also undergo processing, they often contain less saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

Let’s go deeper.

While much of the technology used to make alt proteins is still in its infancy, it’s important to note that we’ve have been using microbes in our food for millennia. The rennet used to make cheese, for example, was originally made with an enzyme called chymosin taken from the stomach lining of young ruminant animals like calves, lambs, or goats.

A plant-based protein is formulated to mimic the properties of an animal product without utilizing any animal ingredients. For instance, a plant-based burger is crafted to replicate the experience of consuming an animal meat burger in terms of appearance, texture, aroma, and flavor.

Consuming a plant-based alternative differs from consuming whole plants. When consuming plants in their entirety, one ingests all components of the plant, including fiber, protein, fat, and starch. Conversely, plant-based alternatives often utilize specific fractions of the original plant. For example, if “soy isolate” or “soy concentrate” is listed among the ingredients of a plant-based burger, it indicates that only the protein portion of the soy plant is used.

Critics of plant-based alternatives often label them as “processed” foods, implying they are inherently unhealthy. However, this isn’t necessarily accurate. Many foods, such as pasta, bread, and hummus, undergo processing involving human manipulation of ingredients. The crucial factor lies in the quality of the ingredients utilized.

Common Ingredients. Legumes like soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans; seeds such as hemp; grains like quinoa and amaranth; and vegetable proteins such as peas, coconut oil, and vital wheat gluten are common ingredients in plant-based meats. Many plant-based meat alternatives combine some of these ingredients, often incorporating natural pigments to achieve a visual resemblance to animal-based meats. Additionally, plant oils and vegan binding agents are frequently added to enhance texture and flavor. Some plant-based meats also include essential vitamins such as B12, iron, and zinc. There is a growing interest among plant-based companies to source ingredients—oats, beans, and wheat, for example—from regenerative agricultural systems. The Plant Based Foods Institute’s Domestic Sourcing Initiative plays a pivotal role in this endeavor by connecting plant-based food companies with domestic supply network partners, including farmers, processors, ingredient suppliers, and manufacturers. This collaboration not only supports the growth of plant-based food companies but also fosters opportunities for American farmers and rural communities.

Microbes selected for protein fermentation are either natural strains already rich in protein or strains modified for protein production through synthetic biology. Fermentation creates ideal conditions for these microbes to achieve more optimal growth rates and produce consistently high-quality products. Fermentation enables a constant protein supply without being hindered by environmental factors such as weather. While fermentation-based proteins are not the same as plant-based proteins, ingredients made using fermentation can be used in plant-based proteins.

To make alt proteins, two primary fermentation approaches are used: biomass fermentation and precision fermentation. Biomass fermentation uses microbes (most often fungi) grown in a controlled environment to produce a protein-rich food ingredient made from the microbes themselves.

Proteins from precision fermentation do not contain microbial cells. Instead, microbes are programmed to become miniature production factories that efficiently produce proteins, after which the microbe cells are filtered out, leaving pure proteins identical to their animal-derived counterparts in terms of nutrients, complete amino acid profile, molecular structure, and functionality in food applications.

Common Ingredients. Precision fermentation uses old technologies to make entirely animal-free, but animal-identical, macronutrients like milk and egg proteins. These processes hav been used for decades to make high-value proteins for pharmaceutical and other industrial uses. For example, insulin, used to treat diabetes, was originally derived from pig and cow sources, but today comes from the bacteria E. coli. Similarly, rennet (also called chymosin) is an enzyme used in cheesemaking to coagulate milk. Found naturally in calves’ stomachs, chymosin was once a byproduct of the veal industry; today, most cheeses are made with animal-free fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC). Alt proteins derived from precision fermentation can use microbial sources (such as bacteria and fungi) that have been modified with precise genetic instructions to make animal-identical proteins without extracting anything from an animal.

The third process used to create alternative proteins is known by various names. The term “lab-grown meat,” for instance, is a misnomer for what is more accurately termed “cultivated” or “cultured” meat and seafood. These products, with meat cultivated outside of animals, are not produced in laboratories. Instead, small tissue samples are harmlessly collected from animals and cultured in large-scale cell-culture facilities. Within these facilities, the cells rapidly replicate and are then harvested to create meat products with characteristics akin to traditional animal meats. Since these cells are grown and harvested for food production, this process is also sometimes referred to as “cellular agriculture.”

Cultivated meat products strive to match the protein and nutrient levels found in traditional animal meats. Because these meats are produced in tightly controlled environments with strict safety protocols, the final product is less likely to contain harmful contaminants, pesticides, artificial hormones, or bacteria present in conventional animal meat products. For instance, in cultivated tuna, contaminants like mercury and parasites, typically found in their wild counterparts, are eliminated from the product. Irrespective of the production process, all cultivated meat and seafood products undergo thorough evaluation by national authorities such as the FDA, USDA, or European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). No country permits the sale of cultivated meat products without passing through this rigorous regulatory process.

Common ingredients. Alongside plant-based and microbial sources for alternative proteins, animal sources can also be utilized. Non-invasive tissue biopsies from various animals can be cultured and expanded using cell culture technology to generate engineered tissue and meat products. As advancements in technology for producing animal-based alternative proteins progress, the nutritional profile of these products will continuously enhance. For instance, cultivated animal products can be engineered to have no trans fats, lower total fat content, or higher protein content, offering healthier options for consumers.

What are the most typical ingredients used to make alternative proteins?

Alt proteins are derived from plants and often processed into flours (containing less protein), concentrates (containing more protein), or isolates (containing even more protein). For those with allergies, food sensitivities, or other dietary restrictions, many plant-based meats are certified gluten-free. Additionally, there are nut-free cheeses and cultured meats certified kosher and halal.

Soybean

Uses
As one of the most common ingredients in alt proteins, soybeans have been used as a meat substitute for a long time, for example, in tofu. It has a neutral taste, which makes it a good base for alt proteins, and can be eaten whole or processed.

Health
Soybeans are high in protein. It is a Top Nine food allergen.

Environment
Although only 6 percent of soybeans are grown for human consumption (compared with 70-75 percent used to feed animals), the ubiquity of soybean monocropping has led to deforestation.

Wheat

Uses
The protein in wheat is called gluten. This protein can be used to make seitan, as well as other alt proteins. The long fibers of gluten provide a meaty texture.

Health
It is a Top Nine food allergen. Additionally, it cannot be eaten by people with celiac disease, which impacts about 1 percent of people worldwide.

Environment
Climate change threatens wheat crops all over the world: an estimated 6 percent decrease of wheat yield, as projected by one study. As one of the most eaten foods in the world, this puts the world’s food supply at risk.

Yellow pea

Uses
Yellow peas are commonly used in alt proteins in isolate form because they are high in protein and fiber. A small study found pea protein to be of similar nutritional quality as milk casein.

Health
Pea is currently considered hypoallergenic. It is a complete protein, containing nine amino acids; it also contains iron and some B vitamins.

Environment
A legume, peas benefit the environment by making nitrogen more available for plants. This means there is less need for fertilizers, which can pollute water and lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Jackfruit

Uses
With an almost neutral flavor, jackfruit has a signature “meaty” texture, leading the flesh to be used frequently as a replacement for products like pulled pork. The seeds can be ground into flour.

Health
Jackfruit is high in protein compared with other fruits, but lower in protein than some other plants. It’s full of fiber and minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and it is low in fat.

Environment
A single jackfruit tree can produce up to 200 fruits per year, and yet doesn’t require much water or the use of pesticides.

Non-animal
whey protein

Non-animal whey protein

Uses
Non-animal whey protein is produced by a method derived from precision fermentation, resulting in the same bovine whey protein found in cow’s milk. It can be used like cow’s milk.

Health
It contains all nine essential amino acids. It is a Top Nine food allergen and must be labeled on packaging as a milk ingredient.

Environment
In an assessment of one non-animal whey protein product, producing that product resulted in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and water consumption.

Methylcellulose

Uses
Methylcellulose is a food additive and is used as a thickener, emulsifier, binder, stabilizer, and/or gelling agent for food products. It helps create a meaty texture in alt proteins.

Health
Methylcellulose is also the active ingredient in many laxatives.

Maltodextrin

Uses
Maltodextrin is derived from starches like corn, rice, potato starch, or wheat, and is used as a food additive and flavor enhancer.

Health
Maltodextrin has a high glycemic index and can have gluten depending on the original input.

Carrageenan

Uses
Made from red seaweed, carrageenan is used as a thickener and stabilizer. It’s often used as a vegan alternative to gelatin.

Health
Carrageenan is approved in the U.S. by the FDA as safe for human consumption. That said, there are concerns that carrageenan may cause inflammation and digestive problems. However, further research is required to confirm such a link.

Environment
The seaweed from which carrageenan is sourced can capture and store carbon, preventing carbon from escaping into the atmosphere.

Social
It offers an alternative revenue stream for farmers who may otherwise overfish, encouraging healthier ocean ecosystems.

Fetal bovine serum

Uses
Fetal bovine serum promotes growth in cell cultures.

Animal welfare
Fetal bovine serum is animal-based, not to mention prohibitively high in cost. As a result, it is not viable for use in cultivated meat. The Good Food Institute and the European Union’s EIT Food have created a competition to advance research for animal-free cell culture media.