A review of research on plant‐based meat alternatives: Driving forces, history, manufacturing, and consumer attitudes

Summary

This narrative review examines the contemporary research landscape on plant-based meat alternatives, tracing their development from ancient Asian origins through to modern formulations designed for carnivore consumers. The authors identify environmental concerns, human health considerations, and animal welfare as primary drivers of PBMA development, whilst highlighting that consumer acceptance remains suboptimal despite improving trends. The review emphasises that future research must address protein source optimisation, appearance and flavour improvement, chemical safety assurance, and development of standardised quality evaluation frameworks.

UK applicability

The findings are applicable to UK food policy and industry practice given the growing market for plant-based proteins in British retail and foodservice sectors. However, the review does not address UK-specific agricultural or regulatory contexts, so applicability would depend on how findings on consumer attitudes and safety standards align with UK Food Standards Authority guidance and market conditions.

Key measures

Narrative synthesis of literature on PBMA development history, production technologies (extrusion, shear cell techniques), consumer acceptance metrics, and identification of research opportunities

Outcomes reported

The review summarises the driving forces, historical development, manufacturing technologies, and consumer attitudes towards plant-based meat alternatives. It identifies key research gaps and opportunities for future work on protein sources, product quality, safety, consumer education, and standardised evaluation methods.

Topic tags