The effects of substituting red and processed meat for mycoprotein on biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in healthy volunteers: an analysis of secondary endpoints from Mycomeat.

PURPOSE: Mycoprotein is a relatively novel food source produced from the biomass of Fusarium venenatum. It has previously been shown to improve CVD risk markers in intervention trials when it is compared against total meat. It has not hitherto been assessed specifically for benefits relative to red and processed meat. METHODS: We leveraged samples from Mycomeat, an investigator-blind randomised crossover controlled trial in metabolically healthy male adults (n = 20), randomised to consume 240 g/day of red and processed meat for 14 days followed by mycoprotein, or vice versa. Blood biochemical indices were a priori defined secondary endpoints. RESULTS: Mycoprotein consumption led to a 6.74% reduction in total cholesterol (P = 0.02) and 12.3% reduction in LDL cholesterol (P = 0.02) from baseline values. Change in fasted triglycerides was not significantly different between diets (+ 0.19 ± 0.11 mmol/l with mycoprotein, P = 0.09). There was a small but significant reduction in waist circumference for mycoprotein relative to meat (- 0.95 ± 0.42 cm, P = 0.04). Following the mycoprotein diet, mean systolic (- 2.41 ± 1.89 mmHg, P = 0.23) and diastolic blood pressure (- 0.80 ± 1.23 mmHg, P = 0.43) were reduced from baseline. There were no statistically significant effects of the intervention on urinary sodium, nitrite or TMAO; while urinary potassium (+ 126.12 ± 50.30 mmol/l, P = 0.02) and nitrate (+ 2.12 ± 0.90 mmol/l, P = 0.04) were both significantly higher with mycoprotein relative to meat. The study population comprised metabolically healthy adults, therefore, changes in plasma lipids had little effect on cardiovascular risk scores (- 0.34% FRS for mycoprotein P = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm potential cardiovascular benefits when displacing red and processed meat with mycoprotein in the diet. Longer trials in higher risk study populations are needed to fully elucidate suggested benefits for blood pressure and body composition. CLINICALTRIALS: gov Identifier: NCT03944421.

'It's just pølse': Convenient meat consumption and reduction in Norway.

Meat consumption and convenience food are both located at the heart of contemporary, industrialized, unhealthy and unsustainable food systems. In this article, we study the intersections between convenience food and 'meatification' of diets, focusing on the 'pølse'-an umbrella term including both hotdogs and a range of sausages-as the epitome of convenience food in Norway. We explore how the pølse is embedded in Norwegian food practices, and why it is considered convenient in different contexts. In doing so, we seek to explain how pølse eating is co-shaped by socio-material scripting processes that further entrench meat in food practices and complicate meat-reduction efforts. The analysis is based on 52 in-depth household interviews and autophotography in four geographical contexts in Norway, in addition to 22 park interviews and survey data centering on household food and meat practices. We use a theoretical apparatus combining social practice theory, foodscapes and socio-material scripts to analyse the conveniencization of pølse. The articles demonstrates how meat consumption and convenience food become entwined in specific social practices, and how conveniencization intersects with practices of care, notions of class, social expectations and normativity. Moreover, we show that despite the range of plant-based 'pølse' substitutes on offer, meat-eaters remain skeptical to its taste, and substitutes rather seem to offer a way into established social occasions for non-meat eaters than a way out of meat eating.

Plant-based meats in China: a cross-sectional study of attitudes and behaviours.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated potential opportunities or challenges for plant-based meat in the Chinese market. A quantitative framework was applied to determine the current level of familiarity and experience with plant-based meat among Chinese consumers, the proportion of consumers who would try or purchase plant-based meat, which demographics within China are most likely to buy plant-based meat and which attitudes are important in driving the purchase intent of plant-based meat. METHODS: A pre-registered cross-sectional online survey (N = 1206) was distributed to respondents (matched to China's adult population for gender and age). RESULTS: Respondents reported a variety of dietary identities, with 43.4% reporting that they were reducing or avoiding meat. The majority of respondents (60.1%) said they had eaten plant-based meat at least once before. Of those who said they had never eaten plant-based meat, 41.9% intended to try it and 31.4% intended to purchase it. The strongest attitudinal predictor of plant-based meat purchase intent was perceived healthiness (ß = 0.235, p < 0.001), whereas the strongest demographic predictor of plant-based meat purchase intent was age (ß = -0.248, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that an approach based on increasing opportunities for trial, as well as appealing to specific attitudinal and demographic predictors of plant-based purchase intent, could prove successful in increasing adoption of plant-based and alternative meat products.

The nutritional impact of replacing dietary meat with meat alternatives in the UK: a modelling analysis using nationally representative data.

Dietary patterns high in meat compromise both planetary and human health. Meat alternatives may help to facilitate meat reduction; however, the nutritional implications of displacing meat with meat alternatives does not appear to have been evaluated. Here, the ninth cycle of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey was used as the basis of models to assess the effect of meat substitution on nutritional intake. We implemented three models; model 1 replaced 25 %, 50 %, 75 % or 100 % of the current meat intake with a weighted mean of meat alternatives within the UK market. Model 2 compared different ingredient categories of meat alternative; vegetable, mycoprotein, a combination of bean and pea, tofu, nut and soya. Model 3 compared fortified v. unfortified meat alternatives. The models elicited significant shifts in nutrients. Overall, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars and Na increased, whereas reductions were found for protein, total and saturated fat, Fe and B12. Greatest effects were seen for vegetable-based (+24·63g/d carbohydrates), mycoprotein-based (-6·12g/d total fat), nut-based (-19·79g/d protein, +10·23g/d fibre; -4·80g/d saturated fat, +7·44g/d sugars), soya-based (+495·98mg/d Na) and tofu-based (+7·63mg/d Fe, -2·02µg/d B12). Our results suggest that meat alternatives can be a healthful replacement for meat if chosen correctly. Consumers should choose meat alternatives low in Na and sugar, high in fibre, protein and with high micronutrient density, to avoid compromising nutritional intake if reducing meat intake. Manufacturers and policy makers should consider fortification of meat alternatives with nutrients such as Fe and B12 and focus on reducing Na and sugar content.

Influence of partial pork meat replacement by pulse flour on physicochemical and sensory characteristics of low-fat burgers.

BACKGROUND: Numerous non-meat ingredients, such as hydrocolloids, starches, and fibers, have been studied to improve texture characteristics and increase the ability to bind water in low-fat meat products. In this sense, pulses flours (lentil, chickpea, pea, and bean) were studied at two levels and various water:flour ratios to replace 10-44% pork meat in low-fat burgers and determine the effect on their sensory and technological properties (cooking yield, expressible liquid, diameter reduction, and color and texture profile). RESULTS: All pork-meat burgers that included pulse flour showed higher cooking yields, lower diameter reductions, and expressible liquids than all-meat burgers, which displayed better oil and water retention. Higher water additions resulted in burgers with less hardness. Burgers with 80 g kg-1 lentil flour in all water/flour ratios presented the lowest total color difference (ΔE) compared with the commercial control. Burgers with the higher level of all pulse flour tested and medium water levels showed acceptable sensory scores. CONCLUSIONS: Partial pork meat replacement by different legume flour (lentil, chickpea, pea, and bean), at levels of 80 and 150 g kg-1 and water/flour ratios of 1250, 1600, and 2000 g kg-1 resulted in low-fat burgers with adequate physicochemical characteristics. Moreover, the sensorial evaluation of the formulations with the maximum flour addition and intermediate water/flour ratio showed that they had good sensorial acceptability with no effect of flour type. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sausage Quality during Storage under the Partial Substitution of Meat with Fermented Oyster Mushrooms.

The increasing global demand for meat production, driven by a rapidly expanding population and changing dietary preferences has prompted the search for protein-rich, sustainable, and healthier meat alternatives. In this context, edible mushrooms are viewed as advantageous substitutes for meat, offering a viable solution. This study aimed to investigate the effects of partially replacing (25% and 50%) pork meat in sausage samples with fermented oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), which were subjected to various pretreatments. Six different pretreatments were applied to fresh oyster mushrooms as follows: blanching in water, steaming, oven-cooking, microwave treatment, high hydrostatic pressure treatment, and ultraviolet light treatment. The effects of mushroom replacement on the moisture, pH, lipid oxidation, color, and textural properties of sausages during the 4-week refrigerated storage period were evaluated. The results revealed that replacing pork meat with fermented oyster mushrooms resulted in an increase in moisture content and b* values and a decrease in pH, L*, a*, and shear force values, proportional to the mushroom percentage. The lipid oxidation findings suggest that the antioxidant capabilities of fermented oyster mushrooms were influenced by the pretreatment methods applied to the mushrooms, exhibiting varying levels of effectiveness.

Effect of Partial Meat Replacement by Hibiscus sabdariffa By-Product and Pleurotus djamor Powder on the Quality of Beef Patties.

The effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa (roselle; Hs) by-product (2-5%) and Pleurotus djamor (pink oyster; Pd) powder (5-7.5%) as meat replacers on the physicochemical and sensorial properties of beef patties were analyzed. The addition of these non-meat ingredients significantly decreased moisture and increased fiber content, and did not affect the protein level of the product. The antioxidant effect of the roselle by-product was limited, while Pleurotus djamor favored the oxidation processes. The samples supplemented with roselle by-product and mushroom powder presented significantly lower microbial counts (total viable counts, enterobacteria, and Pseudomonas) than control, but texture and sensorial parameters were significantly affected. The patties darkened due to the presence of the Hibiscus by-product, while the color of the samples containing 5% Pleurotus djamor was hardly modified. These samples, together with the control samples, were the most sensorially appreciated. The addition of these ingredients provoked a decrease in texture parameters, being less pronounced in the samples with only 2% of roselle by-product. In spite of the good antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of Hibiscus by-products, its inclusion in meat should be moderate (2-2.5%) to avoid consumer rejection when Pleurotus djamor is also included in the formulation.

Effects of Using Soybean Protein Emulsion as a Meat Substitute for Chicken Breast on Physicochemical Properties of Vienna Sausage.

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of using emulsion manufactured with soybeans (ES) to substitute chicken breast in Vienna sausages. Four types of Vienna sausages (S1: 10% ES and 50% chicken, S2: 20% ES and 40% chicken, S3: 30% ES and 30% chicken, and S4: 40% ES and 20% chicken) for this study were made. The pH, color, proximate composition, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), microphotographs, cooking yields, and texture profile analysis of sausages were examined. The pH value of uncooked and cooked sausages increased significantly with increasing ES content (p<0.05). The crude protein contents of S2, S3, and S4 were significantly higher than that of the control (p<0.05). Furthermore, the SDS-PAGE results showed that α-conglycinin, ß-conglycinin, and the acidic subunit of glycinin all increased with increasing ES content. Microphotographs revealed that increasing the ES content decreased the size of fat globules. The cooking yields of samples increased significantly with increasing ES content (p<0.05). The hardness values of ES treated samples were significantly lower than that of the control (p<0.05). Therefore, 30% substitute of chicken breast with ES can improve the quality and structure of Vienna sausage, without inducing critical defects.

The Effects of the Progressive Replacement of Meat with Texturized Pea Protein in Low-Fat Frankfurters Made with Olive Oil.

There is growing interest in using healthy ingredients for the formulation of meat-based products. Among them, the replacement of pork fat with vegetable oils has attracted much attention. On the other hand, the use of vegetable proteins to replace meat provides multiple possibilities which have not been sufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to produce low-fat frankfurters in which all the pork fat had been replaced with olive oil and then to progressively replace (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) the pork with textured pea protein. Texture, color, technological properties such as emulsion stability and cooking loss, proximate composition, and the fatty acid profile were analyzed. The results show that frankfurters made only with olive oil were slightly pale; however, they showed better emulsion stability and a healthier lipid profile than the 100%-meat-based frankfurters. Regarding the replacement of meat with texturized pea protein in the frankfurters made with olive oil, it was possible to replace up to 50% of the meat, and although significant differences were observed in terms of moisture, color, and texture, the product obtained showed similar values to other low-fat frankfurters.

Introducing insect- or plant-based dinner meals to families in Denmark: study protocol for a randomized intervention trial.

BACKGROUND: Plant- and insect-based foods are promising alternative protein sources. Previous studies have shown that introducing plant-based foods to the diet can reduce meat intake, but no such intervention has explored the effects of insect-based foods. METHODS: This study aims to integrate alternative proteins to main meals of 80 Danish families through a 6-week two-arm randomized intervention trial to investigate acceptance, consumption, and potential for meat replacement. The primary outcome is the replacement of dietary meat protein with plant- or insect-based protein from the intervention foods assessed through change in daily meat protein intake, proportion of meat protein to total protein intake, and counts of dinner meals with meat and intervention products. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will contribute to research in alternative proteins and explore the effects of long-term exposure of meat replacement. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05156853 . Registered 24 December 2021.

Replacement of Meat with Non-Meat Protein Sources: A Review of the Drivers and Inhibitors in Developed Countries.

The overconsumption of meat has been charged with contributing to poor health and environmental degradation. Replacing meat with non-meat protein sources is one strategy advocated to reduce meat intake. This narrative review aims to identify the drivers and inhibitors underlying replacing meat with non-meat protein sources in omnivores and flexitarians in developed countries. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science until April 2021. In total, twenty-three studies were included in this review examining personal, socio-cultural, and external factors. Factors including female gender, information on health and the environment, and lower price may act as drivers to replacing meat with non-meat protein sources. Factors including male gender, meat attachment, food neophobia, and lower situational appropriateness of consuming non-meat protein sources may act as inhibitors. Research is needed to establish the relevance of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, religion, health status, food environment, and cooking skills. Future studies should prioritize standardizing the definitions of meat and non-meat protein replacements and examining factors across different consumer segments and types of non-meat protein sources. Thereby, the factors determining the replacement of meat with non-meat protein sources can be better elucidated, thus, facilitating the transition to a healthier and more sustainable diet.