A new report by the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems critiques the growing trend of alternative proteins. By promising a more sustainable and humane food system, this “alt-protein” sector, including mass marketed plant-based foods, cell-cultured meats and precision fermentation products, has been flooded with investment dollars and media hype. And while such well-capitalized merchandizing guarantees serious consumer attention on store shelves, researchers continue to question their merits.
The Politics of Protein argues that the evidence for the positive impacts of alternative proteins is limited and even speculative, primarily funded by the companies themselves. The report also comprehensively addresses major claims from the alt-protein sector, who these promises benefit and who is left out of the discussions.
In terms of the sustainability credentials, alternative proteins deserve a closer look. Many use energy/resource-intensive ultra-processing, as well as sub-ingredients or feedstocks that are produced through environmentally destructive and chemical-dependent monocultures that are already found in 75% or more of processed foods. This includes GMO corn and soy engineered to withstand high doses of glyphosate or grown with Bt pesticides in their genes, or palm oil that is the cause of deforestation, rural displacement and critical habitat destruction.
