Landmark study extols the environmental benefits of novel foods in European diets

Credit: Mosa Meat

The ongoing rise in the global population and the associated increase in protein demand continues to stress global food systems and the natural environment. Given that agriculture is one of the largest contributors to global warming, we are facing a major challenge.

How can the world rise to the task of providing healthy and nutritious diets to feed more and more people, in a way that also improves the sustainability of food systems?

Mazac et. al., 2022, in a new study, published in Nature Food, suggests that advances in novel food production technologies may hold the key. We know that meat is not eco-friendly. By replacing animal-source foods with novel or plant-based foods in European diets, the study’s authors suggest that the possible reductions in global warming, water and land use could be material. The study found that the emissions of the European diet could be slashed by 80% just by replacing meat with protein-rich novel foods.

There are two types of food discussed that can provide the solution; novel and future foods:

Firstly, ‘novel foods’ defined as food manufactured from new production technologies or that are under new regulatory frameworks such as cell-culturing technologies. Cultured meat and eggs are two great examples of such novel foods. Vireo Advisors is working toward establishing the safety of cell-based meat and seafood products.

Secondly ‘future foods’ are those where production capacity scaled alongside increased consumption resulting from emerging concerns about how to mitigate climate change. These ‘future foods’ are already in some diets, and include things like insects and spirulina. Of course, it is possible that foods may overlap in both categories, such as mussels.

There’s more good news. It’s not just high tech solutions that make a big difference. Low-technology solutions are just as helpful. Just by switching meat and dairy for vegetarian options would reduce the environmental impact of the European diet by 75%. In the US, with its more meat-intensive (and therefore higher carbon) dietary patterns, the difference would be even greater.

While this new generation of food options are beginning to come to market, a question is how ready consumers are to adopt them? It’s not just the fear of the unknown or of scientists playing God to create ‘Frankenfoods’. The traditional food we consume has cultural and societal significance, that reaches far beyond our health and nutritional needs. The world is also facing a serious cost-of-living squeeze with food prices skyrocketing daily.

The jury is still out when it comes to predicting the consumer’s attitude to adopting novel foods, but one thing’s for sure, there are a growing range of novel foods that amply present meaningful solutions for reducing environmental impact and climate change, while meeting the health and nutrition needs of a rapidly growing population at the same time. Watch this space.