96-549: Quorn is a brand of meat substitute products. Quorn originated in the UK and is sold primarily in Europe, but is available in 11 countries. The brand is owned by parent company Monde Nissin . Quorn is sold as both a cooking ingredient and as a meat substitute used in a range of prepackaged meals . Though all Quorn products offer vegetarian options, not all offer vegan options. All Quorn foods contain mycoprotein as an ingredient, which
192-418: A "mock clam soup" made from marrowfat beans and cream. Dietitian Sarah Tyson Rorer authored the cookbook, Mrs. Rorer's Vegetable Cookery and Meat Substitutes in 1909. The book includes a mock veal roast recipe made from lentils, breadcrumbs and peanuts. In 1943, Kellogg made his first soy-based meat analog, called Soy Protose, which contained 32% soy. In 1945, Mildred Lager commented that soybeans "are
288-462: A Han dynasty tomb. Its use as a meat alternative is recorded in a document written by Tao Gu ( simplified Chinese : 陶谷 ; traditional Chinese : 陶穀 ; pinyin : Táo Gǔ , 903–970). Tao describes how tofu was popularly known as "small mutton " ( Chinese : 小宰羊 ; pinyin : xiǎo zǎiyáng ), which shows that the Chinese valued tofu as an imitation meat. Tofu was widely consumed during
384-471: A US-wide rollout in early 2020. Some vegetarian meat alternatives are based on centuries-old recipes for seitan (wheat gluten ), rice, mushrooms , legumes , tempeh , yam flour or pressed- tofu , with flavoring added to make the finished product taste like chicken, beef, lamb, ham, sausage, seafood, etc. Other alternatives use modified defatted peanut flour , yuba and textured vegetable protein (TVP); yuba and TVP are both soy-based meat alternatives,
480-531: A binder instead of egg albumen, to confer vegan status. According to Quorn's website, by 2020, a number of Quorn items were available in United States markets, many of which are vegan. They also have gluten-free options. As of 2014, it was reported that most consumers of Quorn are meat eaters rather than vegetarians . The market for Quorn products is increasing worldwide and the company expects further growth. Originally conceived in 1985 and owned by Marlow Foods,
576-545: A crucial role in utilizing plant-based alternatives for heavy meat eaters. The types of ingredients that can be used to create meat substitutes is expanding, from companies like Plentify, which are using high-protein bacteria found in the human microbiome, to companies like Meati Foods, that are cultivating the mycelium of fungi—in this case, Neurospora crassa —to form steaks, chicken breasts, or fish. Soy protein isolates or soybean flour and gluten are usually used as foundation for most meat substitutes that are available on
672-458: A decline in the egg industry overall. Animal welfare advocates argue that costs will not change as drastically as industry groups are expecting and that the price of eggs will remain almost the same because the housing of the birds does not make a huge difference in cost. Egg industry groups are making an effort to show or "educate lawmakers, voters, and consumers about the merits and cost-effectiveness of cage use". Local farmers and producers say that
768-599: A different strategy. Plant-based meat uses 72–99% less water than conventional meat production. Pollution is the next largest contribution to wasted water. Pesticides used in animal feed production as well as waste runoff into reservoirs can cause ecological damage and even human illness as well as taking water directly out of the usable supply. Animal agriculture is the main contributor to the food sector greenhouse gas emissions. Production of plant-based meat alternatives emits 30–90% less than conventional meat production. While also contributing less to this total pollution, much of
864-536: A joint venture between Rank Hovis McDougall (RHM) and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), RHM exited the business in 1990 by selling its shares to ICI. When ICI spun off its biological products divisions from the core chemical business in 1993, Marlow Foods became a part of the newly formed Zeneca group, later AstraZeneca . In 2003, AstraZeneca sold Marlow Foods, including the Quorn business and associated trademarks and patents, to Montagu Private Equity for £72m. Montagu sold
960-507: A line of vegan products for the UK market, as well as reducing its use of eggs overall, using 3.5 million fewer eggs since 2010. The first range of vegan Quorn in the UK included eight products and was launched in October 2015. In January 2019, Quorn produced the filling for a vegan sausage roll sold by UK bakery chain Greggs . The product was consistently sold out, and was identified by the chain as
1056-468: A lower cost. Huge related costs include £30m cost for a fermentation tower and related equipment, so you can't simply look at a patent and say 'there you go'." In late 2011, the first vegan Quorn product was released, called the Quorn Vegan Burger, available initially only in the United States. Following strong sales of the product and increasing demand from the UK market, Quorn began development of
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#17328384397061152-513: A major cause of debate in the US. In 2015, there was an initiative proposed in Massachusetts that would ban the sale of in-state meat or eggs "from caged animals raised anywhere in the nation". This shift from caged to cage-free is concerning for egg industry groups because they believe that this will cause the price of eggs to increase to the point that consumers can not afford to buy them, thereby causing
1248-735: A major contributor to increasing profits and a record share price . In January 2020, Greggs released a Quorn-based vegan "steak bake". Meat alternative A meat alternative or meat substitute (also called plant-based meat , mock meat , or alternative protein ), is a food product made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients, eaten as a replacement for meat. Meat alternatives typically approximate qualities of specific types of meat, such as mouthfeel , flavor, appearance, or chemical characteristics. Plant- and fungus-based substitutes are frequently made with soy (e.g. tofu , tempeh , and textured vegetable protein ), but may also be made from wheat gluten as in seitan , pea protein as in
1344-431: A meat-like texture, two approaches can be followed: bottom-up and top-down. With bottom-up structuring, individual fibers are made separately and then assembled into larger products. An example of a meat alternative made using a bottom-up strategy is cultured meat . The top-down approach, on the other hand, induces a fibrous structure by deforming the material, resulting in fibrousness on a larger length scale. An example of
1440-512: A much higher intolerance level than Quorn. Adverse reactions were reported for 1 in 146,000 people who ate Quorn, compared to 1 in 35 who ate shellfish and 1 in 350 who ate soya. In the European Union, patents expire after 20 years from their filing date. Since the first patent application was filed in 1985, the mycoprotein patents had already expired in 2010 in all European Union countries. Now anyone can legally produce mycoprotein products using
1536-543: A natural flavoring in the EU), hydrolyzed vegetable protein , various fermented foods, and spices, these reactions are also replicated during cooking to produce richer and more convincing meat flavors. Meat substitutes represent around 11% of the world's meat and substitutes market in 2020 . As shown in the graph, this market share is different from region to region. From 2013 to 2021, the world average price of meat substitutes fell continuously, by an overall 33%. The only exception
1632-457: A policy of selling only free-range eggs or not selling battery-cage eggs. Some retailers apply this policy to eggs in their shells and eggs used in baked goods and processed products such as ready-made meals, quiches, and ice cream. range shell eggs, and uses only free-range eggs in their processed products and ready-made meals. As of 1 January 2007 (with one minor exception), all Austrian supermarkets no longer sell battery eggs. Many retailers in
1728-399: A positive review of London's vegetarian restaurants , claiming, "For fivepence one could get a lentil cutlet, which was very appetizing, and looked like a meat croquette ". Henrietta Latham Dwight authored a vegetarian cookbook, The Golden Age Cook-Book in 1898 which included meat substitute recipes such as a "mock chicken" recipe made from breadcrumbs, eggs, lemon juice and walnuts and
1824-436: A result of switching to free-range, the industry will potentially suffer a loss of producer surplus of €354 million (EU-25). The margins achieved by producers for barn and free-range eggs are appreciably higher than those that were available for battery eggs. The Commission's socio-economic report shows that margins for free-range eggs were around twice as high as those for battery eggs. Many animal welfare advocates, including
1920-449: A source of dietary protein by vegetarians, vegans, and people following religious and cultural dietary laws . However, global demand for sustainable diets has also increased their popularity among non-vegetarians and flexitarians seeking to reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture . Meat substitution has a long history. Tofu was invented in China as early as 200 BCE, and in
2016-698: A standard similar to that of a barn or aviary. The European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC stipulates that from 1 January 2007 (1 January 2012 for newly built or rebuilt systems), non-cage systems must provide the following: In addition to these requirements, free-range systems must also provide the following: Case studies of free-range systems for laying hens across the EU, carried out by Compassion in World Farming , demonstrate how breed choice and preventive management practices can enable farmers to successfully use non beak-trimmed birds. In 2012, Australian Eggs ,
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#17328384397062112-435: A top-down technique is food extrusion . Both bottom-up and top-down processing can be used alone or in combination to offer various benefits. As discussed later, different meat alternative products have varying nutritional values. A notable advantage of the bottom-up approach is its ability to provide precise control over the composition and characteristics of the end product, allowing for optimized nutritional profiles. On
2208-506: Is derived from the Fusarium venenatum fungus. In most Quorn products, the fungus culture is dried and mixed with egg white , which acts as a binder, and then is adjusted in texture and pressed into various forms. The vegan formulation uses potato protein as a binder instead of egg white. Quorn was launched in 1985 by Marlow Foods, a joint venture between Rank Hovis McDougall (RHM) and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). Microbial biomass
2304-534: Is high in protein and dietary fibre and is low in saturated fat . It contains less dietary iron than most meats and the manufacturers have not released much information about additives they use to make Quorn resemble meat. Quorn is considered acceptable in small amounts for babies over nine months old, but should be introduced gradually. The high fibre and low food energy content is better for adults than babies and too much fibre can cause flatulence. The salt content should be checked before giving Quorn to babies, since
2400-455: Is made from the soil mould Fusarium venenatum strain PTA-2684 (previously misidentified as the parasitic mould Fusarium graminearum ). The fungus is grown in continually oxygenated water in large, otherwise sterile fermentation tanks. Glucose and fixed nitrogen are added as a food for the fungus, as are vitamins and minerals to improve the food value of the product. The resulting mycoprotein
2496-599: Is needed to investigate their health impacts. A 2023 review concluded that replacing red and highly-processed meat with a variety of meat alternatives improved quality-adjusted life years , led to significant health system savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions; replacement of meat with minimally-processed vegetarian alternatives, such as legumes had the greatest effect. Another review found that meat alternatives are likely to be healthier than meat products and more environmentally friendly but are more expensive. A 2024 review found that plant-based meat alternatives have
2592-522: Is now in the process of developing an accreditation scheme that will see the term "pastured" start appearing on cartons. The guidelines for PROOF's pastured eggs allow for a maximum stocking density of 1500 birds per hectare (in line with the CSIRO Model Code) and require that hens be able to range freely in open fields or paddocks. So far, PROOF has 12 licensed egg farms in Australia, with another eight in
2688-466: Is produced commercially as single-cell protein (SCP) for human food or animal feed and as viable yeast cells for the baking industry. The industrial production of bakers' yeast started in the early 1900s, and yeast biomass was used as human food in Germany during World War I . The development of large-scale processes for the production of microbial biomass as a source of commercial protein began in earnest in
2784-491: Is reported to deliver the biggest climate-heating emission cuts per investment dollar of all industrial sectors. Meat alternatives have lower amounts of saturated fat , vitamin B12 and zinc than meat products but higher amounts of carbohydrates, dietary fibre , sodium, iron and calcium. Meat alternatives are rated as ultra-processed foods under the Nova classification , however, when
2880-403: Is then extracted and heat-treated to remove excess levels of RNA . Previous attempts to produce such fermented protein foodstuffs were thwarted by excessive levels of DNA or RNA; without the heat treatment, purines , found in nucleic acids , are metabolised by humans to produce uric acid , which can lead to gout . The product is dried and mixed with egg albumen , which acts as a binder. It
2976-444: Is then textured, giving it some of the grained character of meat, and pressed into a mince resembling ground beef; forms resembling chicken breasts, meatballs, and turkey roasts; or chunks resembling diced chicken breast. In these forms, Quorn has a varying colour and a mild flavour resembling the imitated meat product, and is suitable for use as a replacement for meat in many dishes, such as stews and casseroles. The final Quorn product
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3072-463: Is under review and due to be consulted upon. The Queensland government approved an increase in free-range layer hen stocking densities in July 2013. The maximum number of hens per hectare was increased from 1,500 to 10,000. In March 2016, Australian ministers voted in new national standards for the definition of free-range. The new standards allow for up to 10,000 birds per hectare, with no requirement for
3168-663: The Beyond Burger , or mycoprotein as in Quorn . Alternative protein foods can also be made by precision fermentation , where single cell organisms such as yeast produce specific proteins using a carbon source; as well as cultivated or laboratory grown, based on tissue engineering techniques. The ingredients of meat alternative include 50–80% water, 10–25% textured vegetable proteins, 4–20% non-textured proteins, 0–15% fat and oil, 3-10% flavors/spices, 1-5% binding agents and 0-0.5% coloring agents. Meatless tissue engineering involves
3264-490: The Humane Society of the United States , maintain that cage-free and free-range eggs constitute a considerable improvement for laying hens. This has led to the adoption of a cage-free eggs standard by most major food companies in the United States, although in 2017, it was estimated that cage-free eggs represented only 10% of all produced. Pundits and food commentators have described the 2016 shift toward cage-free eggs across
3360-572: The Middle Ages , chopped nuts and grapes were used as a substitute for mincemeat during Lent . Since the 2010s, startup companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have popularized pre-made plant-based substitutes for ground beef , patties , and vegan chicken nuggets as commercial products. Tofu , a meat alternative made from soybeans, was invented in China by the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 CE). Drawings of tofu production have been discovered in
3456-491: The Tang dynasty (618–907), and likely spread to Japan during the later Tang or early Song dynasty . In the third century CE, Athenaeus describes a preparation of mock anchovy in his work Deipnosophistae : He took a female turnip, shred it fine Into the figure of the delicate fish; Then did he pour on oil and savoury salt With careful hand in due proportion. On that he strew'd twelve grains of poppy seed, Food which
3552-599: The Vegetarian Society gave the product its seal of approval. In 2004, McDonald's introduced a Quorn-branded burger bearing the seal of approval of the Vegetarian Society. However, as of 2009, the Quorn burgers were no longer available at any McDonald's restaurant in the UK, and the McPlant was made using Beyond Meat . In 2011, Quorn Foods launched a vegan burger into the United States market, using potato protein as
3648-520: The Boston Consulting Group found that investment in improving and scaling up the production of meat and dairy alternatives leads to big greenhouse gas reductions compared with other investments. According to The Good Food Institute , improving efficiency of the Western diet is crucial for achieving sustainability. As the global population grows, the way land is used will be reconsidered. 33% of
3744-468: The EU) it cost €0.66 to produce 12 battery eggs, €0.82 to produce 12 barn eggs and €0.98 to produce 12 free-range eggs. This means that in 2004, one free-range egg cost 2.6 cents more to produce than a battery egg, and a barn egg cost 1.3 cents more to produce than a battery egg. The Commission's report concludes that, if costs were to increase by 20%, which it says is the type of percentage increase in terms of variable costs that producers are likely to face as
3840-683: The Netherlands, including Albert Heijn and Schuitema (subsidiaries of Ahold ), Laurus (including Edah, Konmar and Super de Boer), Dirk van den Broek (including Bas van der Heijden and Digros), Aldi and Lidl sell only free-range shell eggs; however the free-range eggs that are sold in Aldi and Lidl do not meet some country's recommendations for the production of free-range eggs. Three Belgian supermarkets: Makro , Colruyt and Lidl, no longer sell battery eggs. The Commission's report states that Sweden's move away from conventional battery cages has been aided by
3936-626: The Scythians love; then boil'd it all. And when the turnip touch'd the royal lips, Thus spake the king to the admiring guests: "A cook is quite as useful as a poet, And quite as wise, and these anchovies show it." Wheat gluten has been documented in China since the sixth century. The oldest reference to wheat gluten appears in the Qimin Yaoshu , a Chinese agricultural encyclopedia written by Jia Sixie in 535. The encyclopedia mentions noodles prepared from wheat gluten called bo duo . Wheat gluten
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4032-581: The UK nutritional profiling system is used, not all products classified as ultra-processed are rated as unhealthy. In 2021, the American Heart Association stated that there is "limited evidence on the short- and long-term health effects" of plant-based meat alternatives. The same year, the World Health Organization stated that there are "significant knowledge gaps in the nutritional composition" of meat alternatives and more research
4128-481: The UK, with annual sales of around £95 million. By 2006, it was available in stores in the UK; Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland); and North America (Canada and United States). Since June 2010, it has been available in Australia. In May 2012, Quorn Foods opened the German website quorn.de to relaunch Quorn in Germany. After its producer switched to using free-range eggs as an ingredient,
4224-629: The United States were $ 895 million, with the global market for meat alternatives forecast to be $ 140 billion by 2029. Seeking a healthy alternative to meat, curiosity, and trends toward veganism were drivers for the meat alternative market in 2019. Sales of plant-based meats increased during the COVID-19 pandemic . The book The End of Animal Farming by Jacy Reese Anthis argues that plant-based food and cultured meat will completely replace animal-based food by 2100. Besides ethical and health motivations, developing better meat alternatives has
4320-512: The Vegetarian Society's seal of approval. An asthma attack in 2003 was linked to Quorn. Tests showed Quorn to be the only food to which the patient had an allergic reaction. A spokesperson for the Food Standards Agency stated that an allergy was not surprising, due to the high protein content. Former FSA director Jon Bell responded in defence of Quorn, stating that several commonly consumed foods and food ingredients, such as soya , have
4416-494: The abundance of greens and insects in the birds' diet if actually allowed substantial time outdoors to roam. Also known as pasture-raised eggs However, an orange yolk is not guaranteed that a free-range hen will produce an egg. Feed additives such as marigold petal meal, dried algae and alfalfa meal can be used to colour the yolks. Contrary to popular belief, in the United States free-range regulations do not necessarily require that hens spend substantial time outdoors, only that
4512-453: The beef, chicken, dairy and pork products consumed by the global population with plant-based alternatives could reduce the amount of land used by agriculture by almost a third, bring deforestation for agriculture nearly to a halt, help restore biodiversity through rewilding the land and reduce GHG emissions from agriculture by 31% in 2050, paving a clearer path to achieving both climate and biodiversity goals. The switch to plant-based protein
4608-474: The best meat substitute from the vegetable kingdom, they will always be used to a great extent by the vegetarian in place of meat." In July 2016, Impossible Foods launched the Impossible Burger, a beef substitute which claims to offer appearance, taste and cooking properties similar to meat. In April 2019, Burger King partnered with Impossible Foods to launch the plant-based Impossible Whopper , which
4704-474: The body for the industry, tried to register a free-range trademark allowing 20,000 hens per hectare on the range. This sparked a major discussion between large producers, small producers, animal welfare groups, and consumer rights groups. The trademark application was withdrawn after the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission commented that the "proposed standards may mislead consumers about
4800-596: The business on to Premier Foods in 2005 for £172m. In 2011, Premier Foods sold Quorn to Exponent Private Equity and Intermediate Capital Group for £205 million . In 2015, the owners put the company up for sale via a business auction process. Attracting bidders including Danone , Kerry Group , McCain Foods and Nomad Foods , it was sold to Monde Nissin Corporation headquartered in the Philippines for £550m ($ 831m). Quorn
4896-403: The carbohydrates. The alkaline solution is then treated with acidic substances to precipitate the protein, before being washed and dried. The removal of fats and carbohydrates results in a product that has a relatively neutral flavor. Soy protein is also considered a "complete protein" as it contains all of the essential amino acids that are crucial for proper human growth and development. After
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#17328384397064992-413: The company appointed Mo Farah as its ambassador in a marketing push for fitness. Quorn is sold in ready-to-cook forms, such as cubes and a form resembling minced meat . The company later introduced a range of chilled vegetarian meals, including pizzas, lasagne, cottage pie, and products resembling sliced meat, hot dogs, and burgers. By 2005, Quorn enjoyed around 60% of the meat-replacement food market in
5088-581: The consumption of warm-blooded animals, eggs, and dairy products. Chopped almonds and grapes were used as a substitute for mincemeat. Diced bread was made into imitation cracklings and greaves . John Harvey Kellogg developed meat replacements variously from nuts, grains, and soy, starting around 1877, to feed patients in his vegetarian Battle Creek Sanitarium . Kellogg's Sanitas Nut Food Company sold his meat substitute Protose, made from peanuts and wheat gluten. It became Kellogg's most popular product as several thousand tons had been consumed by 1930. There
5184-484: The country and the relevant laws, and is not regulated in many areas. Eggs from hens that are only indoors might also be labelled cage-free , barn , barn-roaming or aviary , following the animal happiness certification policies, also known as "happy chickens " or "happy eggs". This is different from birds that are reared in systems labelled as battery cages or furnished cages . Legal standards defining free range can be different or non-existent depending on
5280-410: The country. Various watchdog organizations, governmental agencies, and industry groups adhere to differing criteria regarding what constitutes a "free-range" and "cage-free" status. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires that egg producers be able to demonstrate that "free range" egg layers have access to the outdoors. However, there is no government oversight as to the quality of
5376-535: The cultivation of stem cells on natural or synthetic scaffolds to create meat-like products. Scaffolds can be made from various materials, including plant-derived biomaterials , synthetic polymers, animal-based proteins, and self-assembling polypeptides. It is these 3D scaffold-based methods provide a specialized structural environment for cellular growth. Alternatively, scaffold-free methods promote cell aggregation, allowing cells to self-organize into tissue-like structures. Meat alternatives are typically consumed as
5472-615: The decision of the four largest retailers (who, between them, account for 98–99% of the Swedish retail market) to stop stocking conventional battery eggs. U.S. food suppliers Aramark and Unilever have announced they intend to buy only cage-free eggs, but as of 2013 there are not enough available to supply them. In Australia, free-range eggs sold in Aldi and Lidl do not meet the CSIRO ]'s Model Code recommendation of 1,500 hens per hectare . In March 2016, Australian ministers voted in new standards for
5568-438: The definition of free-range. The new standards allow for up to 10,000 birds per hectare, with no requirement for the hens to actually go outside. Choice , Australia's largest non-profit consumer organisation believes Australia's consumer affairs ministers made the decision to put the interests of large-scale Australian egg producers ahead of the needs of consumers. A group called PROOF (standing for Pasture Raised On Open Fields)
5664-969: The effects of housing systems on the quality of the eggs. Consumer perceptions of these alternative systems delivering a better product are then scientifically unjustified in terms of there being any nutritional difference. A 2011 research study carried out in North Carolina compared free-range and conventional caged eggs for fatty acids, cholesterol, vitamins A and E, finding higher fat content in free-range eggs, and no significant difference in cholesterol and vitamin levels. Vitamin D in eggs have been observed to increase up to 4 times in hens that have exposure to sunlight, compared to hens that are kept away from sunlight. Another research suggests that grass fed hens can produce eggs that are rich in (n−3) fatty acids, without adverse oxidative effects. Some other non peer-reviewed studies have found evidence for nutritional benefit of free-range eggs. Several major retailers have
5760-434: The external environment, or the amount of time the hen has access to it. Many producers label their eggs as cage-free in addition to, or instead of, free-range . Recently, US egg labels have expanded to include the term "barn-roaming", to more accurately describe the source of those eggs that are laid by hens which can not range freely, but are confined to a barn instead of a more restrictive cage. Cage-free eggs have been
5856-504: The figure, claiming that only 0.0007% (1 in 146,000) suffer adverse reactions and that the strain of fungus it uses does not produce toxins. Leslie Bonci, professor of nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh , described CSPI's claims as "overblown". Wendy Preiser, Gardenburger's vice president of marketing, said the company feared that Quorn's labels would cause suspicion about all meat-free products. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority
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#17328384397065952-576: The food industry as a "bold decision" and historic shift. Several investigations, particularly by the animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere , have raised doubts about to what degree cage-free farms are an improvement for laying hens. An investigation of a cage-free Costco facility in late 2016 purported to find cannibalism from the birds attacking each other, and concluded that neither caged nor cage-free facilities offered laying hens positive lives. Free-range eggs may be broader in definition and have more of an orange colour to their yolks owing to
6048-449: The former made by layering the thin skin which forms on top of boiled soy milk , and the latter being a dry bulk commodity derived from soy and soy protein concentrate . Some meat alternatives include mycoprotein , such as Quorn which usually uses egg white as a binder. Another type of single cell protein -based meat alternative (which does not use fungi however but rather bacteria ) is Calysta . To produce meat alternatives with
6144-476: The habitable land on Earth is used to support animals. Of all the land used for agriculture, 77% is used on animal agriculture even though this sector only supplies 17% of the total food supply. Plant-based meat can use a potential 47–99% less land than conventional meat does, freeing up more opportunities for production. Of the total water used in global agriculture, 33% goes to animal agriculture while it could be used for drinking water or other growing purposes under
6240-407: The hens "have access to the outdoors". This access may be for very brief periods and the outside area may be small and sparse. Stocking densities indoors are often high, and many hens may stay inside as dominant hens often prevent the others from having access to the outside yard. Differences in age, strain, and nutrition of the hens make it exceedingly difficult to draw scientific conclusions about
6336-476: The hens must have "regular and meaningful" access. Currently, the most popular free range accreditation schemes mandating roaming space at or below the standard set by the EU for its members, are the Free Range Farmers Association (750 hens per hectare), Humane Choice (1,500 hens per hectare) and Australian Certified Organic (2,500 hens per hectare under pasture rotation). In July 2017, Snowdale
6432-477: The hens to actually go outside. Choice , Australia's largest non-profit consumer organisation believes Australia's consumer affairs ministers made the decision to put the interests of large-scale Australian egg producers ahead of the needs of consumers. In April 2017, the Australian Government finalised the law and decided to mandate a maximum of 10,000 hens per hectare in outdoor grazing areas, to which
6528-551: The industry appears to be transitioning towards this model as the dominant standard. Several U.S. states have enacted or are considering legislation banning the sale of eggs from conventionally caged hens. California, for instance, has already implemented such a ban. Major industry players, such as Cal-Maine Foods , the largest egg producer in the U.S., are investing heavily in cage-free production. Cal-Maine has allocated $ 40 million to expand its cage-free operations and plans to build five new facilities to house 1 million cage-free hens by
6624-647: The land being used for animal feed could be used to mitigate the negative effects we've already had on the planet through carbon recycling, soil conservation, and renewable energy production. In addition to the ecological harm caused by the current industry, excess antibiotics given to animals cause resistant microbes that may render some of the life-saving drugs used in human medicine useless. Plant-based meat requires no antibiotics and would greatly reduce microbe antibiotic resistance. A 2023 study published in Nature Communications found that replacing just half of
6720-453: The late 1960s. Several of the processes investigated did not come to fruition owing to political and economic problems, but the establishment of the ICI Pruteen process for the production of bacterial SCP for animal feed was a milestone in the development of the fermentation industry. This process used continuous culture on a large scale 1,500 m (53,000 cu ft). The economics of
6816-430: The market. Soy protein isolate is a highly pure form of soy protein with a minimum protein content of 90%. The process of extracting the protein from the soybeans starts with the dehulling, or decortication, of the seeds. The seeds are then treated with solvents such as hexane to extract the oil from them. The oil-free soybean meal is then suspended in water and treated with alkali to dissolve the protein while leaving behind
6912-427: The nature of eggs described as 'free range'" in its Initial Assessment of the application. There is a voluntary code, which covers the basic standards of husbandry for physiological and behavioural needs of poultry, that allows for 1,500 layer hens per hectare. However, the code also states that "any higher bird density is acceptable only when regular rotation of birds onto fresh range areas occurs". The voluntary code
7008-642: The original labeling of Quorn as a "mushroom based" product, since Fusarium venenatum is not a mushroom (rather, it is a microfungus ). The sale of Quorn was opposed by the American Mushroom Institute , and rival Gardenburger , which filed complaints with advertising and trading-standards watchdogs in Europe and the US, stating Quorn's 'mushroom based' claim was deceptive. CSPI claimed that Quorn could cause allergic reactions and should be removed from stores. CSPI claimed in 2003 that it "sickens 4.5% of eaters". The manufacturer (Marlow Foods) disputed
7104-798: The other hand, meat alternatives produced by top-down approaches may have limited malleability but are more scalable and can utilize available agricultural resources and infrastructure effectively. According to a study by Wageningen University & Research titled " Structuring Processes for Meat Analogues, " Techniques that follow the bottom-up strategy have the potential to resemble the structure of meat most closely.". A cross-national survey conducted among meat-eaters with varying degrees of meat alternative consumption showed that those who consumed higher quantities of meat were more willing to switch to meat alternatives if they resembled authentic meat more accurately. Which can be accomplished through bottom-up approaches. The study concludes that sensory experience plays
7200-464: The pipeline. Free range eggs carry an environmental cost. This is mainly because in free range egg production systems, the habitat is difficult to control and the resource required to produce eggs is higher than in caged egg production. A study done in the University of Newcastle, UK, showed a 16% increase in greenhouse gas emissions from a free range facility compared to a battery cage facility. In
7296-948: The potential to be healthier than animal source foods and have smaller environmental footprints. Companies producing plant-based meat alternatives, including Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods , have been criticized for their marketing and makeup of their products as well as their use of animal testing. Dietitians have claimed they are not necessarily healthier than meat due to their highly processed nature and sodium content. John Mackey , co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods , and Brian Niccol, CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill , have criticized meat alternatives as ultra-processed foods . Chipotle has claimed it will not carry these products at their restaurants due to their highly processed nature. CNBC wrote in 2019 of Chipotle joining "the likes of Taco Bell ... and Arby's in committing to excluding meatless meats on its menu." In response, Beyond Meat invited Niccol to visit its manufacturing site to see
7392-439: The potential to reduce the environmental impact of meat production, an important concern given that the global demand for meat products is predicted to increase by 15 percent by 2031. Research on meats and no-meat substitutes suggests that no-meat products can offer substantial benefits over the production of beef, and to a lesser extent pork and chicken, in terms of greenhouse gas production, water and land use. A 2022 report from
7488-468: The previously patented processes. However, they would have to use other brand names as Marlow Foods maintains ownership of the Quorn brand name. On 14 March 2011, CEO Kevin Brennan said in an interview: "Some patents surrounding the core technology have expired, but the product uses a peculiar fermentation method, and we have 30-plus years' experience in perfecting this on site to produce the product better and at
7584-656: The product was taken from a trademark owned by RHM. This trademark was previously used for a range of instant food packets named after the Quorn Hunt , which in turn derives from the Leicestershire village of Quorn . Quorn entered distribution in the UK in 1993, and it was introduced to other parts of Europe in the 1990s, and to North America in 2002. The initial advertising campaign for Quorn featured sports personalities, including footballer Ryan Giggs , rugby player Will Carling , and Olympic runner Sally Gunnell . In 2013,
7680-465: The production of SCP as animal feed were marginal, which eventually led to the discontinuation of the Pruteen process. The technical expertise gained from the Pruteen process assisted ICI in collaborating with company Rank Hovis McDougall on a process for the production of fungal biomass for human food. A continuous fermentation process for the production of Fusarium venenatum biomass (marketed as Quorn)
7776-698: The production process. Chipotle later developed its own "plant-based chorizo ". In September 2022, Taco Bell also began adding plant-based meat alternatives to its menu. Some consulting firms and analysts demand more transparency in terms of the environmental impact of plant-based meat. Through a survey, analysts from Deloitte discovered that some consumers negatively linked meat alternatives to being "woke" and politically-left leaning. These ideas emerged in response to Cracker Barrel's introduction of Impossible Sausages in their restaurants in August, 2022. In 2021, 68% of consumers who purchased plant based meats believed it
7872-638: The salt content varies among products. The carbon footprint of Quorn Frozen Mince in the UK is claimed to be at least 80% less than that of beef. Quorn for the UK and European market is produced at Marlow's headquarters in Stokesley , North Yorkshire and at nearby Billingham in Stockton-on-Tees . After Quorn's 2002 debut in the United States, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) disputed
7968-585: The shift will occur if that is what consumers want; they will adapt to having birds in or out of cages. Not only are there debates between the egg industry and animal welfare advocates, but people are also debating whether this issue has to be handled by the federal government or the industry. The popularity of cage-free eggs in the United States has significantly increased in recent years. In 2012, approximately 5% of U.S. egg-laying hens were kept in cage-free systems. As of March 2024, this figure had risen to 40%. While cage-free systems are not without their challenges,
8064-583: The short term, and typically healthier, whereas vice foods are the opposite, having more long term consequences. Many ready-made meat alternatives combine these categories with their long list of ingredients. Consumers who are likely to want to be "virtuous" by avoiding damage to the environment or animals are also likely to want "virtuous" food in the form of simple ingredients. Free-range eggs Free-range eggs also known as cage-free eggs are eggs produced from birds that may be permitted outdoors. The term "free-range" may be used differently depending on
8160-592: The summer of 2025. In the European Union , cage-free egg production includes barns, free-range, organic (in the UK, systems must be free-range if they are to be labelled as organic) and aviary systems. Non-cage systems may be single or multi-tier (up to four levels), with or without outdoor access. In the UK, free-range systems are the most popular of the non-cage alternatives, accounting for around 44% of all eggs in 2013, whereas barns and organic eggs together accounted for 5%. In free-range systems, hens are housed to
8256-523: The textured base material is obtained, a number of flavorings can be used to give a meaty flavor to the product. The recipe for a basic vegan chicken flavor is known since 1972, exploiting the Maillard reaction to produce aromas from simple chemicals. Later understanding of the source of aroma in cooked meat also found lipid oxidation and thiamine breakdown to be important processes. By using more complex starting materials such as yeast extract (considered
8352-1026: Was a 0.3% increase in 2020, compared to 2019. The price will continue to decrease, according to projections by Statista (see average price graph). The motivation for seeking out meat substitutes varies among consumers. The market for meat alternatives is highly dependent on " meat-reducers ", who are primarily motivated by health consciousness and weight management. Consumers who identify as vegan , vegetarian or pescetarian are more likely to endorse concerns regarding animal welfare and/or environmentalism as primary motivators. Additionally, some cultural beliefs and religions place prohibitions on consuming some or all animal products , including Hinduism , Judaism , Islam , Christianity , Jainism , and Buddhism . Vegan meats are consumed in restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, vegan school meals , and in homes. The sector for plant-based meats grew by 37% in North America over 2017–18. In 2018–19, sales of plant-based meats in
8448-452: Was an increased interest in meat substitutes during the late 19th century and first half of the 20th century. Prior to 1950, interest in plant-based meat substitutes came from vegetarians searching for alternatives to meat protein for ethical reasons, and regular meat-eaters who were confronted with food shortages during World War I and World War II . Lentils were used at the turn of the century. In 1897, Food, Home and Garden published
8544-532: Was concerned that Marlow's marketing of Quorn as "mushroom in origin" was "misleading consumers". Marlow Foods were asked either to delete the claim or modify it to identify its fungal origin. Quorn formerly used battery eggs in some of its production processes, a practice opposed on ethical grounds by many vegetarians. Working with the Vegetarian Society, which initially did not approve Quorn's products, Marlow began phasing out battery eggs in 2000, and by 2004 all of their UK products were free of battery eggs, earning
8640-401: Was developed using a 40 m (1,400 cu ft) air-lift fermenter. During the 1960s, it was predicted that by the 1980s there would be a shortage of protein-rich foods. The filamentous fungus, Fusarium venenatum , was discovered in a soil sample in 1967. In 1985, RHM was given permission to sell mycoprotein for human consumption after a ten-year evaluation programme. The brand Quorn
8736-464: Was fined a record amount of $ 1.05m (including legal costs) for falsely advertising that its eggs were 'free range'. This was substantially larger than the fines imposed upon Derodi, Holland Farms, Pirovic or Darling Downs Fresh Eggs; set at either $ 300,000 or $ 250,000. Based on data in the European Commission's socio-economic report published in 2004, (prior to battery cages being banned in
8832-466: Was first marketed in 1985 by Marlow Foods (named after Rank Hovis McDougall's headquarters in Marlow, Buckinghamshire ), a joint venture between RHM and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), which provided a fermenter left vacant from their abandoned single-cell feed programme. The two partners invested in patents for growing and processing the fungus, and other intellectual properties in the brand. The name of
8928-461: Was healthier than animal meat. The number dropping to 60% in 2022, demonstrating a decline in consumers beliefs in the healthiness of these meats. Some states have instituted legislation stating that meat alternatives are not allowed to label themselves as "meat". In Louisiana, the so-called, "Truth in Labeling of Food Products Act" was challenged by Tofurky , complaining of free speech violations and
9024-659: Was known as mian jin by the Song dynasty (960–1279). Before the arrival of Buddhism, northern China was predominantly a meat-consuming culture. The vegetarian dietary laws of Buddhism led to development of meat substitutes as a replacement for the meat-based dishes that the Chinese were no longer able to consume as Buddhists. Meat alternatives such as tofu and wheat gluten are still associated with Buddhist cuisine in China and other parts of East Asia. Meat alternatives were also popular in Medieval Europe during Lent , which prohibited
9120-557: Was released nationwide later that year, becoming one of the most successful product launches in Burger King's history. By October 2019, restaurants, such as Carl's Jr. , Hardee's , A&W , Dunkin' Donuts , and KFC were selling plant-based meat products. Nestlé entered the plant-based burger market in 2019 with the introduction of the "Awesome Burger". Kellogg's Morningstar Farms brand tested its Incogmeato line of plant-based protein products in early September 2019, with plans for
9216-649: Was successful on those grounds. Alternative meats companies Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have attempted to appeal to meat eaters. University of Oregon marketing professor Steffen Jahn thinks that this has run afoul of human psychology, saying "the mimicking of real meat introduces that comparison of authenticity." Jahn argues that marketing plant-based meats with traditional meats leads to an artificiality that many consumers do not love. Consumer psychologists split foods into categories of "virtue" and "vice" foods, which ultimately guide how products are marketed and sold. Virtue foods are those that less gratifying appealing in
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