TY - JOUR

T1 - Alternative Products Selling Sustainability? A Brazilian Case Study on Materials and Processes to Produce Plant-Based Hamburger Patties

AU - Zuin, Vânia G.

AU - Araripe, Evelyn

AU - Zanotti, Karine

AU - Stahl, Aylon M.

AU - Gomes, Caroindes J.C.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.

PY - 2022/9/8

Y1 - 2022/9/8

N2 - Plant-based protein-production and consumption have been booming recently, requiring novel, greener sources and processes that can make a real contribution to sustainability. Alternatives offered as patties can be found all over the world, promising less environmental and health risks compared to animal-based protein. In this context, a case study on soy-based patties from Brazil is presented, pointing out sustainable aspects of this value chain, from farm to fork, whilst presenting a theoretical discussion on consumer behavior. The implications of extensive land use for soy monoculture and aspects of the soy patty industrial processes, such as use of hexane, lack of information on labels, excess ingredients, and inconclusive data on food additives (such as methylcellulose), as well as integration of these concepts to design new undergraduate Chemistry curricula, are analyzed. Heavy processing in plants to achieve the taste, texture and appearance of meat increases the environmental footprint of vegetarian diets containing these items, disrupting the idea of sustainability that these products come with. Although meat production has a significant environmental impact, plant-based patties demonstrate that less impactful meat substitutes can also have environmental, social and health risks.

AB - Plant-based protein-production and consumption have been booming recently, requiring novel, greener sources and processes that can make a real contribution to sustainability. Alternatives offered as patties can be found all over the world, promising less environmental and health risks compared to animal-based protein. In this context, a case study on soy-based patties from Brazil is presented, pointing out sustainable aspects of this value chain, from farm to fork, whilst presenting a theoretical discussion on consumer behavior. The implications of extensive land use for soy monoculture and aspects of the soy patty industrial processes, such as use of hexane, lack of information on labels, excess ingredients, and inconclusive data on food additives (such as methylcellulose), as well as integration of these concepts to design new undergraduate Chemistry curricula, are analyzed. Heavy processing in plants to achieve the taste, texture and appearance of meat increases the environmental footprint of vegetarian diets containing these items, disrupting the idea of sustainability that these products come with. Although meat production has a significant environmental impact, plant-based patties demonstrate that less impactful meat substitutes can also have environmental, social and health risks.

KW - case study

KW - green and sustainable chemistry

KW - plant-based meat analogs

KW - protein extraction

KW - soybean processing

KW - soybean production in Brazil

KW - Chemistry

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160694266&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/suschem3030026

DO - 10.3390/suschem3030026

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85160694266

VL - 3

SP - 415

EP - 429

JO - Sustainable Chemistry

JF - Sustainable Chemistry

SN - 2673-4079

IS - 3

ER -