Elena Narcisa Pogurschi1, Nicoleta
Ciocirlie2
1Faculty of Animal Production Engineering
and Management, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of
Bucharest, 071331, Romania
2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 050097,
Romania
*For Correspondence
nicoleta.ciocirlie@fmvb.usamv.ro
The term "sustainable
food" defines food that is produced using methods that reduce
environmental impact (lower carbon emissions, reduced water consumption,
responsible use of resources, regenerative agriculture, etc.) while
"alternative foods" define food sources that can substitute classic
products (meat, milk, animal proteins), often being developed to respond to
growing global demand and resource problems. Identifying foods that are both
sustainable and alternative is a major challenge, an aspect that is discussed
in the following paper. Globally, trends in sustainable and alternative foods
show an accelerated growth of the market for plant-based and cultured proteins,
supported by technological innovations such as modern fermentation and
biotechnology, which reduce resource consumption and emissions. At the same
time, governments are starting to play an active role through major investments
in research and public policies – from the European Union’s “Farm to Fork”
strategy, to national plant-based food plans (e.g. Denmark, South Korea) and
regulations for cultured meat (Singapore, USA, Israel). While some solutions,
such as insect consumption, face cultural resistance and economic barriers,
there is a growing consensus that transforming the global agri-food system is
necessary to reduce climate impact, diversify food sources and ensure long-term
food security. In order to outline an adequate response to these requirements,
this paper aims to present the main categories of sustainable and alternative
foods, to characterize them both from a nutritional and sustainability
perspective, as well as to highlight the current regulatory framework
applicable to their introduction on the market.
Keywords
Sustainable Foods, Zero Hunger, Alternative Proteins, Sustainable Diets, Food Acceptance
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