THE RECORD
BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE
Are alternative meats a fad or the future ?
Photo : courtesy of Impossible Foods
BY MARIO AGUILERA ’ 89
Liz Specht , PhD ’ 14 , is associate director of science and technology at the Good Food Institute ( GFI ), a nonprofit organization that supports plant-based and cultivated alternatives to conventional meat products . With a decade of research experience in synthetic biology , and a firm belief in how technology can help meet sustainable food demands , Specht is an alumna leading the new wave of new foods .
As the term “ veggie burger ” starts to seem quaint , and those almost-appetizing patties of yore make way for new , high-profile non-meats , we had one question for alumna Liz Specht , PhD ’ 14 : Where ’ s the beef ?
Why have plant-based meats become such a phenomenon ?
Interest in plant-based meat has risen over the last few years because these products are no longer catering simply to vegetarian or vegan segments of the population : they appeal to the growing category of “ flexitarian ” consumers — those who don ’ t give up meat altogether but seek to reduce their meat consumption , which some studies say constitute upwards of 50 percent of consumers . In order to have that broad appeal , the products need to really deliver on the taste and texture of meat — what these new products intend to do .
Consumers are also increasingly aware of the negative impacts of conventional meat production . Meat is undeniably among the most resource-intensive foods by virtually any metric : land use , water use , greenhouse gas emissions — you name it . It seems every few months another huge report is released synthesizing the work of environmental scientists around the world with the same conclusion : we need to eat far less meat to have any chance of hitting our climate targets and preventing massive environmental collapse . There are public health issues too , as modern “ factory farms ” are breeding grounds for antibiotic resistance and zoonotic disease , and the longstanding animal welfare aspects are also growing in the popular consciousness .
Younger generations are especially motivated to decrease their environmental footprint and to have concern for animals . Millennials and Gen-Z consumers are far more likely than their parents to see their food choices as an expression of their values . These two synergistic trends — better-tasting products , along with aware and altruistic consumers — are really driving the demand .
20 TRITON | WINTER 2020