Miller Magazine Issue: 148 April 2022

76 COVER STORY MILLER / APRIL 2022 products also tend to be fortified with vitamins and minerals to enhance nutritional content and in some cases to account for nutritional differences between the plant-based ingredi- ents and the animalderived products they are intended to replace. What are the food safety implications to be considered? Food safety implications for food derived from plants depend on the soil, the agricultural inputs used where the source plants are grown, how the plants are harvested, stored, transported, and processed to obtain the protein iso- lates, handling of products post-processing and at the retail level as well as implementation of appropriate food safety management practices. Certain plant-based food prod- ucts tend to have a higher diversity of ingredients in them than animalbased products, potentially providing a variety of sources from where hazards may arise. Therefore, food safety can be a varied challenge for plant-based alternatives with multiple entry points for different contaminants – bio- logical and chemical. The food safety considerations for plant-based alterna- tives to animal-derived products can be quite different from the ones necessary to produce animal-based products, and hence any transition will require a careful retooling for food safety management processes. Some companies are trying to incorporate predictive modelling approaches in early product design stages. This process involves carrying out initial microbial risk assessments in silico based on pro- cessing conditions, intrinsic properties of the product, and intended storage and consumption conditions. The presence of mycotoxins and other chemical hazards necessitates putting in place proper controls to reduce ex- posure to chemical contaminants through this new food source. As plant-based diets expand, more awareness about introducing allergens from foods not commonly con- sumed before is needed prior to entering our diets. While most plant-based alternatives contain ingredients that have been previously approved for human consumption, ambigu- ities around the nomenclature of plant-based alternatives can create obstacles in developing guidelines relevant for the labelling of plant-based foods. Apart from food safety, price-point and cultural appeal of plant-based alternatives are other challenges to consider. The cost of plant-based alternatives is expected to reduce as consumer demand increases. Currently, plant-based meat alternatives are tailored for a more Western-type diet (burgers, nuggets, sausages), with insufficient foray into more traditional foods in different regions, thereby limiting consumer base and acceptance. There are some potential trends on the horizon in the plant-based alternatives space, for instance, hybrid milk (combination of animal dairy and plant-based beverages), mixture of animal-based products and plant-based ingre- dients (such as animal-based meat combined with mush- rooms). Progress in this area will depend on taking an inte- grated multidisciplinary approach to consider and overcome the various challenges. The Plant Based Foods Association Senior Director of Marketplace Development Julie Emmett: “The sustained rise in the market share of plant-based foods is remarkable, and makes it clear that this shift is here to stay. More and more consumers are turning to plant-based options that align with their values and desire to have a positive impact on personal and planetary health. The data shows that, despite the challenges of the past two years, retailers and foodservice providers are meeting consumers where they are by partnering with brands across the entire store to ex- pand space, increase assortment, and make it easier than ever to find and purchase plant-based foods. The potential impact of these initiatives extends far beyond the store shelf: By taking consumer concerns to heart, the industry is active- ly embracing its role as a key driver of change that moves us closer to a secure and sustainable food system.” “Product innovation is critical for plant-based categories to continue to earn a larger share of the market. Getting more consumers to eat plant-based foods more often re- quires improved taste and texture to compete with animal products, more product diversity, and greater affordability and accessibility. As businesses recognize the staying pow- er of plant-based foods, the food industry must seize these opportunities to maximize the vast potential of plant-based alternatives to compete with animal products,” says the Good Food Institute Research and Analysis Manager Karen Formanski.