Cultivated Food News’ Post

What is the trend in meat consumption in the U.S.? (Quotes from The Good Men Project, December 30, 2023) According to recent statistics, a significant portion of the younger population in the United States, specifically those under the age of 50, have already experimented with plant-based meat alternatives. Despite the fact that it may seem like positive news, benefiting both animals and the environment, it is important to note that it only represents a minor impact on the billion-dollar conventional meat industry. Even with shifts in the variety of meat consumed, individuals residing in the U.S. continue to increase their meat consumption. ** https://lnkd.in/gr5JjdT4 **

Meat consumption in Europe is on the decline, with the German market experiencing a significant drop in the past 15 years. Only chicken meat consumption is growing, while the market shares of other meat types are shrinking. This shift in consumer demand is motivated by concerns over animal welfare, environmental impact, and personal health. Many Europeans are adopting diets that cut meat altogether, or reducing the amount they consume. The rise of plant-based meat substitutes and the anticipated market entry of cultured meat are also adding to the struggles of conventional meat products. Check out this report for an in-depth overview of meat consumption trends, shifts in consumer behavior, and an outlook on the future of the meat market in Europe. #MeatTrends #ConsumerBehavior #Sustainability

Meat consumption in America is going up. But where? And why? This fascinating article shows us the details. And offers ideas of how we can curb this trend. https://lnkd.in/gekb4QuK

In today's world, our relationship with food is imbalanced and unsustainable. Despite producing enough food to feed the entire population, nearly 30 percent of people worldwide experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2022. In this article, the SUN Civil Society Network sets forth a transformative vision to address these pressing challenges, prioritizing nutrition, equity, and sustainability in our global food and agricultural systems.

UN Declares May 30th as International Potato Day The UN has declared May 30th as International Potato Day, recognizing the potato's vital role in food security, nutrition, and industry. Learn about the German potato industry's contributions and the importance of potatoes in sustainable agriculture and global diets. https://lnkd.in/eYrkEmi9

Bill Gates and The Insect Brigade Bill Gates, joined by his cronies at the World Economic Forum, has long been the harbinger of our insect-eating future. According to them, our traditional dietary staples—like red meat and chicken—are far too “carbon-intensive” to align with the lofty ideals of Agenda 2030 and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Thus, in a bizarre twist of fate, crickets and mealworms are being positioned as the new steak and chicken breast. https://lnkd.in/eCSPHz2i

The topic of meat consumption is highly emotional, and vigorously defended. Any conversation around meat invariably ends up focused on beef, while poultry and pork are leading the charts. All the statistics demonstrate that current trend lines are unsustainable, we simply cannot continue to promote animal based protein with current production models. While it may be possible to increase production via grass-fed and on-farm raised animals, that concept has not yet been verified. Large scale grazing requires access to land, trained labor, and a rebuild infrastructure to transport and process. Such changes require time, investment, regulatory support. In the meantime, why not enjoy the ancient cuisines from around the world: Mediterranean, Asian, European which work with smaller amounts of meat to create wonderful, healthy menus? Better for our health, better for the environment. Take the pressure off the ecosystems, enjoy a plant forward, diversified menu. Global meat consumption, World, 1961 to 2050, Expressed in tonnes of meat. Data from 1961-2013 is based on published FAO estimates; from 2013-2050 based on FAO projections. Projections are based on future population projections and the expected impacts of regional and national economic growth trends on meat consumption. https://lnkd.in/g4Smj5QC

After over 25 years in the food and nutrition industry, I’m all too familiar with the fragility of our current food system. David Wallace-Wells essay in The New York Times perfectly captures my sentiments as he paints the stark reality of the persistent “food polycrisis.” So is our food system destined to fail? Not necessarily, we have time before real problems emerge, however if we don't start working on solutions now we will have a problem. Innovation and change is needed to avoid total failure driven by the many pressures within the food system, including the declining nutritional composition of many crops. Ayana Bio’s plant cell cultivation exists to solve this exact problem through the production of affordable, nutrient-dense plant cell ingredients that bypass the natural limits of agriculture. Yet with a multitude of intersecting problems plaguing the food system – inflation, climate change, hunger, and ecosystem threats – a bundle of innovations in agricultural and food technologies is also needed to develop a comprehensive toolbox for building a stable and secure food supply. The global food crisis will only get more complicated over time but I am hopeful with increased collaborative industry action we’ll achieve a resilient, nutritious, and sustainable future for generations to come. https://lnkd.in/g9Ezre_B #FoodTech #PlantCell #ClimateChange #FutureOfFood #Agriculture

❓ What is the true cost of eating meat? An article in The Guardian by Bibi van der Zee reveals the complex relationship between meat production and its effects on our planet and societies. The food industry is a major contributor to 💨 greenhouse gas emissions, 🌲 deforestation, and 💧 water pollution. 🐄 According to a research paper from Nature Food, meat accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gasses from food production, with beef production identified as particularly harmful due to the methane emissions from cows. These environmental impacts pose significant challenges to achieving global food security in the long term, as they threaten the very ecosystems we rely on for food production. That is the environmental cost, but what is the economic cost of eating meat? 💰 According to the American Institute for Economic Research - AIER which noted in April of 2022 that "the United States Federal government spends $38 billion every year subsidizing the meat and dairy industries.” The subsidization of meat and dairy makes those products easily accessible for the average American, allowing them to eat more of it which in turn makes them sick. 🥩 The Journal of American Medicine (JAMA) and The National Library of Medicine link our major meat consumption of unprocessed and processed meat (bacon, sausage, deli slices, hot dogs) to heart disease. According to a 2018 Milken Institute report, the $1.1 trillion in U.S. health care costs for chronic diet related diseases such as 🫀 heart disease, 🦠 cancer, 🩺 diabetes, and 😷 obesity as determined by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), is actually $3.7 trillion when lost economic productivity is included. The meat industry is destroying the environment and our health and we end up paying for it, not them. Article and source links are in the comments. #meatindustry #climatechange #healthcarecosts

Ever heard of PHL? ☝🏾PHL stands for Post Harvest Losses. It's generally related to Food Security: As it affects food access and availability. 👉🏽It refers to the reduction in quantity and quality of agricultural produce that occurs between harvest and consumption. ✔️According to FAO, approximately 14% of the World's food is lost on an annual basis betwen harvest and the retail market. https://lnkd.in/dh9hpgsX