Are meat alternatives new? Maybe we were always looking for them, we just didn’t call them that? After all, meat was not an easily available product for everyone in various historical periods.
The Chinese have been using soy for a long time and use it as a protein source – we can call it an alternative to meat, although it may not look like this and has a strong meat-like taste. Lithuania is not far behind – we have always had buckwheat and oatmeal meatballs, this is also an attempt to discover another source of protein without meat or fish. Even pea cutlets are already described in historical Lithuanian recipe books. We have always been fashionable – even before fashion.
What substitutes for our usual meat currently exist?
I think that zero waste movement led to a change in the shape of meat substitutes. We have many products that look like meat – sausages, hamburger patties… Sometimes they have a similar taste, are used in a similar way (need to be heated, fried). The chewing, nutrition, smell, taste, cooking method are similar – this gives us the feeling that something new has appeared, but in fact the manufacturers have simply standardized the forms and they have become similar to the one we like to cook. It comes easily to our kitchen and does not need to change habits. For example, if I’m grilling with my friends on Sunday, I can put one meat grinder, one analogue and I don’t have to think about how to make it.
You would like the meat analogue to be as healthy as possible, to have at least 20 grams of protein per serving (like, for example, chicken) and as little fat as possible. However, it is still very difficult to find similar products on the market.
Lab-created, so-called artificial meat prepared from animal stem cells is gaining more and more attention. These can be tasted in several restaurants around the world. However, in some places, such as Italy and France, it is prohibited. How is this meat made? What should you know about her?
For now, it will not be possible to taste it in Europe due to legal regulation. France and Italy are two big countries with a lot of authentic meat products produced by small farmers. Fearing that they would lose their jobs, that it would harm the country’s economy, countries preempted the events and legislated that such meat could not be imported. But the law can be changed at any time.
Lab-grown meat sounds like a very good idea: all we have to do is take a stem cell from an animal once, put it in a culture medium, wait, and take out a steak. But that’s not really the case. Cultivation also requires a nutrient medium, a lot of energy, a sterile environment, because we ourselves are covered with various bacteria (this is completely normal, but we cannot know what will grow), special conditions are needed.
This idea was mentioned for the first time in 2013 and scientists have come a long way. The first portion cost 100 or 300 thousand. US dollars, in ten years we have reached 9 dollars for a hamburger. However, the further path from $9 to $1, which is the price of a regular burger at a fast food joint, will be more difficult and longer.
Another alternative to meat is insects. What insects can be used for human food?
The guidelines for insect breeding include six species, four for human consumption and all six for animal feed. Insects are an expensive product, snacks cost crazy money, so surely no one will sprinkle them on cookies and bars, because there is no point. The flour and water from which most of these products are made are very cheap raw materials and there is simply no point in replacing them. Secondly, those who have tasted insects will definitely say that they have a very expressive taste, if you sprinkle them, you will definitely feel that this is not an ordinary cookie or other baked goods.
I recommend opening up to innovation as much as you can. If this is too disgusting, one should not forget the psychological moment. If we find the food disgusting – not only about crickets, in general, some people are disgusted by bacon or other products – it is better not to eat it.
When we find food unacceptable, the body’s metabolism will be different than that of food we find tasty. Nausea may start, digestive problems may arise (stomach stops or food feels like a foreign body, there is a desire to remove it). I always say that it is better not to taste what does not appeal to you. For those who are interested, insects are a great snack, a great alternative that helps expand the flavor palette. It is an excellent source of protein, insects contain both fiber and the necessary trace elements and amino acids.
There are also more and more plant-based milk options on store shelves. Soy, coconut, oats, macadamia, peas… Can we expect innovation in this area?
I know that Latvians are very active in trying to create milk from potatoes. There are all kinds of those raw materials and it is only a matter of imagination and creative power, what awaits us. I believe that new innovative products will come from those searches. After all, you can try to create milk, but discover something completely different, so I have no doubt that the quantity and supply of plant-based milk analogues will definitely expand.
The choice depends on the person – the same product can be both useful and poisonous, this is true for all food products. If people are sensitive to lactose or milk protein, milk is almost poison for them, it irritates the immune system. For those who don’t have it, it’s neither good nor bad, it’s just an ethical choice. Many people may feel that some nuts are better, others cause allergies, so when making a final decision, a person must evaluate the reaction of his body. When introducing new products, I invite you to observe the body – does the stomach not bloat, does it stop drinking, does it not produce acids, because this is a unique reaction of the body.
Food Printing – What do you think about it? Is this the near mass future, or is it just small experiments and fun?
Food printing is our immediate future and I don’t know why no one is talking about it. Maybe you imagine that this only happens in science fiction movies. Food printers are not expensive anymore, they cost 3-5 thousand. euros, if it got cheaper to 500 or 700 euros, it would be like any other kitchen appliance.
It is important for me that the food is good-looking and tasty, but in order to make it, you need to invest a lot of energy and effort. Food printing allows you to ensure all nutrients, vitamins, minerals in one portion. For example, you can print a birthday cake, but it will be “normal” food. It seems to me that this idea is one of the best and should be developed as soon as possible.
Finally, what do you think the human plate of the future will look like?
I think that in the future we will cook more, the interest in food, the desire to know and understand will increase, because it encourages people to cook more and it is already visible in cooking shows. A few years ago, we used to buy semi-finished products more often, and now people dry fruits and vegetables at home, use vacuums, lyophilization is also becoming everyday – many innovations come to the house and everyone wants to try them, make their own jam or broth. That hasn’t happened in years. People are switching back to homemade broths and I’m very happy about that. Then you can control the amount of salt, sugar, composition, such products will have zero preservatives.
My prediction for the future is that there will be more love on the plate, elements created by hand, and food production will be a normal part of life.
Listen to the full interview:
