"Meat Alternatives" Report Launched

News & Academies' activities

“The EU needs to act now if it wants to stay ahead of the protein transition, ensure food security, and meet its climate and biodiversity goals. It should create policies that support innovation in meat alternatives while ensuring food safety and consumer protection” says Professor Bert Rima, Chair of the Working Group composed of experts nominated by European science academies. “Europe’s future generations are likely to grow up with less meat on their plates - and that may be both necessary and beneficial. The report offers guidance to encourage people to eat less meat and to enable better choices.”

The European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) today published a comprehensive report on meat alternatives. As the EU is mulling a Protein Strategy to bolster sustainable food systems, the report examines the fast-growing world of meat alternatives, from plant-based and insect-derived proteins to microbial fermentation and cultivated meat.

The report offers policymakers a science-based roadmap for balancing climate commitments, public
health, and food system resilience. However, policy frameworks are lagging scientific and
technological developments.

Six Urgent Calls to Policymakers

Increase transparency and introduce clear, mandatory labelling standards on nutrition, processing, and environmental footprint
Establish clear policies and regulatory framework to guide the additions to plant-based and microbial protein products
Enhance environmental sustainability standards, i.e. comparability in life-cycle assessment, use of renewable energy, industrial and agricultural side streams
Strengthen consumer awareness with evidence-based recommendations on integrating meat alternatives into balanced diets and by combating misinformation
Create a positive framework for innovation by Investing in R&D, especially for safe and scalable alternatives like microbial and cultivated meat, and by helping livestock farmers adapt to changing markets for meat alternatives and alternative proteins
Consider ethical and societal questions, such as varying dietary needs, culture, traditions, and economic conditions. Attention must also be paid to ethical considerations in insect farming and ethical issues raised by cultivated meat relying on animal cells.

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