Nutritional Evaluation of Alternative Proteins vs. Animal Proteins: From Composition and Bioavailability to Consumer Perception and Enhancement Methods

Abstract

In recent years, due to the continuous growth of the global population, especially in developing regions where dietary habits are changing, and the general shift towards higher protein intake, the demand for meat products has been steadily increasing. However, traditional animal husbandry remains the main source of global meat supply and has led to increasingly prominent environmental issues. These issues include significant greenhouse gas emissions, which are the main cause of global climate change. In the urgent context, alternative proteins such as plant-based proteins from soybeans, peas, and other crops, fungal proteins, and insect proteins from crickets and whiteflies have gradually become important ways to alleviate resource pressure. Due to their favorable environmental characteristics, including a smaller carbon footprint and lower resource consumption compared to traditional animal husbandry, these alternative proteins have attracted increasing attention from academia and industry in recent years, and have shown enormous market growth potential. This article provides a systematic review of key literature on alternative proteins published both domestically and internationally over the past decade. It focuses on comparing the essential differences between alternative and traditional animal proteins in three aspects: nutritional composition (such as amino acid profile and micronutrient content), bioavailability (i.e. the efficiency of nutrient absorption by the human body), and consumer perception (such as acceptance levels and existing misunderstandings). In addition, this article also analyzes relevant strategies for improving alternative proteins in the future, such as gene editing technology, amino acid complementarity, and biotechnology.