We invite you to have a look into our selection of relevant studies, reports and further publications in the field of plant-based food. You are able to filter them by topic. Simply select your field of interest below. Please note that this list is by no means exhaustive.
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Topic

Plant-based Sustainable Public Procurement: Best Practices
European Vegetarian Union
2023
This report looks at the benefits of introducing more plant-based options into collective catering and highlights existing sustainable initiatives.

Wang, Y. et al.
Nutrition Journal volume 22, 46, 2023
This study aimed to summarize the existing prospective observational evidence on associations between adherence to plant-based dietary patterns and chronic disease outcomes.

Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change.
Springmann et al.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(15), 4146–4151. , 2016
The study aimed to analyze the health and environmental impacts of dietary changes towards less meat and more plant-based diets, and to estimate the economic benefits of these changes. The outcome shows that transitioning to more plant-based diets could result in significant health and environmental benefits depending on the region.

Pineda et al.
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, 2022
This study evaluated food environment policy in Europe and identified priority actions for governments to create healthier food environments. It found that Finland had the highest implementation of policies shaping food environments and identified several key gaps and recommendations for improvement across European countries.

Universities should lead on the plant-based dietary transition
Krattenmacher, J. et al.
The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(5), 354-355, 2023
This report illustrates how universities, through a shift to plant-based diets, could realize potential cost savings, mitigate environmental impacts, foster health, and communicate a positive message aligned with scientific insights.

Klapp, A., Feil, N., Risius, A.
Current Developments in Nutrition, Volume 6, Issue 11, November 2022
The study examines the extent to which food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) cover plant-based diets and alternatives to animal-based foods. 95 guidelines from 100 countries were analyzed. Results showed that most countries lack information on plant-based diets.

Rosenfeld, D. et al.
Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2022
The artcile is based on a 10-week field experiment, which conludes that items were 24% more likely to sell when they were marketed as vegetarian/vegan than when they were marketed as plant-based.

Plant-based food and protein trend from a business perspective: markets, consumers, and the challenges and opportunities in the future (fee required)
Aschemann-Witzel, J. et al.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 61:18, 3119-3128, 2020
The paper outlines the global drivers, market trends, market data observations, consumer behavior factors of relevance and pinpoints the SWOT analysis regarding plant-based food and proteins for food sector companies.

Giacalone, D. et al.
Current Opinion in Food Science. 48, 100919, 2022
The paper reviews challenges and strategies to improve the sensory quality of plant-based food and beverages as well as highlights the consideration of individual differences underlying consumer acceptance.

Evolving appetites: an in-depth look at European attitudes towards plant-based eating
Smart Protein Project
ProVeg International, University of Copenhagen, Ghent University, 2023
The survey report provides compelling insights into Europe’s plant-based food sector. It was carried out by ProVeg in partnership with the University of Copenhagen and Ghent University, as part of the Smart Protein project.

Infectious Diseases and Meat Production
Espinosa, R.; Tago, D.; Treich, N.
Environmental and Resource Economics, 76, 1019–1044, 2020
The article addresses how animal farming and meat consumption cause health risks and diseases, with a special focus put on epidemics. It explores the respective costs and impacts of these diseases as well as policy options to reduce them.

Vegan versus meat-based dog food: Guardian-reported indicators of health
Knight, A. et al.
Plos One, 17(4), 0265662, 2022
This article looks into vegan dog food and its health effects. A study was conducted comparing seven indicators related to the health of dogs following either a conventional meat, raw meat or a vegan diet.

Springmann, M. et al.
Plos One, 13(11), 0204139, 2018
As red and processed meat have negative impacts on health and the environment, this research article describes how, through a market-based approach of taxing them, the consumption of these meats can be regulated.

Impact of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives on the Gut Microbiota of Consumers: A Real-World Study
Toribio-Mateas, M. A.; Bester, A.; Klimenko, N.
Foods, 10(9), 2040, 2021
This study analyses the change of consumers’ gut microbiota when occasionally replacing animal meat with plant-based meat alternatives. The findings speak for a positive change in gut microbiome.

Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems
Willett, W. et al.
The Lancet Commissions, 393(10170), 447-492, 2019
The article addresses the problems and challenges of our current food system. Because it has negative effects on both the environment and human health, the need for a food system change is emphasized.

Bianchi, F. et al.
Lancet Planet Health. 2(9), 384–97, 2018
The qualitative comparative analysis examines whether restructuring physical micro-environments can influence habitual behavior towards a lower consumption of meat.

Legume dreams: The contested futures of sustainable plant-based food systems in Europe
Cusworth, G.; Garnett, T.; Lorimer, J.
Global Environmental Change, 69, 102321, 2021
The article is about the role of legumes in the food system and their potential to help create a more sustainable and healthy diet. Their versatility and promising narratives associated with legumes are highlighted.

Plant-based for the Future: Insights on European consumer and expert opinions
Gebhardt, B.
Hohenheim Research Center for Bioeconomy at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, 2020
The study is about the increased demand for vegan and vegetarian products. It aims to explore drivers and obstacles that encourage or prevent customers from buying plant-based products.

How Will Cultured Meat and Meat Alternatives Disrupt the Agricultural and Food Industry?
Gerhardt, C. et al.
A T Kearney, 2019
The study is about which types of meat alternatives are most likely to displace conventional meat production, how the value chain would change and who would benefit from the displacement.

Jetzke, T. et al.
German Environment Agency, 2019
In this study, three types of meat alternatives – plant-based meat substitutes, edible insects and in-vitro meat – are examined with respect to their health and environmental impacts.

Protein-rich legume and pseudo-cereal crop sustainability under present and future European Climates
Manners, R.; Varela-Ortega, C.; van Etten, J.
European Food Research and Technology, 2020
The study deals with the topic of how climate change can affect the cultivation of 13 exemplified protein-rich crops as dietary replacements for animal products in different parts of the EU.

Nachtsheim, R. et al.
Hohenheim Research Center for Bioeconomy at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, 2021
The study focuses on the consumers of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives in six European countries. It provides insights into the demand of these products and consumer preferences.

TEA of cultivated meat. Future projections for different scenarios
Odegard, I.; Sinke, P.; Vergeer, R.
CE Delft, 2021
The report looks into the Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) for the production of cultivated meat at industrial scale in the 2030’s. First, a model for current costs is developed, and then it is analyzed how costs can be cut by 2030.

Plant-based and cell-based approaches to meat production
Rubio, N. R.; Xiang, N.; Kaplan, D. L.
Nature Food,11, 6276, 2020
The article looks into plant and cell-based meat alternatives and their benefits and challenges with regard to production efficiency, product characteristics and impact categories.

LCA of cultivated meat. Future projections for different scenarios
Sinke, P.; Odegard, I.
CE Delft, 2021
The study uses Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to compare conventional and cultivated meat with respect to their environmental impact. The results can help to improve cultivated meat in the future.

Plant-based meat: Anticipating 2030 production requirements
Troya, M. et al.
Good Food Institute, 2022
A hypothetical scenario is set up where plant-based meat accounts for 6% of the global meat and seafood market by 2030. Required resources are identified to find out about and avoid production bottlenecks.

Tuomisto, H.L.
EMBO Reports; 20, 47395, 2019
As a possible solution for more sustainable meat, this article provides information about cultured meat and gives insights into its production process, environmental impacts and challenges.

Evaluating the environmental impacts of dietary recommendations
Behrens, P. et al.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(51), 13412-13417, 2017
The study compares the environmental consequences of nationally recommended diets and average nutrition in 37 nations. The aim of the study is to place more attention on the environmental impact associated with nationally recommended diets.

Benton, T. G. et al.
Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2021
The report shows how the impact of our current food system leads to climate change and loss of biodiversity. In order to create a more sustainable food system, potential solutions are presented.

Carlsson Kanyama, A.; Hedin, B.; Katzeff, C.
Sustainability, 13(22), 12599, 2021
Through analysis of scientific articles in a systematic literature review, the publication compares plant-based and dairy products regarding their impact on emissions and resources used.

Chai, B. et al.
Sustainability, 11, 4110, 2019
The systematic review aims to find out which type of diet has the smallest impact on the environment. Vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous forms of nutrition are compared.

Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5° and 2°C climate change targets (fee required)
Clark, M. A. et al.
Sciene, 370(6517), 705-708, 2020
This research shows that, in order to achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C, our global food systems play a crucial role and need to be changed.

Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions
Crippa, M. et al.
Nature Food, 2, 198–209, 2021
The new global food emissions database EDGAR-FOOD combines emissions from food-related land use and land-use change, production, processing, distribution, consumption and residues over 1990–2015 at country level.

Livestock’s long shadow: environmental issues and options
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2006
The in-depth assessment shows the impacts the livestock sector has on the environment. The aim is to draw attention to these resulting environmental issues and to address the urgency of a change.

The effects of livestock grazing on biodiversity are multi-trophic: a meta-analysis
Filazzola, A. et al.
Ecology Letters, 23(8), 1298-1309, 2020
The meta-analysis of 109 independent studies examines how livestock grazing contributes to the loss of biodiversity. It highlights the potential multi-trophic effects on animal biodiversity (e.g. herbivores, pollinators and predators).

Livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions: impacts and options for policy makers
Garnett, T.
Environmental Science & Policy, 12(4), 491-503, 2009
The paper reviews the life cycle analysis (LCA) approach to quantifying GHG emissions and concludes that certain further perspectives should be taken into account when examining impacts of livestock and respective mitigation strategies.

Gerber, P.J. et al.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2013
The article is about the livestock sector and how it contributes to climate change. It also investigates how this sector can be part of the solution to mitigating the effects of global warming.

The role of global dietary transitions for safeguarding biodiversity
Henry, R. C. et al.
Global Environmental Change, 58, 101956, 2019
The study examines how meat consumption causes agricultural expansion and negative effects on biodiversity. The study furthermore shows how diets lower in meat can help protect biodiverse natural ecosystems.

IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2022
The Working Group III contribution to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report assesses scientific, technological, environmental, economic and social aspects of mitigation of climate change, including sustainable healthy diets.

Kim, B. F. et al.
The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, 2015
The report states that reducing food waste and animal products is essential to mitigating the effects of climate change, but at the moment these topics take up too little space in negotiations.

Country-specific dietary shifts to mitigate climate and water crises
Kim, B. F. et al.
Global Environmental Change, 62, 101926, 2020
The article models the greenhouse gas (GHG) and water footprints of nine increasingly plant-forward diets, aligned with criteria for a healthy diet, specific to 140 countries.

Incorporation of novel foods in European diets can reduce global warming potential, water use and land use by over 80% (fee required)
Mazac, R. et al.
Nature Food, 3, 286–293 , 2022
The article estimates how, through a change in European diets based on plants and novel foods, global warming, land use and water consumption can be reduced.

Nijdam, D.; Rood, T.; Westhoek, H.
Food Policy, 37(6), 760-770, 2012
In this study, 52 life cycle assessment studies (LCAs) of animal and vegetal protein sources are examined. The products are compared in terms of their land requirement and carbon footprint.

Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers
Poore, J.; Nemecek, T.
Science, 360, 987 – 992 , 2018
The article assesses the heterogeneity of environmental impacts of the same product by consolidating data on, among other factors, 38,700 farms. The results highlight leeways for producers' choices as well as dietary changes.

Shifting Diets for a Sustainable Food Future
Ranganathan, J. et al.
World Resources Institute, 2016
The paper assesses the role of a dietary change for people who consume large amounts of calories, beef, and animal-based foods and their potential effects on land use and GHG emissions.

The role of trade in the greenhouse gas footprints of EU diets
Sandström, V. et al.
Global Food Security, 19, 48-55, 2018
The paper reveals how EU countries differ in food consumption footprints. Calculating GHG emissions based on production, trade and land use change, the share of animal products displays the most important determining factors.

Meat alternatives: life cycle assessment of most known meat substitutes (fee required)
Smetana, S. et al.
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 20, 1254–1267, 2015
The article looks at the environmental impact of meat and meat substitutes. While examining the whole supply chain, meat substitutes are compared to chicken, which is the most sustainable meat.

Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change
Springmann, M. et al.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113 (15), 4146-4151, 2016
In a region-specific approach, the study examines the impact of dietary changes on health and environment and shows how a change towards a low-meat diet can be beneficial for all major world regions.

Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits
Springmann, M. et al.
Nature, 562, 519–525, 2018
The article shows how – if nothing changes – the food system will cause environmental effects that will cross planetary thresholds. Therefore, options of transforming the food system are analyzed.

Climate benefit of changing diet
Stehfest, E. et al.
Climatic Change, 95, 83–102, 2009
By using an integrated assessment model, the article examines the potential of dietary changes to mitigate the effects of climate change. Different mitigation scenarios are shown.

Environmental Impacts of Diet Changes in the EU
Tukker, A. et al.
JRC European Commission, 2009
The report develops three diets on the basis of health recommendations from EFSA, WHO and other organizations, and calculates the changes in environmental impacts achievable through a shift from current diets towards these diets.

Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat Production
Tuomisto, H. L.; Teixeira de Mattos, M. J.
Environmental Science and Technology, 45(14), 6117–6123, 2011
Using the Life Cycle Assessment research method, the article compares the environmental impacts of conventionally produced meat and cultured meat, thereby revealing the potential of the latter.

Estimated micronutrient shortfalls of the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet
Beal, T. et al.
The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(3), 233-237, 2023
The report addresses potential micronutrient deficiencies and proposes modifications to the planetary health diet to ensure adequate intake of vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc without fortification or supplementation.

Bechtold, K. et al.
ProVeg International as part of the Smart Protein Project, 2021
This study examines how a plant-based diet is perceived by consumers in ten European countries and whether they are willing to shift their eating habits towards a more plant-based diet.

Dinu, M. et al.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 57(17), 3640-3649, 2017
Through a meta-analytical approach, this study examines the impacts vegan or vegetarian diets have on health and how these forms of nutrition can influence the risk for certain diseases.

Springmann, M. et al.
The Lancet Planetary Health, 2(10), 451-461, 2018
This global modeling analysis examines three different approaches to sustainable diets by analyzing their impacts on the environment, food security and public health for all world regions and more than 150 individual countries.

Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health
Tilman, D.; Clark, M.
Nature, 515, 518–522, 2014
The report shows the negative influences current Global diets can have on the environment as well as on human health and how, in the future, a change towards more sustainable diets can mitigate those consequences.

The Protein Puzzle: The consumption and production of meat, dairy and fish in the European Union
Westhoek, H. et al.
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, 2011
The publication analyzes the impact of the European production and consumption of meat, dairy and fish at a European and global level and investigates options for a more sustainable food system.

Meet the meatless: demand for new generation plant-based meat alternatives (fee required)
Zhao, S. et al.
Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 2022
This study analyzes the demand for plant-based meat alternatives compared to real meat in the period from 2017 to 2020. The impact of the pandemic on plant-based meat demand is also being examined.

BMEL
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), 2020
The brochure presents the Protein Crop Strategy of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. It emphasizes the importance of cultivating pulses as they can help make agriculture more sustainable.

Hunger for Meat: Can Animal Protein-Based Taxation Reverse the Trend?
Caillavet, F.; Fadhuile, A.; Nichèle, V.
Agriculture and Applied Economics Association, 2016
This paper analyzes the effects of introducing carbon taxation proportional to emissions and its nutritional consequences on diet quality and the balance between plant-based and animal proteins.

European Commission
European Commission, COM(2018) 757, 2018
This report is intended to review the supply and demand situation for plant proteins in the EU and to explore possibilities to further develop their production in an economically and environmentally sound way.

Is Meat Too Cheap? Towards Optimal Meat Taxation
Funke, F. et al.
INET Oxford Working Paper No. 2022-01, 2022
The article looks at meat consumption taxation. The results suggest that meat is significantly underpriced and provides preliminary estimates of the environmental social costs.

Howard, P.
iPES-Food, 2022
The report examines the key claims about problems and proposed solutions made in the debate about livestock, fish, alternative proteins or sustainability and criticizes the often generalized and simplified debates.

Toward Optimal Meat Consumption (fee required)
Katare, B. et al.
American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 102(2), 662-680, 2020
The article explores government mechanisms to mitigate external costs of meat consumption. It is argued that a strong mechanism, such as a meat tax, is required to shift consumers’ meat consumption toward a socially optimal state.

Mason-D'Croz, D. et al.
The Lancet Planetary Health, 3(7), 318-329, 2019
The study focuses on fruit and vegetable consumption as an important aspect of a dietary shift. It aims to quantify the gap between future fruit and vegetable supply, demand and recommended consumption levels.

Calculation of external climate costs for food highlights inadequate pricing of animal products
Pieper, M.; Michalke, A.; Gaugler, T.
Nature Communications, 11(1), 2020
By drawing on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and meta-analytical approaches, the article aims to fill the scientific gap of identifying external climate costs for foodstuff by using Germany as an example.

Alternative Proteins: The race for market share is on
Bashi, Z. et al.
McKinsey & Company, 2019
This article analyzes the growing market for alternative proteins. It points out current developments, consumer interests and compares different alternative protein sources and their future economic prospects.

Terres Univia
Terres Univia, 2017
This french national plan on vegetable oils and proteins was made in cooperation with the industry association Terres Univia. The protein plan focuses inter alia on the competitiveness of value chains and the autonomy in plant proteins for animal feed.

Changing Climate, Changing Diets: Pathways to Lower Meat Consumption
Wellesley, L.; Happer, C.; Froggatt, A.
Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2015
The report points out that governments must lead the process of the necessary dietary change. It recommends a pathway for governments to overcome their inertia and take action to tackle the problem.

Is Price a Barrier to Eating More Fruits and Vegetables for Low Income Families?
Cassady, D.; Jetter, K. M.; Culp, J.
Journal of American Dietetic Association, 107(11), 1909-1915, 2007
This study examines whether fruit and vegetable prices are a barrier for low-income consumers to meet the daily amounts of fruit and vegetables recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.

Consumer Footprint. Basket of Products indicator on Food, EUR 28764 EN
Castellani, V.; Fusi, A.; Sala, S.
Publications Office of the European Union, 2017
This report is about the subset indicator of the basket of product (BoP) on food, which is built to assess the environmental impact associated with average food consumption in Europe from raw material extraction to end of life.

Modelling the drivers of a widespread shift to sustainable diets
Eker, S.; Reese, G.; Obersteiner, M.
Nature Sustainability, 2, 725–735, 2019
The article looks into the dietary and behavioral changes that are needed to reduce meat consumption. To find driving factors for a change in diet, a behavioral diet shift model and an integrated assessment model are linked.

Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis
Hirvonen, K. et al.
The Lancet Global Health, 8(1), 59-66, 2019
The analysis examines the affordability of the EAT-Lancet reference diet; a reference diet that protects the environment as well as health. Food price and household income data from 159 countries is used to calculate its affordability.

Milford, A. B. et al.
Appetite, 141, 104313, 2019
By using data from 137 countries, the article identifies factors that influence meat consumption. The most important drivers are estimated to be income per capita followed by rate of urbanization.

Toward Sociocultural Indicators of Sustainable Healthy Diets
Nicholls, J.; Drewnowski, A.
Sustainability 13(13), 7226, 2021
The paper aims to better integrate the social and economic dimensions of sustainable diets into research. Although mentioned in the UN approach to sustainable development, they are often given too little attention.

Plant-based foods in Europe: How big is the market?
Smart Protein Project
Smart Protein Plant-based Food Sector Report, European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, 2021
The report provides an overview of the market for plant-based food in eleven European countries. It shows current trends, developments, sales numbers and market shares of different plant-based products.