With meat and seafood consumption in Asia expected to rise by 33 percent by 2030, the search for sustainable alternatives is gaining urgency. From climate-conscious consumers to health-focused eaters, more people across the region are turning to plant-based options that replicate the taste and texture of familiar favourites.
Though plant-based alternatives are designed to resemble animal meats in taste and appearance, they often differ in their nutritional content and benefits. “Much of the current focus in developing alternative meat products has been on ‘neck up’ aspects such as taste and texture. But there’s still a major gap in understanding their effects ‘neck down’—that is, how they impact the body from a nutritional perspective,” said Caleb Ong, a Research Officer at the A*STAR Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (A*STAR SIFBI).
Understanding whether alternative proteins can offer comparable nutritional benefits to animal-based protein is critical for long-term health and dietary planning. Ong, alongside Senior Scientist Jie Hong Chiang and their team at A*STAR SIFBI, set out to assess the nutritional quality of both conventional and plant-based versions of popular meat products, including luncheon meat, chicken fillets and fish fingers.
“It wasn’t just about measuring the nutrient content—we wanted to translate these data into meaningful health comparisons, uncovering how these plant-based proteins can contribute to health outcomes relative to animal meat,” said Ong.
Using an established in vitro static digestion protocol (INFOGEST), which simulates human digestion, the team evaluated how each product was broken down by the body. The team found that the animal-based products generally had higher protein digestibility, greater levels of essential amino acids and superior overall protein quality than the alternative meat samples.
Plant-based products, while rich in dietary fibres and complex protein matrices, presented lower digestibility due to their structure—limiting enzyme access to proteins and lipids.
According to the researchers, reduced protein digestibility could result in inadequate absorption of important amino acids required for muscle function, immune response and metabolic health. Similarly, lower lipid digestibility could limit the uptake of essential fatty acids that support neurological health, regulate inflammation and maintain cardiovascular function.
“While alternative proteins present a promising and sustainable option, our findings suggest that their nutritional performance still lags behind that of animal-based proteins in several key areas,” said Ong.
The team’s next phase involves investigating the underlying factors that limit the nutrient bioaccessibility in alternative meats, such as specific protein structures that resist enzymatic digestion. They also aim to explore novel processing techniques to improve nutrient release and develop strategies to enhance nutritional quality.
“Continued innovation is needed to close these nutritional gaps and ensure that alternative protein products are truly complete and functional replacements for their animal-based counterparts,” said Ong. “The goal is to boost nutrient accessibility without compromising the sensory qualities that drive consumer acceptance.”
The A*STAR-affiliated researchers contributing to this research are from the A*STAR Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (A*STAR SIFBI) and A*STAR Bioprocessing Technology Institute (A*STAR BTI).
