Figure 5 - uploaded by Janet Ranganathan
Content may be subject to copyright.
Source publication
Installment 11 of Creating a Sustainable Food Future shows that for people who consume high amounts of meat and dairy, shifting to diets with a greater share of plant-based foods could significantly reduce agriculture’s pressure on the environment. It introduces a protein scorecard ranking foods from lowest (plant-based foods) to highest impact (be...
Similar publications
This work aims to measure the cost of supporting both the product price support policy and also support input prices, then the comparison between the two policies for their preference between them. The problem of study that the state when implementing the two policies bear sums from the public treasury. Analysis based on the collection of data from...
Top round cuts were obtained from sixteen sides of utility cows. Eight sides were randomly assigned as control (CON) and the remainders were prerigor pressurized (PRP) at 15,000 psi for 2 min. The top round from each side was divided into 4 wholesale cuts, vacuum packaged, heat-shrunk and randomly assigned to 0, 3, 5 or 7 weeks of storage at −1.6±1...
The drying of beef has gained an increasing interest and the organic market shows an increasing demand for dried beef products. In this study, organic beef meat slices were dried at 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C. Moisture content and color was measured throughout the drying process alongside Vis/VNIR hyperspectral images of the slices. The results of the...
Citations
... Sustainably farmed fish might be as low resource intensive as some plant-based foods. Data in this regard can be found in several sources [7][8][9]. Aquatic origin proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and micronutrients ("blue foods") are expected to nourish future nations [10,11] and provide a vital component of a 'planetary and healthy diet' [12]. It is increasingly understood that farming more food from water is possible [13]. ...
... Aquatic animal products potentially use fewer resources than terrestrial meat products (egg, pork, poultry, dairy, beef). Sustainably farmed fish may be as low resource intensive as some plant-based foods [8,9]. On a standardized diet basis (2000 kcal, irrespective of age and gender), the vegetarians (not vegans) and fish eaters in the United Kingdom showed comparable nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions (most potent greenhouse gas (GHG)), land use, and biodiversity impact (species extinction potential) [33]. ...
Pond aquaculture and water protection in Europe suffer from conflicts, whereas multitrophic freshwater aquaculture technologies face hardships with over-regulations in Europe. As such, inland freshwater aquaculture in landlocked Europe has not given its contribution or echoed its importance in regional food system dialogues. The emphasis on marine cages and RAS-based aquaculture is enormous. Almost if they are the only viable way to carry the future European aquaculture forward. In this scoping review, we have hypothesized that semi-intensive fishponds and freshwater multitrophic aquaculture could be an overlooked component in the European food system. The analysis we present reviewed: (1) current positioning of inland freshwater aquaculture in European food system; (2) European fishponds' current positioning within food system and inland freshwater aquaculture; (3) way forward for semi-intensive European fishponds through ecological pond nutrition research; (4) ecological technologies for realizing 'net zero' aquatic foods in landlocked Europe; (5) risks and potential for making the transition. We conclude ample circular technologies and nature-based solutions in pond and multitrophic freshwater aquaculture in landlocked Europe. They have the potential to transform food systems locally with low-impact aquatic food. European inland freshwater aquaculture may be a sleeping giant among EU's planetary healthy diet ambitions. As an example, 0.25 million hectares available Central Eastern European fishponds have the potential to ecologically substitute 1 billion marine fish oil capsules (EPA + DHA in 1 kt marine fish oil) and 11.9 kt of casein (leucine from 0.45 billion litres milk) equivalents, fulfilling singlehandedly annual leucine or EPA + DHA requirements of 1.2-3 million adults.
... In fact, in recent years, plant-based nutrition has been recognized not only as healthful and dietarily sufficient but also as having several distinct health advantages over meat-and dairy-based diets (Melina et al., 2016). Moreover, plant-based diets are associated with much less environmental damage (Ranganathan et al., 2016) and do not present questionable ethical issues regarding animal suffering (Lusk & Norwood, 2012). To put it differently, animal product-based diets are costly to our health and the planet and often inflict suffering on animals. ...
Diets based on animal products are costly to our health and the planet and often inflict suffering on animals.
In this study, we aimed to elicit animal advocacy among omnivores using the identifiable victim effect, a well-documented phenomenon in which presenting an identifiable victim, compared to anonymous or statistical victims, evokes greater caring and helping behavior.
We explored whether this finding extends to farm animal victims and particularly among omnivores who may have a material interest in the outcome (i.e., the slaughter of farm animals).
Consequently, due to their dietary lifestyle and consumer support of the meat industry, they may be perceived as complicit in the victimization.
In Experiment 1, omnivore participants indicated a greater likelihood to sign and share a petition to save an identified runaway calf (presented with a name and a picture) from slaughter than several unidentified runaway calves.
In Experiment 2, we extended these findings to actual petition signing, along with reporting support of the petition.
In Experiment 3, we further replicated the identifiability effect using real donations to save the runaway calf (calves) from slaughter and demonstrated it is limited to a single-identified victim.
Additionally, we found that feelings of sympathy (Experiment 1) and ambivalence towards meat (Experiment 3) mediated the effect, whereas concern, empathy, identification with animals (Experiment 2), and ecological identity (Experiment 3) moderated it.
Omnivores who scored high in concern and ecological identity, and low in empathy and identification with animals were more susceptible to the effect.
Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
... Shifting diets and food production can significantly reduce negative impacts from livestock (Costa et al., 2022;Michele, 2022;Ranganathan et al., 2016;Rieger et al., 2023). Applying linear programming, Mazac et al. (2022) find that replacing animal-derived foods with different novel foods can reduce environmental impacts from livestock by 80% and still meet Europe's nutritional targets. ...
Addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are critical global challenges. As a substantial contributor to emissions, animal-based products are under increasing scrutiny. Animal-free dairy products provide a potential. Although understanding consumer acceptance of these products is crucial, the literature on this topic is scant. This study investigates the perception and acceptance of animal-free dairy among German consumers (N = 1,487) using an online survey with five information treatments (general and topic-specific information about animal-free cheese, gene-modified organisms, animal welfare, environmental concerns, and farmer existence). The acceptance of animal-free dairy was measured by the respondents ’ willingness to try, substitute, buy, and regularly buy animal-free cheese. Acceptance was found to be comparatively lower than in past studies, although still prevalent among 45.65 % of consumers. Notably, there were significant variances in consumers’ perspectives toward animal-free cheese, causing an irregular distribution in their willingness statements. Multi-group analysis using partial least squares structural equation modeling showed that consumer acceptance did not significantly differ between treatment groups. However, individual analysis revealed that the willingness to buy animal-free cheese was positively influenced by perceived benefits and perceived sustainability. Conversely, perceived risks decreased this willingness. Positive attitudes toward farming and knowledge about farming increased perceived risks, while high social trust lowered them. Attitudes toward animal welfare and social trust positively influenced perceived benefits. These findings can be applied to inform and facilitate market introduction strategies of animal-free dairy products for producers and policy makers, providing insights into consumer acceptance of these products in Germany.
... The food sector contributes to 28 % of households' carbon footprint, making it households' dominant emission sector (IPCC, 2022). Production of animal-based food emits considerably more greenhouse gases and requires more land than plant-based food (Ranganathan et al., 2016). Production-side measures alone are insufficient to address the environmental problems' severity, and demand-side measures are critical for limiting warming to 1.5-2C (Bajželj et al., 2014;Clark et al., 2020). ...
... There is a vast and growing combined scholarly and grey literature on the question of how to transform the protein subsector in order to support a broader transition towards sustainable agri-food systems (for instance, Aiking & de Boer, 2020;Henchion et al., 2017;Ranganathan et al., 2016). From this literature there have emerged several points of contention and debate. ...
... Expanding the market for PSPFs and NPFSs will offer consumers greater options for sustainable diets. (Bailey et al., 2014;Clark et al., 2020;Hayek et al., 2021;Monbiot, 2022;Ranganathan et al., 2016;Willett et al., 2019) A shift towards increasingly plant-based and novel protein diets is necessary to reduce GHGs and mitigate the climate crisis. ...
... For instance, the Breakthrough Institute is a self-avowed eco-modernist think tank embracing technological solutions across the protein subsector, including in both precision livestock production and cell-cultured and other meat alternatives (Blaustein-Rejto et al., 2019;Blomqvist, 2019). For their part, established organizations like the World Economic Forum, World Resources Institute, and EAT Lancet Commission have indicated support for developing new markets in NPFPs as a means of reducing global ASPF consumption, while also indicating support for modern innovations in livestock production, and even -to an extent -support for some agro-ecological practices (Loken, 2021;Ranganathan et al., 2016;Searchinger et al., 2019;Whiting, 2020;World Economic Forum, 2019). Two other examples of orga-nizations fitting into more than one coalition include, first, the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which supports regenerative production of cattle while also advocating modern innovations in ruminant methane reduction, thus sitting at the interface of both Modernizing and Regenerating Protein (Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, 2016), and second, the UK Soil Association, which calls for a transition to agro-ecological methods of protein production while also calling for reductions in meat consumption (Percival, 2020). ...
There is a very quickly growing literature regarding the appropriate role of protein foods in sustainable food systems transition. From this literature there has emerged several points of contention and debate. There is, for instance, contestation over the appropriate balance of plant- and animal- sourced protein foods in feeding the world’s growing population; competing interpretations of the contributions made by plant and animal protein foods to healthy diets and the alleviation of malnutrition; disputes over the welfare of animals and human workers in protein production, as well as over the ethics of genetic manipulation in the production of novel protein food products; environmental debates about the relationships between protein food production methods and climate change and biodiversity decline; and finally (though not exhaustively), disagreements about how various populations, economic sectors, and cultural practices could be impacted by disruptive alternative protein food technologies or new protein-oriented policies introduced in the name of fomenting a sustainable agri-food transition. Protein foods are thus deeply implicated in a range of debates about sustainable agri-food systems.
This article provides a review of the literature on the future of sustainable protein across five core dimensions of sustainable food systems: i) food security; ii) nutrition and health; iii) ethics and welfare; iv) climate change and biodiversity; and v) social, economic, and cultural prosperity. Using a similar method of interpretive narrative analysis as that developed by Béné et al. (2019) in World Development, we identify and define three main “meta-narrative coalitions” on protein sustainability and examine their respective proposed solutions along these five dimensions. We label and define the three meta-narrative coalitions as i) “Modernizing Protein” (an approach which centers technological innovation as the primary mechanism for achieving sustainability in the global food system); ii) “Reconstituting Protein” (which prioritizes the reduction of animal protein consumption and the introduction of novel protein food products in order to achieve sustainable food system transition); and iii) “Regenerating Protein” (which seeks to restore human-nature relationships within protein production and consumption practices as a means of achieving sustainable development within the global agri-food sector). In addition to defining these meta-narrative coalitions and highlighting their core differences, internal disputes, and areas of common ground, we note how all three narrative coalitions are actively seeking to reshape food systems in material ways. In conclusion, we argue that the pluralist character of contemporary efforts in sustainable protein transition – wherein the world appears to be simultaneously moving in different directions at once – holds resilience potential, yet it also faces challenges which could hinder sustainable transformation. Our review contributes to ongoing debates in the literature by highlighting the need for proponents of different sustainable protein meta-narratives to work towards shared objectives, and constructively engage criticisms from opposing perspectives.
... After all, according to some indicators, the load on available resources is already beyond the limits of possible reproduction on a planetary scale [21]. In particular, irreversible processes of deterioration of soil quality are already taking place, which requires completely new approaches in the production of agricultural products, in the conditions of climate change, reduction of natural biodiversity and the impossibility of providing the planet with sufficient animal protein without significant disruption of the already unstable ecosystem [22]. These factors are generally recognized and reflected in the CSD-2030, but to eliminate their negative impact on the development of the food system for each country must develop its own policies and programs for their implementation. ...
Solving the problems of food security of those that already exist and those that await us in the near future lies in the formation of a food security system on the basis of sustainable development of agricultural land use. Theoretical and practical aspects of the research problem are carried out by domestic scientists, mainly in two separate areas: food security and sustainable development of agricultural land use. The World Scientific Society pays considerable attention to this problem, but they are distinguished by a practical orientation for a particular region, which often makes it impossible to implement such scientific achievements in Ukraine. In order to develop the Food Security Program on the basis of sustainable development of agricultural land use in Ukraine, an appropriate theoretical and methodological basis is needed, which was determined by the purpose of our study. As a result of the study, the following results were obtained. First, a logical and semantic model of the methodology of food security formation on the basis of sustainable development of agricultural land use, which includes organizational, economic and environmental prerequisites for the transition of modern land use to a model of sustainable development. Secondly, the provisions and directions of implementation of the relevant Concept, based on the historical and socio-economic preconditions of food security, have been formed and includes the following components: purpose; historical and social preconditions; monitoring and evaluation system; assessment of compliance of the level of food security; mechanism for implementing the Concept; target directions and main tasks; expected results. Areas of implementation of the Concept, tools and mechanisms for implementing the model of food security on the basis of sustainable development of agricultural land use on the one hand are fully consistent with the global objectives of 2nd Sustainable Development Goals (zero hunger), and on the other – take into account national characteristics
... FAO has also calculated that there will be huge increment of meat, fish and egg consumption during this period and it is about 73%. Besides there will be enhancement of global demand of cattle meat by 95% (Ranganathan et al., 2016). Livestock and animal/aquatic source foods (ASF) are vital to food security and sustainability, improving livelihoods, income growth, gender equality, nutrition and health (Adesogan et al., 2019). ...
... Urbanization is a powerful demographic driver of change to the built food system, lengthening food supply chains, and shifting the composition of food retailers and food products (Satterthwaite et al., 2010;Reardon and Zilberman, 2018;Barrett C. B. et al., forthcoming). Urbanization is associated with dramatic changes in consumer behaviors, reflected in lifestyles (e.g., greater female workforce participation and food consumption away from home) and shifts in food preferences (e.g., increased purchase of prepared foods) (Ranganathan et al., 2016;Barrett C. B. et al., forthcoming). Lacking standardized data on important characteristics of consumers within food systems, including situational factors such as their time resources and mobility, urbanization was viewed as reasonable approximation, which likely correlates with these consumer factors. ...
... The four typology variables are each highly correlated with income, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, with Spearman correlation coefficients ranging from |0.76| to |0.90|. There are well-established associations between income growth and structural changes to agriculture, processing, food trade, retail, and demand-side factors (e.g., food preferences and consumer food budget shares), in addition to its associations with broader socio-demographic transitions (Timmer, 1988;Popkin, 1999;Reardon et al., 2003;Ranganathan et al., 2016). The relationship between food system type and GDP per capita is also evident in Figure 3 1 , by the increase in bubble sizes from the more rural types to more industrial types. ...
Food systems have a profound impact on diets, nutrition, health, economic development, and environmental sustainability. Yet their complexity poses a persistent challenge in identifying the policy actions that are needed to improve human and planetary health outcomes. Typologies are a useful classification tool to identify similarities and differences among food systems, while reducing this analytical complexity. This study presents a new food system typology, implemented at the country level using parsimonious data that characterize food supply chains, food environments, consumer-related factors, and key outcomes, including dietary intake, nutritional status, health, and environmental impacts. Five food system types are identified: rural and traditional; informal and expanding; emerging and diversifying; modernizing and formalizing; and industrial and consolidated. Patterns across the five system types in key outcome variables align with narratives provided by the food systems and nutrition transition literature, demonstrating the usefulness of this classification method. Substantial heterogeneity nonetheless still exists within individual food system types. Therefore, the recommended use of the typology is in early stages of hypothesis generation, to identify potential risk factors or constraints in the food system that can be explored further at national and sub-national levels.
... High intake of red and processed meat has been found to be associated with a variety of health risks (Papier et al., 2021;Rouhani, Salehi-Abargouei, Surkan, & Azadbakht, 2014), while livestock farming is responsible for about 14.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions (Gerber et al., 2013;Godfray et al., 2018;Lazarus, McDermid, & Jacquet, 2021) and uses more land and freshwater compared to plant-based food production (Ranganathan et al., 2016). Given the evidence for the negative health and environmental impacts of high levels of meat consumption, how can individuals be persuaded to significantly reduce their intake? ...
Perceptions of social norms around eating behavior can influence food choices. Communicating information about how others are changing their eating behavior over time (dynamic descriptive social norms) may motivate individuals to change their own food selection and consumption. Following a four-week baseline period, 22 in-store restaurants of a major retail chain across the UK were randomized to display a dynamic descriptive social norm message intended to motivate a shift from meat-to plant-based meals either during the first two, or last two weeks of the four-week study period. A linear regression model showed there was no evidence of an effect of the intervention (β = -0.022, p = .978, 95% CIs: −1.63, 1.58) on the percentage sales of meat-vs plant-based dishes. Fidelity checks indicated that adherence to the intervention procedure was often low, with inconsistencies in the placement and display of the intervention message. In four stores with high fidelity the estimated impact of the intervention was not materially different. The lack of apparent effectiveness of the intervention may reflect poor efficacy of the intervention or limitations in its implementation in a complex food purchasing environment. These challenges highlighted by this study should be considered in future design and evaluation of field trials in real-world environments.
... Fertilizer run-off, for example, has led to more than 400 hypoxic zones or dead zones in freshwater and coastal ecosystems. Livestock production uses one-third of crop production for feed and three-quarters of agricultural land in total [36]. ...
Rampant loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services undermines the resilience of food systems. Robust knowledge on impacts is the first step to taking action, but long-distance food supply chains and indirect effects on and around farms make understanding impacts a challenge. This paper looks at the tools available for businesses in the food industry, especially retailers, to monitor and assess the biodiversity performance of their products. It groups tools according to their general scope to evaluate what is monitored (processes on-site, pressures on landscapes, impacts on species), at what scale (specific products, company performance, country-wide consumption levels), and compared to which baseline (pristine nature, alternative scenarios, governance targets). Altogether we find major gaps in the criteria for biodiversity or the criteria is weak in certification and standards, business accounting and reporting systems, and scientific modelling and analysis (biodiversity footprints). At the same time, massive investments have been made to strengthen existing tools, develop new ones, increase uptake and improve their effectiveness. We argue that business can and must take a leading role toward mitigating biodiversity impacts in partnership with policy makers and customers. Zero-deforestation commitments, for example, will need to be upheld by supporting changed practices in consumption (e.g., choice editing) and combating degradation within agricultural systems will require a shift toward more regenerative forms of farming (e.g., with norms embedded in robust standard systems). Operational targets are integral to monitoring biodiversity performance across all scales.
