PLANT-BASED MEAT ALTERNATIVES: NUTRITIONAL VALUE, TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES, CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) have become key responses to the pressing health, environmental, and ethical issues confronting worldwide systems.Evidence suggests they hold the promise of providing similar protein content to conventional meat while significantly lowering resource requirements and greenhouse emissions.While PBMAs present key opportunities for global health, and environmental security, they are also subject to difficulties with micronutrient completeness, sensory realism, processing, and consumer attitudes.Advances in protein sourcing, extrusion science, fermentation, and product fortification are counteracting these challenges, yielding better organoleptic and nutritional qualities.Cultural habits, perceived advantages, price intolerance, and readability of labels to continue to drive consumer acceptance.This review harmonizes emerging trends, scientific -progress, challenges, and opportunities, placing PBMAs at the center of future sustainable diets.