Meat consumption has come under criticism in recent years. Meat substitutes are becoming increasingly popular in Germany and could be an alternative. In a study entitled 'Meat of the Future', the UBA has now examined the effects of the three emerging meat alternatives – plant-based meat substitutes, edible insects and in-vitro meat – on the environment and health, and what role they could play in the diet of the future.
According to the study, plant-based meat substitutes score best from an environmental perspective. Compared to beef, its production generates more than 90 percent less greenhouse gases and uses many times less water and land. Insect-based meat substitutes fare somewhat worse. The environmental and health impacts of in-vitro meat are difficult to assess so far. More research is needed here to really be able to produce a 'clean meat' for the mass market.
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