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Research on Development and Challenges of Forest Food Resources from an Industrial Perspective—Alternative Protein Food Industry as an Example

Summary

This research examines how forests can provide alternative protein sources including insects, plants, fungi, and lab-grown meat to help feed our growing global population. The market for these forest-based proteins is rapidly expanding, with insect protein reaching USD 3.2 billion in 2023 and plant-based alternatives growing even faster. However, challenges remain including high production costs, consumer skepticism, and varying regulations across countries that must be overcome for these innovations to reach mainstream markets.

Background

Forest food resources represent a vital source of alternative proteins to address global food security challenges. The global population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, requiring a 50% increase in food production over the next 25 years. Forest ecosystems offer diverse protein sources including insects, plants, microorganisms, and biomanufactured proteins that can supplement traditional livestock-derived foods.

Objective

This review synthesizes the global development landscape of alternative protein food industries derived from forest resources from a technological innovation perspective. It analyzes the current development status, opportunities, and challenges of forest protein resources including insect protein, plant-based proteins, microbial proteins, and cell-cultured meat.

Results

The global edible insect market was valued at USD 3.2 billion in 2023 with projections to reach USD 7.6 billion by 2028. Plant-based dairy analogs market is expected to grow from USD 25.19 billion in 2022 to USD 69.8 billion by 2030. Microbial proteins show cost advantages of USD 1.6-5.5/kg compared to animal proteins at USD 10-33/kg. Over 156 cell-cultured meat companies globally operate with cumulative investments of USD 2.8 billion.

Conclusion

While significant technological innovations have been achieved in alternative protein production, commercial viability requires addressing challenges including insufficient resource exploration, incomplete safety evaluation systems, low consumer acceptance, high core technology costs, and inconsistent regulatory mechanisms. Future development requires strengthened resource exploration, sound market access systems, and multi-technology integration.
  • Published in:Foods,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 41154039
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