Alternative proteins called smart proteins aim to replace meat. This sector has attracted huge investment. They are expected to capture 4 to 60 per cent of meat market by 2050, and 7 per cent of the global meat market by 2035.

Most Indian companies in this sector have come up in the last two years. Imagine Meats and Blue Tribe Foods (Alkem) expect to bring plant-based meat to market. Several companies such as Goodmylk and Epigamia expect to bring plant-based dairy products to the market.

ITC too is interested in plant-based meat products. Domino’s and Jubilant Food has launched a pizza with plant-based meat toppings.

Smart proteins are of three types — plant-based, cultivated and fermentation-derived meat, eggs and dairy.

Plant-based meat uses soy extracts, beet-root juice, coconut oil etc. These try to mimic the animal-based products. Replicas of kebabs, cutlets and biryanis can be made from these alternatives.

Cultivated meat is produced from a small sample of animal cells. Fermentation-derived proteins are made using microbes such as fungi. These two, i.e. cultivated meat and fermentation-derived are still far away from being mass market products.

Plant-based smart proteins are classified as vegan food.

Can all this replace animal products? Indians may take to plant-based meats if they match the taste of natural real products. To begin with, they will remain supplementary products.

However, it is too optimistic to think that the traditional products will be fully replaced by these. Ultimately, consumers will decide. Of course, there is a possibility that vegetarians will take to those products. They may or may not lure the traditional meat lovers. They are likely to remain niche products like the soya milk.