Modern Trends in Alternative Proteins and Processing Technologies for Sustainable Food Systems with Antioxidant Implications

Abstract

Alternative proteins and novel processing technologies are crucial to transforming contemporary food systems into ones with lower environmental impact while meeting the rising global demand for protein. Alternative protein sources from plants, microbes, insects, and cultivated cells offer diverse nutritional and techno-functional attributes that can partially or fully replace conventional animal proteins in meat analogs and related products. This review synthesizes the current knowledge on major categories of alternative protein sources, including plant-based ingredients, microbial- and fermentation-derived proteins, insect and other emerging sources, and cultivated (cell-based) meat, with a specific focus on their suitability for structured meat analog applications. Modern structuring and