Science digest
A review assesses plant proteins for dairy alternatives, linking nutritional quality, processing and regulation to their use in specific products. It compares legumes, cereals, pseudocereals, oilseeds and nuts against milk proteins using DIAAS, digestibility and antinutrient content. It also examines extraction methods, naming rules and shifts towards precision fermentation and mycoprotein. The authors find that the balance of 7S and 11S globulins predicts emulsifying, foaming and gelling better than source or purity. Yet inconsistent assays and extraction damage cloud comparisons, so formulation choices need application-specific evidence.
14 November 2026
Science digest
The chapter examines how enzyme kinetics and engineering could improve proteins made from plants, microbes, algae, precision fermentation and animal cell culture, a key issue for product quality and scale-up. It reviews inhibition, catalysis and models for mixed protein substrates, alongside uses of transglutaminases, carbohydrases and lipases. It also assesses rational design, immobilisation, directed evolution, computational methods and links between kinetic models and bioreactors. The authors conclude that combining these tools can improve food properties and production efficiency, though the abstract reports no new experimental evidence.
14 November 2026
Science digest
Industrial-scale cultivated meat is assessed as a more controlled alternative to intensive livestock, with consequences for food safety, ethics and fairness. The commentary compares livestock’s environmental footprint, animal harm, microbial hazards, dangerous work and uneven community exposure with cell culture using enclosed systems and batch tracking. It identifies possible gains in hygiene, lower reliance on slaughter and inclusion of people who reject conventional meat. Yet energy use, growth media, scaling, concentrated ownership, cost and public confidence remain unresolved, so tighter control alone cannot ensure wholesome or just meat.
14 November 2026