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Artificial intelligence for plant-based meat alternatives: Pathways to a sustainable future
Roya Aghagholizadeh1, Mohammad Tarahi2, Pranav Gupta3
1Department of Quality Control, Institute of Cereal Research, Tehran, Iran.
Food Research International (Ottawa, Ont.)
|June 10, 2026
Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers innovative solutions for plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs), addressing challenges in formulation, texture, and consumer acceptance. AI accelerates the development of high-quality, sustainable PBMAs for broader market adoption.
Area of Science:
- Food Science and Technology
- Computational Intelligence
- Sustainable Food Systems
Background:
- The growing demand for sustainable food systems drives innovation in plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs).
- Significant challenges persist in PBMA development, including formulation, processing, texture, sensory attributes, and consumer acceptance.
- Traditional development methods are inefficient, demanding extensive resources and time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies applied to PBMA innovation.
- To examine AI's role in addressing specific PBMA challenges and optimizing product development.
- To explore AI's potential in enhancing nutritional profiles, sensory prediction, and consumer acceptance.
Main Methods:
- Review of AI methodologies such as machine learning, hybrid models, computer-aided molecular design, and data analytics.
- Analysis of AI applications in process optimization (extrusion, 3D printing), textural evaluation, and sensory prediction.
- Exploration of AI in consumer science for acceptance modeling, sentiment analysis, and market prediction.
Main Results:
- AI effectively addresses complex ingredient interactions, multiphase structuring, and sensory optimization in PBMAs.
- AI tools can optimize nutritional profiles, model nutrient bioavailability, and enable targeted functional food design.
- AI enhances consumer science applications, improving satisfaction and reducing food neophobia through acceptance and market prediction.
Conclusions:
- AI is a transformative tool with the potential to accelerate PBMA development, improve product quality, and increase consumer adoption.
- Future research should focus on open-access databases, integrating AI with omics, and AI-enabled sustainability assessments.
- AI integration in food science can significantly contribute to more sustainable and consumer-accepted food systems.
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