Given recent and forthcoming rises in the global population, and
average global income, the demand for animal protein will
continue to grow even higher, say the international team of
scientists, led by Dr Mike Boland of the Riddet Institute, New
Zealand. “The combined effects of population increase and
increasing standards of living in developing countries are
expected to create a high demand for animal-derived protein by
2050,” the team claims. They argue that although continued
growth in consumption and production of livestock products can
be expected, future demand growth may be faster than some
official projections indicate. “We explore a range of
initiatives that will help to close this gap,” they add, noting
that their new studies propose three simultaneous changes that
are needed to meet future animal-derived protein demand. “These
are: shifting protein sources up the supply chain; use of plant-
based substitutes or extenders for animal-derived protein foods;
and use of novel sources for both animal and