in 2019, europeans consumed 40% of the world total of plant-based alternative meats out of concern for health, food security, and animal welfare. during 2019, the total retail market for plant-based foods in the united states was $4.5 billion, growing at 31% over the previous two years compared to 4% for the entire retail food market. growth of plant-based food consumption in the united states occurred among flexitarian consumers seeking alternative protein sources to meat, fortification with micronutrients, whole grains, and dietary fiber ingredients, meat flavor and comfort food innovations, and "clean" food product labels. in 2019, the european union launched a program called "smart protein" to reuse large-scale, plant-based residues, such as pasta, bread, and yeast byproducts together with whole grains, as new high protein, flavorful substitutes for meat, seafood, and dairy products.