In times of climate change, high technology, regionalisation, and internationalisation, what constitutes a contemporary diet? We speak to nutritionist and future food expert Hanni Rützler.
Ms Rützler, today we want to talk about cuisine – and meat has traditionally played an important role in it. However, in recent years, an increasing number of new products from alternative protein sources have entered the market. What will the future serve?
My short answer would be: better quality meat, new types of meat, and more plant-based foods. After the Second World War, democratising meat consumption became an important political goal in Germany, meaning that meat was no longer considered a luxury reserved for the wealthy. The structures of agricultural production were geared towards this. Globalisation of feed production and industrialisation of livestock farming have led to enormous efficiency gains and a significant reduction in meat prices, resulting in a massive increase in meat consumption. However, various factors have recently changed our attitude towards meat consumption. These include health and animal welfare considerations, as well as a growing awareness of environmental and climate issues. This is not only stoking the market for alternative proteins and a culinary renaissance of vegetable dishes, but also leading to a new focus on quality in the meat industry, which ensures its future viability.
So, where are we now?
Numerous studies1 suggest that the peak in meat consumption will occur within the next ten years. However, as the centrepiece, as the ‘heart’ on our plates, meat is already becoming less relevant now. We can see that parts of society have developed a keen interest in appealing culinary alternatives. The growing popularity of Mediterranean and Levantine cuisines, which do not rely so heavily on meat, is a clear sign of this. The meat industry is responding to this change, increasingly using its extensive expertise to develop new alternative products.
“There is a growing awareness that we need to consider cycles, resources, and planetary limits.”
Would it be fair to say that the issue of meat consumption divides society?
It certainly contributes to the social debate. However, in my view, the intensity of that debate has already subsided. Food is a universal human phenomenon that is deeply ingrained in our personal and national identities. For some people, talk of reducing meat consumption triggers fears, and this is sometimes exploited for political gain.
There is no evidence to suggest that demand for meat is falling ...
There is also no evidence that demand is continuing to grow in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. The focus of discussions is shifting towards what constitutes good meat and how meat production will or should develop in the future. The focus is no longer exclusively on faster, cheaper and greater quantities. For me, this is the paradigm shift. The question is no longer whether or not to eat meat. Meat has always been part of our diet and so it will remain, just not at the quantities we currently consume.
How would you evaluate the effect of climate change on discussions about nutrition?
There is a growing awareness that we need to consider cycles, resources, and planetary limits. We all live on this one planet, and the world’s population is growing. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns affect crop yields and diversity, leading to uncertainty in global food supply. This is driving discussions about local, seasonal and sustainable food production. The production of meat has also become an emotional debate, as we have become aware of the large proportion of our agricultural land and water that is invested in feed and meat production. Consequently, there is currently an intense debate about animal husbandry systems and the origin of resources and feed. Is it acceptable to feed crops to animals? Shouldn’t we start thinking in terms of cycles again? How can we use finite resources more consciously?
These days, meat is regarded as an important source of protein. What are your thoughts on this?
Meat is an important source of protein. However, the hype surrounding protein is also a consequence of the decades-long discussion about vegetarianism, and is mainly driven by producers of meat substitutes and plant-based products. As a nutritionist and food trend researcher, I have noticed that the problematisation of our main nutrients occurs in waves: First, we clamped down on fat and cholesterol, and then we had the carbohydrate discussion. Protein is the last of the three main nutrient classes and is currently still viewed positively. And so everyone is throwing themselves on it.
What are your thoughts on today’s meat substitutes?
It's impressive how quickly the development of plant-based meat has progressed. I first tried it five years ago and have been eating it regularly ever since. The sensory qualities have improved significantly in many products, though not all. However, there is also increasing criticism that many of these products are highly processed. But this is not a given. When retail chains entered the market, prices for plant-based products initially fell. The resulting price pressure slowed down the development of further innovations. I am looking forward to the time when plant-based products are no longer just copies of meat products, but play with the originals in a more creative way. There is a Slovenian company that has created vegan ribs where you can gnaw on the ‘plant-based meat’ and eat the rib itself. It’s a product that really made me smile. In the past, plants were fed to animals and people said this was to ‘refine’ the meat. Today, we are using plants and refining them to reconstrust animals!
The question is: are they already better, are they already more sustainable?
Yes, I would say so. However, we also recognise that it’s not possible to save the world with just one product. The question is which processes and products will prevail: precision fermentation; extruded products as a basis for plant-based products; cultivated meat and fish products; and so on. I don’t want to reduce the discussion about the future to just meat or no meat. The fact that a predominantly plant-based diet is more sustainable is undisputed, but in discussions about meat and vegetables, the quality of products is often overlooked. The most important factor in reducing our meat consumption is improving the taste of vegetable and grain dishes. In this context, I always talk about ‘vegourmets’. By this, I mean chefs and gourmets who appreciate and utilise the diversity and enormous culinary potential of plant-based ingredients without giving up meat entirely. In this regard, we are primarily inspired by many Asian cuisines, as well as the broader Mediterranean ones. While these cuisines were never purely vegetarian or vegan, they treat plant-based products with much more appreciation and creativity, using animal products more sparingly.
When consumers search for alternatives, can this also promote certain international trends?
Absolutely! Take Asia, for example – Asia has a diverse range of ancient food cultures. Getting through the entirety of Chinese cuisine alone is almost impossible. And then you have Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and India... Many Asian cuisines offer inspiration for European trends: freshness, a wide variety of vegetables, and new taste experiences with or without meat. Added to this are cooking techniques that favour speed. Wok dishes are prepared à la minute. With the open kitchens often found in Asian restaurants, you can watch the food being prepared and see exactly what you are eating. The dishes smell and taste delicious, look appealing, and can be varied in an incredible number of ways.
Asian cuisine often takes the form of street food. These small kitchens are also appearing in European fast food outlets, promoting a new genre of hole in the wall restaurant that falls somewhere between a snack bar and a restaurant.
Fast food is often dismissed as being cheap and quick. And to us, “quick” often does not mean good. In Asia, however, “quick” usually means high craftsmanship and precision. Unfortunately, only a few of these culinary traditions have reached us, so good street food is hard to find. This also has to do with migration. In cities with larger immigrant communities, such as London or Paris, the variety and quality of street food is much better.
You also talk a lot about another international success story – the ‘Knödel’ (EN: German dumpling) – which many would actually associate with Bavaria or Austria.
In my current publication, I use knödel as a symbol to analyse the complex interrelationships within our food system. Of course, it is also a culinary icon in the Alpine region. It is currently experiencing a renaissance, breaking free from its traditional role as a side dish and appearing in an enormous variety of forms.
Where can you even find knödel anymore? To me, it seems to be a German-Austrian or perhaps Bohemian dish …
In Germany and Austria, the word knödel immediately brings to mind regional dumpling varieties, filled with bread, liver, or spinach. However, knödel come in countless varieties; for example, they are also found in Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Russia. Furthermore, translating “knödel” into English results in ‘dumpling’, which is a dough pocket prepared worldwide with the same basic ingredients. The basis is grain, flour, eggs, and water. Like knödel, these dough pockets can be filled with whatever the season and region has to offer. The impressive variety of dumplings and knödel is not only well suited to analysing our food system, but also to bringing about a change in our food culture. This is evident in the fact that this former side dish is now taking centre stage, and the popularity of meat-filled dumplings indicates a shift towards more flexitarian eating habits.
When it comes to steak, we have all the internationally renowned cuts of beef. Fillet, rump, ribeye, sirloin, and T-bone, to name a few …
The influence of America is evident when it comes to meat; you can see this in the fact that the English terms are used internationally. There is a tendency to roast, cook, or grill mainly ‘prime cuts’. These cuts are quick to prepare and can be presented attractively. This means that many cuts of meat which require different preparation methods, and the traditional European dishes associated with them, are overlooked.
Was this an export of American meat-eating culture?
America has never had a classic nose-to-tail tradition. Steaks and minced meat have always been the main products. While there are niches that focus on the remaining parts of the animal, mainly influenced by immigrants, America's culinary culture is primarily centred around steaks and burgers. Burgers are a staple food in the USA, and T-bone steaks are the national dish.
Another international trend that you discuss in your reports is ‘snackification’. What do you mean by that?
Traditional meal structures are on the way out. For many people, lunch is no longer the main meal of the day. When we’re hungry at midday, we need a quick solution — a snack. Dinner is now the most socially important meal. It used to be a cold meal, but now it’s a warm one. This is due to changes in work culture and the diversification of lifestyles. ‘Snackification’ is the answer: we eat different foods in different quantities at different times, on different occasions, and with different people. This is also evident in food courts in shopping centres, where the main meal has been replaced by smaller portions, and we often have several mini-meals throughout the day.
Climate change affects not only meat consumption, but also the variety of vegetables that are grown, as these follow migration patterns and become established in new regions. Is this already having an impact on nutrition?
Just think of hummus and falafel, Levantine chickpea dishes that have become some of the most popular snacks in Germany and Austria. In response to climate change, gardeners and farmers are growing ‘local exotics’, i.e. varieties that were not previously cultivated in our region but now thrive due to higher temperatures. This increases regional fruit and vegetable diversity and offers new income opportunities for small farmers, career changers, urban gardeners, and market gardeners.
Originally imported from Asia, the mulberry tree now thrives in Germany as a 'local exotic'.
What are the ‘local exotics’ that are new to us? Are there any ‘new’ types of meat, too?
Many types of fruit that were once imported from the south now also grow here, including watermelons. Artichokes, rice, peanuts, lemons, and olives are also cultivated here now. Quinoa and exotic fruits such as mulberries2 flourish here. There is also greater variety when it comes to meat, from bison and Wagyu to locally bred cattle. With the rearing of water buffalo, we can also enjoy locally produced mozzarella.
What effect might this have on the supply?
Of course, these are only niche products for the time being. Agriculture will have to adapt to changing climatic conditions by using different varieties and new technologies. Pioneers are already leading the way: For example, Vienna is home to a world-leading aquaponics facility, which enables the cultivation of fish and plants in a closed-loop system. Shrimp are now also being produced locally. Even organic peanuts are being cultivated in the Weinviertel region of Austria, where they used to grow corn, and they are thriving. And ginger? Once it starts growing, it spreads like a weed. Organic ginger from Austria is of high quality and has great potential. In Germany, the scale is completely different: anything that ends up in the supermarket takes on new dimensions immediately. What seems exotic today will become a staple of our everyday supply sooner or later.
Diversity is on the rise …
Yes, take algae as another exciting example – especially microalgae, which are now also being produced in northern Germany. So-called ‘Asia Greens’ – salads with a pleasant bitter taste, many of which are perennial – are also becoming popular in local supermarkets. Perennial vegetables are not really part of our culinary tradition, except for asparagus and rhubarb. Almost everything else is grown from seed. Asia has a completely different approach, which we could adopt. Perennial vegetables are much more resilient and offer greater seasonal flexibility. In Asia, vegetables are given different names at different stages of growth: ‘baby’, ‘youngster’, ‘adult’ and ‘after blooming’. And they each have different ways of being prepared. To me, this also demonstrates a different form of appreciation. There is so much for us to learn!
Michael Hopp
Author at Foodtech Now! editorial office, who wants to show through his stories that tradition and innovation belong together.
