McClements Discusses Alternative Meat on South Korean News Show

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David Julian McClements, Distinguished Professor of Food Science, internationally known scholar and prolific author, was recently featured live on ArirangTV, South Korea’s largest English-language broadcast, discussing the global rise of plant-based meat.

McClements, whom Arirang News called “an amazing expert in the field,” was the guest on a morning show aimed at young people called News Generation. The topic: “Why youth are relying on alternative meat for a greener future.”

Anchor Ye-eun Shin asked McClements about the plant-based meat market, its nutritional value compared to animal meat and the future of the multibillion-dollar industry.

“It’s definitely the hottest topic in food science in America at the moment,” McClements told the three-person news show panel. McClements’ appearance begins at about 16:45 in the YouTube replay of the show.

Among the 11 books he has written about food, McClements’ most recent is “Meat Less: The Next Food Revolution” (Springer, 2023). At UMass, McClements and a multidisciplinary team are exploring the science and technology – including protein chemistry, soft matter physics, food engineering, sensory science, gastrointestinal fate and gut microbiome effects – behind the design and fabrication of plant-based foods fortified with nutraceuticals, vitamins, minerals, or probiotics to address malnutrition and combat chronic disease. This research is also aimed at creating a more sustainable, healthy, affordable and accessible plant-based diet to address climate change and food security issues. 

This story was originally published by the UMass News Office.