To confront current sustainability challenges, the European Commission aims to transition towards plant-based diets as well as shorter, regionalized value chains. Legume-based meat and dairy alternatives (LBAs) are seen as an important tool in the food system transition, replacing protein from animals with high-protein plant-based sources. However, regionalized LBA value chains require the co-occurrence of legume producers, LBA manufacturers, and consumers, and we lack understanding of the current status and future potential for such value chains in Europe. In this article, we integrate publicly-available datasets with a web-derived inventory of LBA manufacturer locations to map the regional strength of LBA value chains across Europe. Using manufacturers’ visions and employee interviews, we complement the spatial analysis with an exploratory assessment of how actors perceive their role in a plant-based food system transition.

中文翻译：

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将欧洲植物蛋白替代品的生产、加工和消费联系起来


为了应对当前的可持续发展挑战，欧盟委员会旨在过渡到植物性饮食以及更短的区域化价值链。基于豆类的肉类和乳制品替代品 （LBA） 被视为食品系统转型的重要工具，用高蛋白植物来源取代动物蛋白质。然而，区域化的 LBA 价值链需要豆类生产商、LBA 制造商和消费者的共存，而我们对欧洲此类价值链的现状和未来潜力缺乏了解。在本文中，我们将公开可用的数据集与 LBA 制造商位置的 Web 衍生清单集成，以绘制整个欧洲 LBA 价值链的区域强度。利用制造商的愿景和员工访谈，我们通过探索性评估参与者如何看待他们在植物性食品系统转型中的作用来补充空间分析。