Techno-economic assessment of plant-based meat analogue produced by the freeze alignment technique

Abstract

Plant-based meat (PBM) analogues have been developed as a meat substitute in response to the growing demand worldwide. This is partially attributed to changes in human consumption behaviors motivated by the desire for a lifestyle with a smaller environmental impact and the belief that PBMs are healthier than traditional meat. This study conducted a techno-economic assessment (TEA) of PBM production from soy protein using an industrial-scale freeze-alignment technique with an annual production capacity of 100 tons. The calculation result showed that the raw material and labor costs accounted for 32.09% and 23.53% of the total production cost, respectively, which resulted in the PBM minimum selling price of 1.18 USD/100 g. Economic indicators showed that the project is an attractive investment opportunity with a positive net present value of 4.05 million USD, discounted payback period of 4.4 years, and an internal rate of return of 29.67%. By streamlining the production process, which contributed to the reduction in time, labor, raw materials, and energy requirements, the potential for cost reduction and increased project profitability could be realized. This study serves as an initial exploration of the challenges associated with enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of PBM production in the meat market in the foreseeable future.