Alternative proteins' place on the global health agenda

Reimagining protein can reduce the risk of new diseases and future pandemics

“Tis the season for bird flu,”

I thought to myself as I read yet another story about the latest spike of avian influenza where I live in Colorado. This news, unfortunately, no longer surprises me. 

In fact, I’d argue that the threat of disease from our food supply and the disruptions these outbreaks can cause are our new normal. Time and again, zoonotic viruses emerge from our food system: wave after wave of avian flu, swine flu, Nipah virus...the list goes on. Given our current methods of meat, dairy and egg production, the risk of viruses leaping to humans is a matter of when not if. To mitigate the risks our current food system poses, we cannot rely on more of the same. We need to invest in a tool that’s right under our noses: alternative proteins.

Many situations can cause a pathogen to jump from an animal to a human. For example, close interaction between infected livestock and workers on industrial farms. Both farmed and caged wild animals held in close proximity create the perfect breeding ground for zoonotic diseases–and a warming planet makes it harder for farm workers to protect themselves.

Avian influenza is just one of those diseases. Also known as H5 bird flu or H5N1, this severe strain of avian flu has already made the jump to 48 mammal species and dozens of other bird species. While it initially crossed from animals to humans almost 30 years ago in Hong Kong, more recently, global outbreaks of H5N1 among poultry and dairy cattle are posing an increased risk for human spillover through workers who interact closely with these animals. At present in the United States, at least 129 dairy herds and several poultry farms are affected, along with 14 confirmed human cases. Gaps in testing of both humans and animals likely mean there are more cases that have gone undetected.

While the number of human cases remains small, the risk of this flu mutating is not something to sneeze at. The CDC has warned that if someone is infected by the bird flu and the seasonal flu at the same time, these two viruses could swap genes and develop into a new, more transmissible flu virus that passes between humans.

Bird flu isn’t the only disease to watch.

Around 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases that are reported globally come from animals, both wild and domestic. Of over 30 new human pathogens detected in the last three decades, 75 percent originated in animals. Global practices have trended toward intensification of animal production to reduce the land use and climate impacts of more extensive systems, however this comes with a dangerous tradeoff.

More animals concentrated into smaller spaces increases the risk of zoonotic disease spread. A 2020 United Nations report named the increased demand for animal protein and livestock farming among the top anthropogenic drivers of emerging zoonotic diseases. This intensification also necessitates the use of more antibiotics in an effort to keep animals from getting sick while living in conditions that breed infections. 

The widespread overuse of antibiotics—both in humans and in farmed animals—is a major concern, leading to more and more antibiotic-resistant superbugs. In the United States, approximately 80 percent of medically important antibiotics needed to treat humans are used in conventional meat production to foster animal growth and prevent illness. Globally, most of the increase in antibiotic use is attributable to the meat industry, with chickens receiving three times the amount of antibiotics as cattle.

By 2050, it is estimated that antibiotic-resistant superbugs could kill 10 million people a year. As scary as that future sounds, this issue already impacts real people around the world every day. Antimicrobial resistance played a role in nearly 5 million deaths in 2019 and has directly killed at least 1.27 million people worldwide. In the United States, more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur each year and more than 35,000 people die as a result.

What of the hard won gains made by the global health community to eradicate diseases and build resilient health systems? These lifesaving advancements are on the line if we don't address the vulnerabilities in our food system.

The way we produce meat is also making it harder and more expensive to feed people.

Even without considering personal health, the economic case for reimagining protein production is compelling. Antibiotic resistance and pandemic risk are extremely costly to taxpayers and governments.

Take the avian flu. While we don’t yet know the total cost of this year’s outbreak, in 2023 FAIRR estimated that similar outbreaks in the U.S. have resulted in approximately 40 million animal losses with economic costs ranging from $2.5 to $3 billion. Within that $3 billion are real people–the farmers, manufacturers, and consumers who fuel our global economy.

When avian flu is detected in poultry populations, affected birds are often culled (selectively slaughtered) to prevent the virus from spreading. This can lead to the loss of large numbers of birds, reducing the supply of meat and eggs. That loss in product and the disruption of supply chains can lead to increased prices for these products. You may remember egg prices nearly doubling after a particularly nasty outbreak in 2022.

Farmers also pay a hefty price. The costs of culling, cleaning, and rebuilding flocks, along with lost income, are substantial. Earlier this year, farmers had to kill more than 4 million chickens in Iowa alone.

Countries experiencing avian flu outbreaks may face restrictions on poultry exports to prevent the spread of the virus. This can impact international trade and lead to shortages in markets that rely on imported poultry products. Efforts to control avian flu, such as biosecurity measures, testing, and vaccination programs, are costly as well. In total, the USDA has spent 1 billion on these types of efforts since 2022. 

Antimicrobial resistance is also a pricey problem. By 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty and cost the global economy $100 trillion. A future where it becomes harder to find (and afford) the foods we need on our supermarket shelves looks less like science fiction every day. 

What can we do about it?

The inevitability of a future where antibiotics don’t work or another zoonotic disease outbreak emerges hinges on us doing nothing. We have tools to help us change the status quo of food production. One of those tools is alternative proteins.

Plant-based and fermentation-derived foods remove the animal from the equation entirely. Cultivated meat, real animal meat made from cells, is produced in a clean and controlled environment which offers numerous advantages for product safety and risk management, including a significant reduction of contaminants, foodborne pathogens, antibiotics, and other additives found in farm-raised meat.

Given that global demand for meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy is projected to significantly increase by 2050, a large-scale shift to alternative proteins will be central to protecting public health while feeding a growing population.

Alternative proteins are one of the only truly scalable solutions to sustainably feed 10 billion people by 2050.

As someone who spent several years of my career in the global health space, controlling the spread of diseases is an issue that’s close to my heart. As I sifted through research to write this piece, I was simultaneously overwhelmed by the amount of information warning us about these impending threats and baffled that tangible solutions like alternative proteins are not on the radar of many who are working to tackle this issue.

Drug-resistant superbugs and zoonotic diseases do not care if you're a vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, or a farmer. They do not care if you live in the United States or India. All that matters is that you are a human who's capable of contracting diseases. Drug-resistant superbugs and zoonotic diseases only emerge, however, when certain conditions exist—and right now our food system is giving them ample ways to thrive.

Alternative proteins are by no means the only solution to the urgent issues we face today, but they are a substantial piece of the puzzle. Unfortunately, this field is currently severely underfunded and underrepresented at tables of influence.

Just as governments invest in vaccine development, they should prioritize public funding for alternative protein research and incentivize private sector activity. This support is vital to scale the industry and meet consumer expectations on taste and price, enabling widespread adoption.

The stakes are high, and we need global health leaders to join us in driving change. Alternative proteins can offer consumers the foods they love made in a safer and less risky way. Public health advocates must champion a global agenda that includes support for these promising new methods of protein production.

We cannot make meaningful progress on our global health goals with our food system working against us. The only way to combat the diseases we know and the ones we haven't heard of yet is to work together. Join our flock.