Reimagining protein for a healthier, safer tomorrow

Welcome back to The Good Food Post!

As the year draws to a close and we look back at the extraordinary developments in the global smart protein ecosystem, we are reminded of why our mission for a smart protein future in India is so critical. In this final edition, we share reflections on smart proteins’ pivotal role in safeguarding public health and helping India achieve its nutrition goals.

Imagine a future where the backbone of modern medicine—the tools we depend on to fight infections—antibiotics—begin to lose their power. As antibiotic discovery and development play catch-up, our inability to treat routine illnesses and minor injuries could become an imminent threat, driven in large part by how we produce and consume food today. At the heart of this crisis lies antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a public health emergency predicted to claim 10 million lives annually by 2050 and inflict a $100 trillion blow to the global economy. But there’s hope—reimagining our food choices could hold the key. Smart proteins offer a promising path forward, providing sustainable and nutritious alternatives to animal-derived proteins and helping us build a safe and resilient food system. 

Superbugs on the rise

AMR is rooted in a natural evolutionary process. Bacteria, like all living organisms, adapt to survive. When exposed to antibiotics, some bacteria develop ways to resist these drugs. These resistant strains multiply, rendering the antibiotics ineffective. What’s more, bacteria can share their resistance genes with others across species, accelerating the spread of resistance at an alarming rate. 

India, with the world's largest livestock and human populations, is particularly vulnerable to this crisis. The country accounts for 24% of global milk production and is a major consumer of animal-based proteins like meat, dairy, and eggs. Intensification of animal agriculture, essential to meeting the growing demand for animal-sourced foods, is heavily dependent on antibiotics—not just to treat infections but also to accelerate growth and maximise yields. In India in particular, close contact between animals, coupled with indiscriminate antibiotic use, creates the perfect environment for pathogens to jump species, accelerating the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and increasing the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks. 

A 2020 United Nations report named the increased demand for animal protein and animal agriculture among the top human-driven factors of emerging zoonotic diseases—infectious diseases that jump from animals to humans, such as avian flu or swine flu. These diseases have the potential to trigger global pandemics, further exacerbating public health crises. Globally, nearly 70-80% of all antibiotics are used in animal agriculture. In India, where infectious diseases are already a significant public health burden, this highly unregulated practice has made animal agriculture a fertile breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria that find their way into food, water, and eventually, human bodies. Resistant infections are spreading faster than we can develop new treatments. As a result, infections once easily curable, such as urinary tract infections, typhoid, or pneumonia, are becoming harder to treat. Studies suggest India could be among the worst-affected countries if AMR continues to grow unchecked. 

A protein shift for a pandemic-free future

Recognising the need to take concerted action, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has tightened antibiotic residue norms for meat, poultry, milk, and seafood, with new limits set to take effect in 2025. While this is a positive step, more needs to be done to diversify conventional sources of protein and meet the growing demand in a sustainable way. Unlike conventional meat, eggs, and dairy, alternative proteins—made from plants, cultivated cells, or fermentation—do not use antibiotics or hormones. By reducing reliance on animal-based proteins, alternative proteins offer a way to improve nutritional outcomes, reduce the environmental impact of food production, and curb AMR-related infections. Policymakers dedicated to improving public health outcomes need to look beyond conventional strategies to include funding alternative protein research, incentivising farmer transitions, and supporting private sector initiatives that modernise protein production.

The high stakes of low protein

AMR is one piece of a much larger puzzle connecting food, health, and planet. Equally critical is India’s ongoing battle with malnutrition—a challenge as vast and complex as the nation itself. Despite the country’s remarkable progress in self-sufficiency in food grain production—rising from 198 million tonnes to 269 million tonnes over the last two decades—the reality of endemic undernutrition remains unyielding. Malnutrition manifests in multiple forms, from child stunting and wasting to anaemia in women and micronutrient deficiencies in adults, all of which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. The recent National Family Health Survey revealed that 35.5% of children are stunted, 19.3% are wasted, and 32.1 are underweight—showing that children in several states are more undernourished now than they were five years ago. While India has made significant strides in food production, the focus has largely been on calorific sufficiency rather than nutrient diversity, leaving gaps in essential micronutrients and macronutrients like protein.

Protein is vital for growth, development, and overall health, yet a large portion of the population still cannot access affordable, high-quality animal-sourced or plant-derived protein. This lack of access, combined with the public health threat associated with intensification to meet the animal protein demand for a steadily growing India, calls for an innovative solution to address India’s protein deficiency concerns. Besides, a growing body of evidence shows that animal-sourced foods come with a significant nutritional trade-off: saturated fats, cholesterol, and no fibre content. In contrast, alternative proteins are proving to be healthier, nutrient-dense options capable of meeting the nutritional requirements and, in some cases, surpassing them, without the downsides. 

Indigenous crops, modern solutions

India’s indigenous crops, many of which are nutritional powerhouses, are now at the forefront of the plant-based protein revolution. Millets, for example, are rich in protein, fibre, and essential micronutrients. With 2023 declared the International Year of Millets, this humble but forgotten grain has made a comeback in sustainable and nutritious diets across the nation. Similarly, pulses and lentils, staples in Indian households, while nutritious to consume on their own, are finding new life in the alternative protein industry. Advancements in food processing technologies allow for the extraction and concentration of their proteins, which, when combined correctly, make for suitable and often superior sources of complete protein. 

Plant protein ingredients derived from legumes and pulses are increasingly in demand in the developed world, creating a significant opportunity for India to diversify the agricultural production away from resource-intensive cash crops. By creating local value chains for value-added products using these climate-resilient crops, India has the potential to support farmer welfare and exports besides addressing the formidable challenge of nutrition security, ensuring a positive outcome for economic growth and public health.

With significant investment in research and innovation towards plant-based and biomass fermentation-derived proteins, India can produce low-cost, high-quality protein products accessible for large-scale consumption. Over time, with adequate government support, incorporating these smart protein products into public health initiatives, such as India’s Midday Meal Scheme—the largest school meal program in the world—can sustainably, and in a culturally resonant way, tackle undernutrition in children. 

Globally, the narrative around protein is changing. For the first time, the proposed 2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines are prioritising plant proteins over meat, emphasising their health and environmental benefits. This shift, while monumental for developed nations, feels particularly relevant for India, where traditional diets have long been centred on plant-based staples like lentils, chickpeas, and millets. With the right support and cross-sectoral collaboration, India can turn its nutritional challenges into an opportunity to champion a safe and nutritious food future.

What's the good scoop?

GFI India co-hosted a high-level event with FAO in India at the UN House, Delhi, to engage in an insightful discussion on the plant-protein potential for India’s agrifood systems. Read about it here.

Smart protein’s food service potential was at the forefront of our recent event—The Next Course—which brought together leaders from within the sector with visionaries from the hospitality world. Check out our food service study unveiled at the event.

Psst. You heard it here first—coming up next month, the GFIdeas India Community, along with The University of Cambridge, will be hosting a networking mixer for the smart protein ecosystem at IIT-Bombay. Limited spots only, so stay updated with more details about this event, by following us on LinkedIn!

If you'd like to receive our quarterly newsletter directly in your mailbox, sign up here.

Did you find this information useful or interesting? Let us know! Send us your thoughts, questions, suggestions, or general feedback here.