Circularity in animal production requires a change in the EAT-Lancet diet in Europe

• Published in: Nature food Vol. 3; no. 1; p. 66
• Main Authors: van Selm, Benjamin, Frehner, Anita, de Boer, Imke J M, van Hal, Ollie, Hijbeek, Renske, van Ittersum, Martin K, Talsma, Elise F, Lesschen, Jan Peter, Hendriks, Chantal M J, Herrero, Mario, van Zanten, Hannah H E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.01.2022
• ISSN: 2662-1355
• DOI: 10.1038/s43016-021-00425-3

It is not known whether dietary guidelines proposing a limited intake of animal protein are compatible with the adoption of circular food systems. Using a resource-allocation model, we compared the effects of circularity on the supply of animal-source nutrients in Europe with the nutritional requirements of the EAT-Lancet reference diet. We found the two to be compatible in terms of total animal-source proteins but not specific animal-source foods; in particular, the EAT-Lancet guidelines recommend larger quantities of poultry meat over beef and pork, while a circular food system produces mainly milk, dairy-beef and pork. Compared with the EAT-Lancet reference diet, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by up to 31% and arable land use reduced by up to 42%. Careful consideration of the feasible substitutability between animal-source foods is needed to define potential roles of animal products in circular human diets.