Study Shows Plant-Based Meats Offer Higher Bioavailable Protein Than Chicken

A new research report has found that plant-based meat products available in the Indian market can deliver comparable or higher absorbable protein than conventional meat. The joint study was conducted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT) and the Good Food Institute (GFI) India.

Titled ‘Protein quality and bioavailability of indigenous crop-based ingredients and plant-based meat products in India’, the report was launched at the CSIR Science Centre. As part of the research, scientists tested five commercial plant-based meat products against conventional counterparts using laboratory simulations of human digestion.

The tests revealed significant differences in protein bioavailability, which refers to the protein that is actually absorbed by the body as nutrition. After cooking, two plant-based seekh kebabs recorded 81 per cent and 86 per cent protein bioavailability, respectively, compared with 39 per cent for conventional chicken. Similarly, two plant-based patties scored 57 per cent and 58 per cent, against 21 per cent for conventional chicken. Plant-based nuggets scored 61 per cent against 43 per cent for chicken nuggets.

Researchers noted that food labels typically display only the total protein quantity rather than the amount that the body actually utilizes. In India, where nearly 50 per cent of dietary protein intake comes from cereals with incomplete amino acid profiles, relying solely on quantity may not ensure adequate nutrition. Factors such as essential amino acid composition, digestibility, and bioavailability become critical when meeting protein requirements within a limited calorie intake.

The study also observed the effects of cooking and processing on indigenous crops. Cooking raised or retained absorbable protein in four out of five plant-based meat products while reducing it in certain conventional options. Furthermore, pressure cooking nearly quadrupled bioavailable protein in cowpeas and raised it in chickpeas, while fermentation more than tripled it in mung beans. Millets also responded favorably to biological processing methods like sprouting and fermentation.

Padma Ishwarya, Co-author and Senior Scientist at GFI India, stated that building a stronger evidence base on protein quality helps support better-informed product development and nutrition assessments. She added that India’s plant-based sector can benefit from marketing nutrition claims beyond just grams of protein.

Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director of CSIR-IHBT, pointed out a structural gap in the domestic ecosystem. Despite India being the world’s largest producer of millets and pulses, the country imports the majority of its plant protein concentrates and isolates. Yadav emphasized the need for robust scientific evidence to position indigenous crops for meaningful nutritional outcomes, stating that the joint research enables a self-reliant protein ecosystem for India.

Addressing broader health targets, Shantanu Das, Vice President and Head of Food Science at ITC Ltd, noted that to become a developed nation by 2047, the focus must shift toward population health. He observed that while India meets the requirement of over 50 grams of protein, factoring in digestibility reduces that figure to less than 40 per cent of actual needs. Shailaja Donempudi, Head of the CSIR-Business Development Group, added that protein must be affordable and sustainable, noting that India has yet to fully tap its indigenous resources.

"This scientific study highlights a critical shift for the Indian food and plant-based sector from merely measuring protein quantity to evaluating actual bioavailability and digestibility. For entrepreneurs and businesses in the alternative protein space, this empirical data opens up clear avenues for product innovation and targeted consumer marketing. By leveraging indigenous crops like millets and pulses through proper processing, domestic startups can build a more self-reliant and scientifically validated nutritional ecosystem." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes