“Fake Meat”: Perception and Acceptance of Cell Cultured Meat and Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Among African Americans

Abstract

Addressing food insecurity and chronic disease in African American communities is a major concern for many researchers and public health specialists. With limited access to healthy foods, and limited knowledge of other alternatives, it is difficult for residents in food insecure areas to consume healthy and nutritious meals. Efforts to increase access and knowledge should focus on increasing knowledge and availability of meat alternatives, such as cell cultured and plant-based meat alternatives. Many interventions fail to look at the many factors that affects one’s dietary choices such as family traditions, food preferences, cost, media, community, and work organization influence. To explore the perception and acceptance of meat alternatives by African Americans, a concurrent mixed-method study was completed in which 73 survey participants and 14 individual interview participants were recruited using convenience sampling at multiple gym locations, health departments, and a local church. African American, adult participants, living in Solano County, CA were recruited and asked to complete a 21-question online survey, or participate in a 22-question individual interview. Participants commonly cited lack of knowledge, family traditions, cost, food preferences, and outside influences such as community, media, and work units as barriers to trying meat alternatives. Analysis of interviews and surveys revealed that participants consumed meat at least once a day at minimum, had very little knowledge on cell cultured and plant-based meat alternatives, and felt strongly about sticking to family traditions. The study also revealed that while many African Americans are very particular about the things that they eat, when provided more information, they would be willing to try meat alternatives. These findings suggest that intervention programs tailored to increasing knowledge and access to meat alternatives could lead to an increase in consumption of meat alternatives and be used in addressing food insecurity and chronic diseases.