Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Why we need healthy new proteins with a low environmental impact

4^th International Conference and Exhibition on Food Processing & Technology

August 10-12, 2015 London, UK

Tim Finnigan

Keynote: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Something is broken in the way we produce and consume our food. Our food and agriculture now contributes to 30% of
global greenhouse gas emissions with half associated with the production of meat. Land and water use are reported to
become the new oil in global politics as food security becomes a more pressing risk for a sustainable food future. Half of the
world’s antibiotics are fed to industrially farmed animals contributing to the rise of deadly superbugs whilst cereals and crops
that could be used nourish the world’s poorest are increasingly grown as animal fodder and a hugely inefficient conversion of
protein and environmental damage. There seems no doubt that our desire for ever cheaper and more plentiful meat is at the
heart of issues of food sustainability that threaten our very way of life. Indeed, we can no longer meaningfully separate our
dietary choices from their impact on the health of our bodies and of the planet. We need to change the balance by eating less
and better quality meat and sometimes none at all. We need new ideas and new and healthy proteins with a low environmental
impact to help us achieve this. Foods such as Quorn are already helping consumers transition away from an over dependence
on meat, in short, we need a culture change.

Biography :

Tim Finnigan is currently a Director of R&D for Quorn Foods. He is a PhD graduate of the Food and Biosciences faculty of the University of Reading, England
and has held innovation roles in government food research, General Foods, APV, RHM, Zeneca and Premier Foods. He has been instrumental in the product and
technology innovation programs that have helped to establish Quorn as the world’s leading meat free brand across 15 countries worldwide.