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

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. In a circular food system, animals are solely fed with low-opportunity biomass, resulting in substantially smaller herds and lower animal production. Using a resource-allocation model, this study examines whether the adoption of circularity in the EU-27 + UK would meet requirements of the EAT-Lancet reference diet.

Automated summary

A resource-allocation model was used to compare the effects of circularity on animal-source nutrients in Europe with the EAT-Lancet reference diet, finding compatibility in total animal-source proteins but not specific animal-source foods. Circular food systems can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 31% and arable land use by up to 42%, but careful consideration of the substitutability between animal-source foods is needed to define their potential roles in human diets.