Manturov urged Russians to change mentality and evaluate meat from larvae

Deputy Prime Minister, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said that Russians should not focus their diet on meat, but should try innovative products – for example, meat from vegetable protein like soy, peas and rice. The statement was made during the minister’s visit to a food exhibition in Sochi.

Manturov told reporters that even at the Innoprom exhibition he had tried vegetable meat twice and could not distinguish it from natural meat in taste. The head of the relevant department also said that the use of vegetable raw materials instead of animal protein is a global trend, which Russian manufacturers are quite keeping up with, but consumers are still being cautious.

Manturov himself, by his own admission, is also “so far adapting” to various alternatives. In particular, at the Sochi exhibition, he was introduced to a burger in which the cutlet is made from vegetable proteins, vegetables, aquafaba and with the addition of a concentrate of black soldier fly larvae. Manturov appreciated this new technology, adding that Russian manufacturers “keep up with the times” here too.

“Probably need to work a little with the mentality <...> and the black lion can “enter” – quotes Manturov RBC. – You have to try. Although, probably, a person adapts to everything.

In conclusion, the Deputy Prime Minister assured that, as a consumer, he is going to “continue to experiment” and consume, among other things, plant-based meat.

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