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Alexander J. Stein

@ajstein.bsky.social
5.8K followers 268 following 3.7K posts

Agricultural economist, PhD. Curating and sharing research and evidence-based information on food, health, technology & sustainability. More about me: www.AJStein.de. Moderated private account. Posts + Likes ≠ endorsements. German: ajstein-de.bsky.social

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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Surveys on #plantbased & #cultivatedmeat indicate consumer interest is likely to grow once products exist at taste & price parity. Then the benefits of such #meat can take center stage and the food sector & governments have incentives to facilitate adoption: meatmatters.substack.com/p/will-anyon...
meatmatters.substack.com
Will anyone eat plant-based and cultivated meat?
Yes: When alt meats reach taste and price parity with conventional meat, consumers, meat companies, and governments all have reasons to want them to win.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Elevated CO2 can boost #yields in C3 crops, but also reduces grain mineral levels, esp. of #iron & #zinc and when combined with #drought, warming or low nitrogen. Rising #CO2 levels threaten the #nutrition quality of grains. #Biofortification and other interventions can help: doi.org/10.3389/fpls...
doi.org
Frontiers | Elevated CO2 and the hidden hunger crisis: mechanisms, magnitudes, and mitigation of micronutrient dilution in staple crops
Hidden hunger results from inadequate intake of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and other key micronutrients. Over 2 billion people worldwide are affected, especially ...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
So true! I was just released from hospital after getting antibiotics against a biliary infection put me back on my feet within days, if not hours, of the first infusion. People don't appreciate how precious antibiotics are!
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
… is characterized by elevated saturated fat, imbalance in fatty acid & limited micronutrient diversity—attributes consistently linked to increased risk of non-communicable diseases. More plant-forward #diets have more favorable #sustainability profiles. #PlantBased #Health #Meat #Dairy
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
#LCA: The current US diet imposes the highest #environment burdens alongside relatively poor #nutrition performance, largely attributable to high consumption of animal-derived proteins, particularly #beef, and refined grains and processed fruit products. This diet… doi.org/10.1016/j.cl... +
doi.org
Redirecting
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
… #health, sustainability or shared benefits do better than pressure or negative framing, esp. when paired with practical support. Coordinated action across the #foodsystem that creates opportunities for repeated positive experiences helps mainstreaming the uptake of alternative #protein products.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Changing the #foodenvironment can make alternative proteins easier to choose, but interventions that are perceived as restrictive can create resistance, and long-term #adoption depends on taste, texture, price, convenience & trust. Messages focusing on enjoyment… www.cscp.org/accelerating... +
cscp.org
Accelerating Alternative Protein Uptake: What European Behvioural Pilots Show Us
How can alternative proteins move from niche products to widely accepted food choices? The answer does not lie in a single solution. While product quality and availability remain essential, wider upta...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
In the French food supply, #vegetables & #legumes have favorable nutrition & #environment profiles, red & processed #meat has poor profiles. (The #nutrition score covers both "good" & "bad" nutrients, the environment score GHG #emissions, #landuse, and many other indicators.) doi.org/10.1016/j.cl...
doi.org
Redirecting
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
… #geneediting can enable faster & cheaper development of a wider variety of crop traits, also in specialty crops, potentially reducing development #costs by 40-85%, given the right regulatory environment. #PlantBreeding #Biotechnology #Regulation
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
For major field crops, #GMOs have achieved widespread adoption in the US (over 90% of corn, soybean & cotton). As GM seeds provide improved pest control, yield stability & labor savings, #farmers pay higher prices than for conventional seeds. Now… www.ers.usda.gov/publications... +
ers.usda.gov
Biotechnology in U.S. Crop Production: A Primer on Adoption, Costs, and Regulatory Structure | Economic Research Service
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
#Review: Adherence to #plantbased diets is linked to lower risk of cognitive decline & dementia, while higher intake of red & processed #meat is linked to increased risk. Plant-based #diets may reduce the risk of #dementia, incl. Alzheimer's disease: doi.org/10.1039/d6fo... #Alzheimers #Health
doi.org
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
… would also entail large reductions in GHG #emissions, in air & water #pollution, in #fertilizer requirements, and in water use. Plant-based diets are also demonstrably healthier than typical Western diets. #PlantBased #Diets #Footprint #Meat #Dairy #FoodSecurity #Health
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
If animal food products in #Canada were replaced with high-protein plant food products, agriculture's #landuse could decrease by 80%, as crop production is much more efficient than animal production. The land could be put to better uses. Such a switch of #protein sources… doi.org/10.1088/2976... +
doi.org
Reduction in land area devoted to agriculture from a hypothetical universal vegan diet in Canada
Reduction in land area devoted to agriculture from a hypothetical universal vegan diet in Canada, Harvey, L D Danny
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
In case anyone wondered, the water in the #Rhine river is still super low. Only now a cargo #ship got stuck for two days: rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/... #ClimateChange #Heatwave #Drought #AllForgotten #NewNormal
rp-online.de
Schifffahrt in Düsseldorf: Frachter im Hafen ist befreit – „Wir haben es aus eigener Kraft geschafft“
Ein Schiff steckte seit Montag in einem der Düsseldorfer Hafenbecken fest. Mitarbeiter der Reederei konnten den Frachter schließlich befreien. Probleme mit dem niedrigen Rheinpegel gibt es aber noch i...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
… attributes. Having tried meat alternatives is linked to willingness to eat them in future, which highlights opportunities for initial exposure.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Red & processed #meat consumption is linked to adverse impacts on health, #animalwelfare & #environment. In a UK survey over half of all respondents were willing to consume #plantbased alternatives, driven by #health considerations. Taste & texture were the most important… doi.org/10.1016/j.ij... +
doi.org
Redirecting
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
#Legumes contribute to #soil fertility, improve #nutrition, diversify cropping, and strengthen #resilience. However, in #Africa poor seed systems, biotic & abiotic constraints, low #policy support, post-harvest losses, and uneven #research investment limit their potential: doi.org/10.1007/s125...
doi.org
Client Challenge
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
… #nitrogen loss & fossil fuel use; #organic beef emits 2x as much #carbon as beef from regular #farming. Either way, the #beef industry overall is responsible for one quarter of global GHG #emissions from food production, making it a top contributor to the #climate crisis.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
No matter how it is raised, beef comes with a steep climate cost. Many #consumers think an organic label implies #sustainability, but organic, #grassfed beef is more environmentally harmful than conventional beef in terms of carbon emissions, water use… sentientmedia.org/organic-beef... +
sentientmedia.org
Organic Beef Has a Larger Carbon Footprint Than Feedlot Beef
But no matter the way it’s raised, beef comes with a steep climate cost.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Classifying 400k products from 14 countries shows that the #NutriScore is consistent with food-based dietary guidelines—fruit, veggies & pulses score high, chocolate & biscuits score low. The Nutri-Score has the potential as a EU-wide front-of-pack label: doi.org/10.1136/bmjp... #Nutrition #Labeling
doi.org
Does the Nutri-Score 2023 algorithm provide consistent classification across European food supplies? A cross-sectional study using branded food composition data from 14 countries
Introduction The Nutri-Score is a summary graded and colour-coded front of pack nutritional label providing an overall assessment of the nutritional value of prepacked products. While its 2023 update ...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
... is projected to fall the third year in a row, to the lowest level since 20 years, and #foodaid is expected to decline by over 40%. These cuts weaken assistance, nutrition support, monitoring systems and resilience-building efforts in countries already facing crises. #FoodSecurity #ClimateChange
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Food insecurity remains very high in many countries due to #conflicts, wars and weather extremes, aggravated by high food & #fertiliser prices, the climate phenomenon #ElNiño, and reduced humanitarian #funding: Official development assistance... joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and... +
joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu
Food crises across the globe: acute food insecurity remains alarmingly high
The Middle East conflicts, El Niño and funding cuts deepen risks, threatening to exacerbate the impact on vulnerable communities in the coming months.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
… Fortifying maize, millet & sorghum could reach more people, but industrial fortification pathways do not yet exist. >> #Biofortification, i.e. fortification of crops through #plantbreeding, could help. #Nutrition #Micronutrients
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Food fortification is central to addressing micronutrient deficiencies in West #Africa. Yet, current fortification vehicles (wheat flour, edible oil) have limited reach among target populations, i.e. the inclusion of other vehicles in #fortification programs is warranted… doi.org/10.1038/s430... +
doi.org
Diversified food fortification portfolios can enhance coverage of micronutrient-vulnerable populations in West Africa - Nature Food
While staple food fortification is a recognized strategy for addressing micronutrient inadequacy, there is limited localized evidence on whether currently fortified foods, as well as candidate staples...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
... an area that still pales in comparison to the area (of 3 billion hectares) that could be spared if we transitioned to healthier and more sustainable diets: ourworldindata.org/land-use-diets
ourworldindata.org
If the world adopted a plant-based diet, we would reduce global agricultural land use from 4 to 1 billion hectares
We could reduce the amount of land used for grazing and croplands used to grow animal feed.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
… e.g. #subsidies may be needed to help increase intake. Promoting #sustainable diets may be a strategy to support lifelong cardiometabolic health. #Diets
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Healthy #plantbased diets may support children’s cardiometabolic #health without increasing dietary #costs. Processed & red #meat is linked to higher risks of cardiovascular #diseases and to higher dietary costs. Fruits & #vegetables are healthy but also more costly, i.e. … doi.org/10.1016/j.aj... +
doi.org
Redirecting
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
More than a niche? Arable farming and specialty crops in mountain regions: doi.org/10.21256/zha...
doi.org
Mehr als eine Nische? : Ackerbau und Spezialkulturen im Berggebiet
Die Berglandwirtschaft im Alpenraum befindet sich in einem Spannungsfeld: Während Klimawandel, Ernährungswandel und agrarpolitische Reformen neue Spielräume für den Anbau pflanzlicher Nahrungsmittel i...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
… create #costs of over $2 trillion/year that fall on society, not the livestock industry. However, #livestock emissions can be reduced thru government policies that encourage a transition to healthy #diets.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Animal production (for #meat, #dairy, #eggs) is responsible for over 12% of global GHG emissions—which contribute to #climatechange whose impacts (heatwaves, #droughts, floods etc.) are borne by the public. These #emissions from animal production create… zerocarbon-analytics.org/nature/food-... +
zerocarbon-analytics.org
Global livestock emissions burden society with costs as high as USD 2.1 trillion every year - Zero Carbon Analytics
Raising livestock to produce animal products for consumption causes 12.5% of global annual GHG emissions. Working with carbon pricing, new analysis estimates the financial burden of livestock emission...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Activist? Seriously, Guardian, words matter. I don't support you for writing lazy headlines and normalising violence.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
What about reorienting agriculture away from livestock and back to the production of crops & produce? Fiddling with feed & lifespans doesn't address the structural problem. (Being stuck in the past, like "optimising" internal combustion engines when electric cars are competitive & widely available.)
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I receive excellent care for my cancer and get all the medication I need to manage my therapies’ side effects. Thinking that others may suffer needlessly, or not even get necessary treatments, churns my stomach. (Yes, this is also true for most people in the Global South. There I’d already be dead.)
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Men & women are treated differently in #healthcare as sex-based differences persist: Female #patients are less likely to receive invasive or intensive treatments—and even when treated without, are less likely to receive guideline compliant therapy: doi.org/10.1371/jour... #Gender #Medicine #Health
doi.org
Measured treatment differences between sexes and genders: A scoping review
Background Sex and gender-based inequality is found throughout medicine. Although there has been significant research in gender disparities affecting healthcare professionals, there is a lack of resea...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… When applied, the top products consisted solely of #plantbased proteins, the bottom entirely of animal-based #proteins. Had other critical factors been included (land use, carbon-capture, #animalwelfare), there would be an even bigger divide. #Nutrition #Carbon #LandUse #Footprint #Meat #Beef
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
What are the best sources of #protein? A new score evaluated 20 high-protein products. A “Planet Score” assessed #environment impact (GHG #emissions, water #pollution, resource use), a “People Score” considered #health factors (salt, saturated fat) and accessibility… doi.org/10.3389/fsuf... +
doi.org
Frontiers | What are the best sources of protein? Introducing the BPI Score
The question, “What are the best sources of protein?” is complicated by the significant hidden health and environmental costs associated with many popular op...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… (also driven by feed production). Transitioning to more #sustainable diets with less animal-based foods (in combination with better pesticide management) can reduce water pollution. #Livestock #Meat #Dairy #Eggs #Diets #Pollution
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
An assessment of the grey #water footprints of the current Chinese diet, the officially recommended diet, the Planetary Health Diet & a #plantbased diet shows the plant-based diet has the lowest water #footprint and diets with more animal-based foods have a larger impact… doi.org/10.1088/2515... +
doi.org
Water pollution related to food consumption patterns: dietary choices cause grey water footprints due to agricultural pesticide use, a case study for China
Water pollution related to food consumption patterns: dietary choices cause grey water footprints due to agricultural pesticide use, a case study for China , Yi, Junjie, Gerbens-Leenes, Winnie, Wang, ...
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… Climate change reshapes animal infectious disease #epidemiology, with important implications for animal #health, food security & zoonotic risk (i.e. risk for human health). POV: One more reason to accelerate dietary change and promote plant-based & cellular agriculture.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
A #review assessing the effects of #climatechange on the epidemiology of animal infectious #diseases finds links btwn #climate variables and increased disease #risk, expanded geographical ranges, or higher prevalence. Domestic #animals are the most frequently studied hosts… doi.org/10.1016/j.la... +
doi.org
Redirecting
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
#Research projects to diversify #diets with alternative proteins (e.g. #plantbased) help tackle #climatechange, natural resource scarcity, #foodsecurity & #sustainability; help build #foodsystem resilience, and reduce reliance on #imports & various #health risks: eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conten...
eur-lex.europa.eu
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
And they grow "fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers" = high-value products where margins can cover costs (if sold to niche-markets in which buyers are willing to pay more). Not sure that concept would work to grow commodity/field crops that are needed to provide energy & protein for plant-based diets.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… agriculture with inputs that are regulated based on evidence/outcomes and mandatory landscape features (like hedge rows, buffer strips etc.) offers the best combination of land sparing & sharing and thus the best outcomes for climate, biodiversity, rewilding etc.
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… that's possible in conventional agriculture can also improve soil quality. Perhaps there are other trade-offs, but it's insights like that that should be considered and not discarded right away because they do not fit a certain narrative. So, in conclusion, I still think that high-yielding…
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… Conventional is more flexible in that respect. This flexibility can be used for worse, but potentially also for the better, and that's what needs to be done. And e.g. about soil organic matter, which is also mentioned in the linke article, there was a recent study that showed that reduced tillage…
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… yields are lost), no "synthetic" pesticides can be used, even when they are more benign than the organic ones (e.g. copper-based ones). That's my issue with organic, it's not about actual outcomes or looking at what is best for sustainability, it's about sticking to preconceived beliefs…
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… only works if its land requirements can be met by moving to plant-based diets globally. No land sparing. And as it's still organic, e.g. crops developed thru modern breeding cannot be used, no matter what beneficial traits they may have. Or where "organic" pesticides are not very effective (and…
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… argument with all its climate/biodiversity benefits still applies to conventional agriculture. And also the linked article says that what is needed for veganic to work is that land is no longer used to feed animals (but can be used to provide nutrients for veganic farming). So same thing, veganic…
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
… then spread the manure on a small area (but with a loss as the animals also use some of the nutrients). But it doesn't solve the problem that organic has lower yields on average if you look at the TOTAL area needed to grow the crops (also over time, if there is crop rotation). So the land sparing…
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Alexander J. Stein @ajstein.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Same problem: "a six-acre parcel… They… cultivate… less than half an acre" = land-use is an issue also here! As I read it, they need 5.5. acres to provide nutrients for 0.5 acre. Might be more efficient than using animals to concentrate nutrients from a large area (for feed & forage) in manure, to…
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