Abstract: To systematically evaluate the sustainability benefits of soy-based meat analogues, this study selected 45 commercially available products as samples and established multi-dimensional quantitative nutritional evaluation metrics based on the Food Compass Score-10 (FCS-10), which were then integrated with life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to conduct a multi-dimensional sustainability assessment and an integrated analysis of nutritional and sustainability benefits. The results indicated that products made from soy protein concentrate (SPC) achieved the highest FCS-10 (6.71 ± 0.97), demonstrating outstanding performance in core nutritional dimensions such as vitamins, nutrient ratios, dietary fiber, and protein, with some of these products reaching the recommended intake range. In contrast, products made from soy protein isolate (SPI) received the lowest FCS-10 (4.53 ± 0.93). Life cycle assessments conducted using equivalent product mass, equivalent protein content, and FCS-10 score as functional units consistently showed that SPC-based meat analogues exhibited the best environmental performance, significantly superior to SPI-based products. The integrated analysis further indicated that SPC-based products offered the optimal combination of nutritional quality and sustainability benefits. This study reveals that the sustainability benefits of soy-based meat analogues are significantly influenced by the composition of raw materials, with SPC demonstrating the optimal balance between nutritional and sustainability benefits. Additionally, partial substitution of SPI with soybean meal (SM) effectively improves the overall performance. The evaluation framework developed in this study provides a novel perspective for research on the nutrition and sustainability of soy-based meat analogues, and the findings offer a scientific basis and theoretical reference for raw material selection, nutritional optimization, and sustainable product development.

Key words: soy protein; plant-based meat; Food Compass Score-10; life cycle assessment