Plant-based Milk Trends in Japan 植物性ミルクへの注目の高まり【英文記事で英語学習】

• plant-based：（形）植物性の

【例文】In Japan, we have a traditional cuisine made entirely from plant-based ingredients such as vegetables and tofu.
（日本には、野菜や豆腐など、すべて植物性の食材から作られる伝統料理がある。）

【引用元】Five traditional Japanese plant-based dishes to save climate crisis

【例文】One kind of plant-based diet in Japan is called shojin ryori.
（日本における植物性の食事の一種は、精進料理と呼ばれる。）

【引用元】A guide to shojin ryori, Japan’s sustainable plant-based cuisine

In environmental terms, there are a number of reasons why plant-based milk is preferable to dairy milk. While that has motivated consumers and dairy producers in Europe to shift to plant-based milks, in Japan, consumers instead tend to be motivated by health issues, and manufacturers, like soy sauce maker Kikkoman, are expanding the use of their base raw materials to enter the milk market.

There are various ways to measure the environmental impact of dairy and plant-based milks. A particularly striking way is land use. While 8.95 square meters of land is needed to produce just 1 liter of cow’s milk, plant-based milks require just a fraction of that to make the same amount. For instance, at 0.66 ㎡, soy milk uses less than 8% of the land needed for cow’s milk, and rice milk is lower still at 0.34 ㎡.

It’s a similar story for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The production of dairy milk emits 3.15 kg of GHG per 100 ml, which is 4.5 times more than almond milk, and 3.5 times more than the same amount of oat milk. The production of cow’s milk also uses more fresh water than any of the plant-based milks.

In talking about sustainable food production, eutrophication is one of the biggest concerns regarding the environmental impact of agricultural practices. It refers to the increase over time in the concentration of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other plant nutrients in the water ecosystem. As you might imagine, the production of cow’s milk is 10 times worse in terms of eutrophication than soy milk manufacture is, and 7 times worse than almond milk.

While the trend in Europe and the US is that dairy product companies have expanded into the plant-based milk market, in Japan, that market has grown in a different way. The most common and popular plant-based milk by far in Japan is soy milk. In 2019, soy sauce maker Kikkoman held 50% of the soy milk market share here. According to Kikkoman, which is a major Japan food company that also produces traditional seasoning products such as soy sauce, mirin and sake, the amount of soy milk produced in Japan in 2019 was 409,000 kl, which is about double the amount produced in 2010.

As consumers worldwide look for alternative milks that are healthier for both our planet and ourselves, more and more choices in plant-based milks are emerging. Along with coconut milk and cashew nut milk, there is even hemp milk and a Swedish brand made from yellow split peas that is called Sproud. As you come across these new alternatives, as well as discovering whether their individual tastes suit you, please also check on how environmentally friendly they are, and that they are made under ethical work conditions. Your decisions can change our food system.

1. Consumers in Japan have been motivated to shift from dairy milk to plant-based milks by environmental concern. True or False?
2. Various kinds of nutrients in the water ecosystem will decrease because of eutrophication. True or False?
3. Kikkoman reported that the production of soy milk in Japan in 2019 had increased compared to 2010. True or False?

※正解は記事最下部へ

1. False
   ヨーロッパでは、環境配慮の観点から植物性ミルクを選ぶ人が増えている一方、日本の消費者は健康面の理由で植物性ミルクを好む傾向にあると述べられています。
2. False
   「富栄養化」は、海や河川などの水域に含まれるリンやニトロゲン、その他の栄養素が自然状態より増えすぎてしまう現象のことで、結果として生態系バランスの崩壊につながります。
3. True
   キッコーマンが発表したデータによると、2019年の日本における豆乳の生産量は2010年と比べて約2倍になっています。