A new United Kingdom study has raised questions about the food safety of plant-based meat alternatives after researchers detected potentially harmful fungal toxins in every product tested, with most samples containing multiple contaminants.
The findings, published in the journal Food Control, suggest that popular meat substitutes made from ingredients such as wheat, oats, maize, soybeans and peas could expose consumers to a mixture of naturally occurring toxins known as mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by certain moulds that contaminate agricultural crops during cultivation, harvesting and storage. Depending on the type and level of exposure, some have been associated with liver and kidney damage, immune system impairment, hormonal disruption and cancer.
The study analysed 212 plant-based food products purchased from five major UK retailers, including 92 meat alternatives and 120 plant-based beverages, screening them for 19 different mycotoxins.
Researchers identify widespread contamination
One of the most striking findings was the prevalence of emerging mycotoxins, a category of fungal toxins that has not been routinely covered by existing food safety regulations.
Beauvericin was detected in 98.9 per cent of the 92 plant-based meat alternatives examined, while enniatin A and enniatin A1 were each found in 93.5 per cent of the samples.
The researchers also detected widespread contamination involving Alternaria toxins, while aflatoxins were present in up to 82.6 per cent of the plant-based meat samples.
These findings indicate that contamination was not restricted to isolated products or individual toxins. Several fungal compounds frequently occurred together in the same food samples.
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Although the researchers did not establish that the detected concentrations would cause illness, the widespread presence of multiple contaminants raises questions about the implications of repeated dietary exposure.
Multiple ingredients create contamination pathways
The researchers identified the complex composition of plant-based meat alternatives as a possible factor contributing to contamination.
Many products combine agricultural ingredients, including wheat, oats, maize, soy, peas, beans and chickpeas. Each raw material can potentially introduce fungal toxins into the manufacturing process.
Because mycotoxins can survive certain food-processing conditions, contamination originating in agricultural ingredients may persist into finished products.
The study found no significant differences in overall mycotoxin concentrations across the different categories of plant-based meat alternatives, suggesting that contamination was widespread rather than confined to a particular product type.
Plant-based drinks also tested positive
The investigation also identified mycotoxins in plant-based beverages, although their overall concentrations were significantly lower than those found in meat alternatives.
Oat-based drinks were particularly associated with HT-2 and T-2 toxins, which are produced by Fusarium fungi commonly found in cereal crops.
Emerging mycotoxins were also detected across beverage categories, indicating that contamination was not exclusive to meat substitutes.
Regulatory gaps raise further questions
A major concern highlighted by the findings is the limited regulatory attention given to emerging mycotoxins.
While established food safety standards cover certain mycotoxins, emerging compounds such as beauvericin and enniatins are not routinely subject to comparable regulatory limits in many jurisdictions.
The researchers’ findings therefore raise questions about whether existing food monitoring systems adequately address the combined presence of multiple fungal toxins in processed foods.
Importantly, the study did not demonstrate that consuming the tested products causes cancer, organ damage or other diseases. Nor did it establish the long-term health effects of exposure to the detected mixtures at the concentrations measured.
However, the possibility of repeated exposure to several mycotoxins through regularly consumed foods highlights an area requiring further toxicological investigation.
Calls for stronger food monitoring
The findings underscore the importance of monitoring agricultural raw materials before they enter food manufacturing facilities.
Improved storage conditions, tighter quality control, routine laboratory screening and greater transparency from manufacturers could help reduce the introduction of contaminated ingredients into finished products.
The study also raises questions for food manufacturers and regulators about the need to evaluate potential combined exposure to multiple mycotoxins rather than focusing exclusively on individual contaminants.
As plant-based meat alternatives gain popularity among consumers seeking alternatives to conventional meat, the findings highlight the importance of ensuring that products marketed as healthier food choices are subjected to rigorous safety assessments.
For consumers, the research does not establish that all plant-based meat substitutes are unsafe. Rather, it reinforces the need for transparent ingredient sourcing, effective contamination controls and stronger scientific evidence on the long-term implications of repeated exposure to mixtures of fungal toxins.