All 212 plant-based meat alternatives and plant-based beverages tested in a new UK market survey were found to contain at least one fungal toxin, according to research led by the University of Parma in collaboration with Cranfield University. The findings highlight a largely overlooked food-safety issue within the rapidly expanding plant-based sector.
Researchers purchased a broad selection of products from UK retailers, including vegan burgers, meat-free chicken-style pieces, sausages and beverages made from oats, almonds and soy. Across the samples, they detected 19 different mycotoxins, toxic compounds produced by moulds.
What the scientists actually found
Despite mycotoxins being detected across all of the tested products, concentrations remained below current European Union guidance limits for individual toxins. The authors say this suggests that UK manufacturers are generally maintaining good safety and quality controls.
However, some products contained several mycotoxins simultaneously, raising questions about their potential combined effects. Existing regulations largely evaluate individual mycotoxins separately, even though consumers may be exposed to low levels of several contaminants within a single meal.
Why plant-based foods are vulnerable
Mycotoxins can form when certain fungi grow on crops such as grains, legumes and oilseeds, both while crops are growing and during storage. Many plant-based meat and dairy alternatives rely heavily on these ingredients as sources of protein and carbohydrates.
Factors including humidity, inadequate drying, poor storage and weather extremes driven by climate change can increase mould growth. Researchers note that as demand for plant-based products increases, greater pressure on supply chains could make rigorous mycotoxin management more challenging.
Health risks from long-term exposure
A single serving of a contaminated product is unlikely to cause acute illness when toxin concentrations remain below legal thresholds. Instead, the concern centers on chronic exposure to small quantities over many years, particularly among people whose diets consist predominantly of plant-based foods.
Some mycotoxins, including aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, have been linked to liver and kidney damage, immune suppression and certain cancers. The new UK data could help refine exposure models and risk assessments used to inform future food-safety policies.
Calls for tighter oversight and research
Andrea Patriarca, Senior Lecturer in Mycology at Cranfield University, stressed that mycotoxins are a natural part of the food chain and cannot be completely eliminated. Patriarca said consumers should not abandon plant-based foods, but that risk-management strategies need to keep pace with emerging product categories.
One challenge is that detailed mycotoxin regulations are better established for traditional commodities such as cereals than for complex, multi-ingredient meat substitutes and newer plant-based beverages. Researchers argue that standards should evolve to better reflect these emerging products.
Implications for industry and consumers
The authors are working with food producers, retailers and regulators to incorporate mycotoxin monitoring into broader food-safety systems, ranging from agricultural storage practices to quality checks during manufacturing. Better crop selection, drying and storage procedures, along with rapid testing technologies, are among the proposed approaches.
For consumers, experts recommend maintaining a varied diet, purchasing products from reputable brands and avoiding excessive reliance on any single type of plant-based product. Ongoing research will compare exposure levels across different dietary patterns to help guide recommendations for groups including children, pregnant people and those with existing liver or kidney disease.
The full findings, published in the journal Food Control, form part of the EU-funded FunShield4Med project, which is investigating fungal risks across Mediterranean and European food systems. The UK survey is expected to contribute to future discussions about harmonized mycotoxin standards for next-generation plant-based foods.
