Food Safety and Nutritional Aspects of Plant-Based Dairy and Meat Alternatives: A Review

Elina Sohlberg; Petra Pasonen; Hanna Leena Alakomi; Johanna Suomi

doi:10.1002/fsn3.72062

Food Safety and Nutritional Aspects of Plant-Based Dairy and Meat Alternatives: A Review

Elina Sohlberg
, Petra Pasonen
, Hanna Leena Alakomi
, Johanna Suomi^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

BA5307 Process microbiology and food safety

Finnish Food Safety Authority

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › peer-review

Abstract

The consumption and availability of plant-based dairy and milk alternatives are increasing. These products can contain chemical and microbiological hazards, which are not prevalent in animal-based foods. On the other hand, the occurrence of foodborne hazards such as contaminants or pathogens found in animal-based foods can also be lower in plant-based alternatives. Currently, the European legislation has few limits to foodborne hazards in dairy and milk alternatives. This review aims to present the relevant chemical and microbiological foodborne hazards in different types of dairy and meat alternatives, discuss their potential for health risk to consumers and risk management options. Nutritional aspects are discussed briefly from the point of view of consumers' health.

Original language	English
Article number	e72062
Journal	Food Science and Nutrition
Volume	14
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72062
Publication status	Published - 2026
MoE publication type	A2 Review article in a scientific journal

Funding

This manuscript has been prepared as part of research project “VEGETURVA” (www.ruokavirasto.fi/en/vegeturva) funded by the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with contribution from Valio Ltd., Raisio Oyj and Fazer Group (Makera funding, decision VN/10341/2022).

Keywords

contaminants
dairy and meat imitates
food safety
foodborne microbes
plant-based meat alternatives
plant-based milk alternatives

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10.1002/fsn3.72062Licence: CC BY

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title = "Food Safety and Nutritional Aspects of Plant-Based Dairy and Meat Alternatives: A Review",

abstract = "The consumption and availability of plant-based dairy and milk alternatives are increasing. These products can contain chemical and microbiological hazards, which are not prevalent in animal-based foods. On the other hand, the occurrence of foodborne hazards such as contaminants or pathogens found in animal-based foods can also be lower in plant-based alternatives. Currently, the European legislation has few limits to foodborne hazards in dairy and milk alternatives. This review aims to present the relevant chemical and microbiological foodborne hazards in different types of dairy and meat alternatives, discuss their potential for health risk to consumers and risk management options. Nutritional aspects are discussed briefly from the point of view of consumers' health.",

keywords = "contaminants, dairy and meat imitates, food safety, foodborne microbes, plant-based meat alternatives, plant-based milk alternatives",

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AU - Alakomi, Hanna Leena

AU - Suomi, Johanna

PY - 2026

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AB - The consumption and availability of plant-based dairy and milk alternatives are increasing. These products can contain chemical and microbiological hazards, which are not prevalent in animal-based foods. On the other hand, the occurrence of foodborne hazards such as contaminants or pathogens found in animal-based foods can also be lower in plant-based alternatives. Currently, the European legislation has few limits to foodborne hazards in dairy and milk alternatives. This review aims to present the relevant chemical and microbiological foodborne hazards in different types of dairy and meat alternatives, discuss their potential for health risk to consumers and risk management options. Nutritional aspects are discussed briefly from the point of view of consumers' health.

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KW - plant-based milk alternatives

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Food Safety and Nutritional Aspects of Plant-Based Dairy and Meat Alternatives: A Review

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