The current landscape of plant-based meat and beverages: Dietary transitions and unexpected chemical risks

While promoting sustainability, plant-based diets may increase mycotoxin exposure; new evidence shows contamination risks in meat and milk analogues and the need for updated regulations.

 

Introduction  

In recent years, there has been a significant transition towards plant-based diets, driven by concerns related to the health risks associated with meat consumption (i.e. ischemic heart disease, colorectal cancer), the promotion of public health (Ekmekcioglu et al. 2018), and the environmental benefits (Rockström et al. 2025). Aligned with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Green Deal, the European Union has pledged to promote sustainable dietary transitions, including the large-scale introduction of plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy products (Singh et al. 2021; European Commission 2023b; Rubio et al. 2020). As a result, more consumers are shifting from omnivorous diets to more sustainable patterns such as flexitarian, vegetarian, or vegan diets among others (Luzzani 2022; Biesbroek et al. 2023).  

The EAT–Lancet Commission highlighted that such transitions are essential to achieving global sustainable developments and improve human health, diets rich in plant-based foods and low in red and processed meat. Sustainable food production could prevent millions of deaths annually while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable land and water use (Rockström et al. 2025).  

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), sustainable diets are those that have low environmental impact while contributing to food and nutrition security, health, and affordability (WHO 2021; Jones et al. 2016). Consumers’ dietary shift translated into increased consumption of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) and plant-based beverages (PBB), accompanied by a reduction in traditional meat and milk consumption (Onwezen and Dagevos 2024). 

The trend of PBMAs and PBBs consumption is mirrored by the growth of the plant-based foods sector in the European market with total sales reaching €5.8 billion in 2022 out of which €2.2 billion came from plant-based beverages alone. Italy ranked third in market size behind Germany and Spain, with sales of €310 million (GFI 2022). Consumers cite ethical concerns, environmental motivations, and health issues (such as lactose intolerance or dairy allergy) as major drivers (Reyes-Jurado et al. 2021; Xie et al. 2023).  

Raw ingredients used in plant-based meat and beverages alternatives… are susceptible to contamination… by mycotoxin-producing fungi.

PBMA products are typically made from functionalized and reassembled plant proteins including legumes (soy, pea, chickpea), cereal grains (wheat), pseudocereals (quinoa), and nuts or seeds (cashew, flaxseed, chia) (Langyan et al. 2022; McClements et al. 2019). Textured vegetable proteins (TVPs) and high-moisture extrudates (HMEs) are the two main types of extruded products used in plant-based meat alternatives (Kołodziejczak et al. 2021). TVPs are dried after extrusion, giving them a meat-like texture with good water-holding capacity, but they require rehydration before use. In contrast, HMEs are formed by passing the extrudate through a cooling die, resulting in a high-moisture product with a fibrous, layered structure that closely mimics whole-cut me