University of Parma Finds Mycotoxins in Every One of 212 UK Plant-Based Products Tested

The Parma team purchased burgers, sausages, chicken-style pieces, and oat, almond and soy milks from UK retailers then quantified 19 regulated and emerging mycotoxins using validated LC-MS/MS methods. Every sample contained detectable residues, yet all remained below current EU maximum levels, confirming effective supply-chain controls while exposing the absence of product-specific limits for novel multi-ingredient vegan foods.

Mycotoxins enter via staple ingredients such as wheat, soy, peas and oats that are susceptible to field and storage moulds. Because plant-based diets often rely on repeated servings of these same commodities, even sub-regulatory exposures can accumulate, raising long-term risks of hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and immune modulation that single-product testing cannot capture.

Original coverage understated market consequences: the rapid expansion of ultra-processed plant proteins creates new exposure matrices that current surveillance systems do not monitor, potentially eroding consumer trust if retailers or regulators fail to adapt testing protocols before adverse-event clusters appear.

The FunShield4Med consortium is now modelling dietary exposure across vegan, flexitarian and omnivore cohorts; results expected within 18 months will determine whether dedicated maximum levels for plant-based meat alternatives are required.