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Aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A in commercial plant-based meat alternatives: Occurrence, ingredient-level exploratory patterns, and dietary risk

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) are increasingly consumed, yet their mycotoxin profile remains under-characterized. In this study, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) were investigated in commercially available PBMAs and assessed dietary exposure under a full-substitution scenario. Ingredient-level patterns (legume- vs cereal-based matrices), estimated daily intake (EDI), and risk via the margin of exposure (MOE) and combined MOE (MOE T ) were explored. Concentration patterns were toxin-specific: AFB1 was observed in legume-based products, whereas OTA clustered in cereal-based products. Among OTA-positive samples, burgers and other formats showed no material difference, indicating that elevated values are not confined to a single product format. Under the conservative full-substitution scenario, MOE/MOE T values were below 10,000, indicating potential concern per EFSA, largely driven by OTA and a small subset of higher-contaminated items. Mycotoxin occurrence in PBMAs reflects the underlying ingredient matrix (legumes vs cereals) rather than a specific commercial format. In the present dataset, this full-substitution scenario represents a conservative upper bound; real-world exposure is expected to be lower under partial replacement and heterogeneous consumption. These results provide actionable evidence for risk managers and product developers. Particular attention was given to products marketed toward vegetarian and vegan consumers, which may not always fall unambiguously under existing commodity-specific maximum limits for mycotoxins in European legislation. Consequently, a more rigorous screening of the PBMA market in Europe is suggested, with the aim of further refining risk assessments. • Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) were quantified in 30 commercially available plant-based meat alternatives marketed in Italy. • AFB1 concentrations reached up to 0.98 µg/kg and were mainly associated with legume-based formulations, whereas OTA ranged up to 2.9 µg/kg and predominated in cereal-based products. • Under a full-replacement scenario (224 g/day), mean estimated daily intakes were 2.0×10⁻⁴ µg/kg bw/day for AFB1 and 1.6×10⁻³ µg/kg bw/day for OTA. • Corresponding mean Margin of Exposure (MOE) values were 2022 for AFB1 and 8929 for OTA, with a combined MOET of 1649, indicating potential concern for genotoxic carcinogens in EFSA’s qualitative framework.

Source: Journal of Food Composition and Analysis

DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2026.109008