Mycotoxin contamination in plant-based beverages and meat alternatives: A survey of the UK market

The study aimed to investigate the natural occurrence and co-occurrence of nineteen mycotoxins in 212 plant-based products collected from several retailers in the UK, including plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) (n = 92) and plant-based beverages (PBBs) (n = 120), using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in tandem (LC-MS/MS). Mycotoxins included in the analysis were aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEN), fumonisins (FB1, FB2), deoxynivalenol (DON), HT-2/T-2, enniatins (ENNB, ENNB1, ENNA, ENNA1), beauvericin (BEA), alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), and tentoxin (TEN). A high prevalence of emerging Fusarium toxins such as ENNA (93.5 %), ENNA1 (93.5 %), and BEA (98.9 %), and the Alternaria toxins AOH (75.0 %), AME (85.9 %), and TEN (77.2 %), was found in the PBMAs. Similarly, BEA, ENNB, and ENNA were frequently found in the PBBs of the study, with prevalence values ranging from 71.9 % to 100 %. In general, all mycotoxins were found in significantly higher concentrations in the PBMAs compared to the PBBs. The high co-occurrence observed across the samples suggests that food business operators should prioritize the management of mycotoxins in plant-based products as an integral part of their food safety systems. Moreover, further monitoring studies should be conducted to assess the potential risks associated with the consumption of plant-based products, considering the current dietary habits of the population.