A large-scale European study found no Salmonella in 1,332 ready-to-eat plant-based products. Listeria monocytogenes was detected in only one of 1,533 samples, and at a very low level.
These key findings were reassuring for plant-based products. However, the study also occasionally found hygiene issues in plant-based cheese and meat substitute products, emphasizing that "plant-based" does not mean immunity from ordinary food safety risks.
What did researchers test?
Food authorities collected 1,533 ready-to-eat plant-based milk, cream, cheese, meat, and fish substitute products from retailers in 15 EU countries. Most were tested near or at the end of their labeled shelf life, providing a challenging assessment of how products perform during storage.
The results were published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on August 12, 2026. Read the full EFSA-supported report here. (Access to the report could be limited from Turkey!)
The report was summarized in Food Safety Magazine tarafından yayınlandı.
Little evidence of major pathogens
No Salmonella was detected in the 1,332 samples tested. Listeria monocytogenes was found below one colony-forming unit per gram in a refrigerated oat-based milk substitute. When the product was examined near its expiration date, the organism showed no measurable growth.
Molecular test signals for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli were obtained in five of 831 samples. However, these samples were not classified as unsatisfactory on this basis as live bacteria could not be confirmed by laboratory culture.
These findings do not indicate a widespread pathogen problem among the sampled products.
Why are some results still concerning to researchers?
Although the microbiological quality was generally found to be satisfactory at the end of the research, plant-based cheese and meat substitutes showed more borderline or unsatisfactory findings compared to milk and cream alternatives.
In three of 1,113 samples, Bacillus cereus or related bacteria were found above the study's unsatisfactory threshold. Six samples also had high levels of general E. coli. While such findings do not prove that a product causes illness, they can indicate issues related to raw materials, production hygiene, processing, or refrigeration.
A separate German version of the project similarly found generally satisfactory results while detecting hygiene indicators and Bacillus cereus in some products. German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment project summary.
What does this mean for consumers?
The research does not suggest that plant-based products are unusually dangerous. In fact, it shows almost the opposite: in a large and diverse sample, major pathogens were either absent or extremely rare.
However, refrigerated vegan cheeses, meat alternatives, tofu-based foods, and opened plant-based beverages still require proper refrigeration and hygienic handling. Especially for ready-to-eat products that will not be cooked before consumption, expiration date instructions are crucial.
Nutrition labels must also remain distinct:
-
Plant-based products do not automatically mean vegan. The entire ingredient list and production process need to be checked.
-
"Dairy-free" does not mean microbiologically risk-free.
-
"Lactose-free" does not mean "dairy-free": Lactose-free products can still contain dairy.
-
"Plant-based" does not mean "gluten-free." Gluten content and cross-contamination must be verified separately.
Important caveats
The report was funded through the EFSA program and involved national food authorities, but its results are those of the authors and have not been formally adopted by EFSA. Not every sample was tested for every microorganism, and the results cannot be automatically applied to every product, brand, or country.
No illnesses or outbreaks linked to the examined samples were identified. Therefore, the study supports caution rather than alarm.
For consumers, the practical conclusion is simple: Ready-to-eat plant-based alternatives appear similar to other foods in requiring reliable production, a robust cold chain, and proper storage. Their plant-based ingredients neither pose a special danger nor eliminate usual food safety risks.