Consumption of dairy analogues made of oats, soy, nuts, rice, or other plants has increased in recent years. In addition to the increase in supply, the use is increased by recommendations from various sources to promote public health and mitigate climate change by limiting the consumption of food of animal origin. Currently, there is only a limited amount of information on the chemical or microbiological food hazards of plant-based dairy analogues, as they are not controlled under food safety regulations similarly to cow's milk and they are mostly fairly new arrivals on the market.
The aim of this study is to
- determine the concentrations in dairy analogues of spore-forming pathogenic bacteria and several contaminants such as heavy metals and mycotoxins,
- assess the consumer's exposure to these food hazards,
- assess the limits of safe use for different consumer groups,
- assess the impact of different production processes on the quality of the finished product,
- estimate the current consumption and the effect of the storage of oats products on the microbiological risk, and
- compare the differences in the composition of the products of vegetable and animal origin.
Food safety results are useful to the planning of control and self-control measures in industry as well as to national decision-making, and the amounts of safe use and nutritional information support the development of national recommendations. In addition, the results provide consumers with studied, independent information to support their choices.
The results and publications of the project will be linked on this page.
Schedule
2023 – 2026
Project group
Finnish Food Authority, Risk Assessment Unit
- Johanna Suomi (PI of the project)
- Petra Pasonen
- Antti Mikkelä
- Pirkko Tuominen
Finnish Food Authority, Chemistry Unit
- Marjo Kolmonen
- Marjo Pulkkinen
- Marja Raatikainen
- Tiina Ritvanen
- Janne Järvinen
- Kati Hakala
- Annikki Welling
Finnish Food Authority, Microbiology Unit
- Maria Aarnio
- Satu Hakola
- Saija Hallanvuo
- Anna-Liisa Myllyniemi
VTT
- Hanna-Leena Alakomi
- Elina Sohlberg
- Pekka Lehtinen
- Ulla Holopainen-Mantila
Fazer, Raisio and Valio are collaborating with the project group.
Funding
Makera (Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry in Finland), Valio, Raisio, Fazer, as well as Finnish Food Authority and VTT
Publications and news on the project
Additional information
Johanna Suomi, johanna.suomi@ruokavirasto.fi