Plant-based eating has become more popular around the world as many people try to improve their health, reduce their environmental impact, or avoid animal products.
Supermarkets now sell a huge range of plant-based burgers, sausages, milk, yogurt, cheese, cakes, ready meals, and desserts. These foods are often designed to taste and look similar to traditional animal-based products. However, making these alternatives often requires extra ingredients to improve their flavor, texture, color, and shelf life.
A new study suggests that these plant-based alternatives may contain more food additives than similar animal-based foods. The research was carried out by scientists from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London and was published in Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A.
The researchers compared 71 pairs of similar products sold in one UK supermarket during late October 2025. They matched products as closely as possible.
For example, almond milk was compared with dairy milk, vegan brownies with regular brownies, and plant-based meat with meat products. They also compared yogurt, lasagna, mayonnaise, pesto, cakes, coleslaw, and other common foods.
When the researchers counted all the ingredients, additives, and E-numbers, they found that the plant-based products generally contained more of each. Across all products, the plant-based foods contained 199 food additives compared with 100 in the animal-based products.
They also contained 1,566 ingredients compared with 1,110 in the animal-based products. Plant-based foods included 39 different E-numbers, while the animal-based products contained 31.
The biggest differences appeared in dairy alternatives, meat substitutes, and fish replacements. These products often require additional ingredients because plants naturally do not have the same texture, taste, or cooking properties as meat or dairy foods.
The researchers stressed that these findings should not alarm consumers. Food additives approved for sale in the UK must pass safety assessments before they can be used.
The study also did not measure how much of each additive was present or how often people ate these foods. Therefore, the research cannot say that plant-based foods are harmful or that eating them increases health risks.
The popularity of plant-based diets continues to rise in many countries. Surveys show that meat consumption has fallen in the UK, while more adults in the United States and Europe now follow vegetarian, vegan, or flexitarian eating patterns.
At the same time, many shoppers are paying more attention to ingredient lists and looking for foods with fewer artificial ingredients, a trend often called the clean-label movement.
The researchers believe their findings highlight an important issue for future studies. Many plant-based alternatives are highly processed, but this study did not measure processing levels. Future research should examine products from many different supermarkets, brands, and countries to see whether similar patterns are found.
Overall, the findings suggest that people choosing a plant-based diet may benefit from including plenty of naturally plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains instead of relying mainly on processed meat and dairy substitutes.
In reviewing the study, it provides useful information but should be interpreted carefully. The research examined only one supermarket range, making it too early to draw conclusions about all plant-based products.
It also measured the number of additives rather than their amounts or health effects. Nevertheless, the findings encourage consumers to read ingredient labels and remind manufacturers that many shoppers prefer simpler foods with fewer added ingredients.
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Source: Institute for Optimum Nutrition.
