Plant-based foods pack twice the additives of animal products, study finds

A new study has revealed that plant-based products contain twice as many food additives as their animal-based equivalents. The research, conducted by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London, compared 71 pairs of similar items from a UK supermarket. The team examined 71 like-for-like pairs of animal-based and plant-based products. They found 199 additives in the plant-based range, compared to 100 in the animal-based set. The plant-based products also contained 1,566 total ingredients, while the animal-based range had 1,110.

E-numbers were slightly higher in plant-based items, with 39 compared to 31 in animal-based products. The biggest differences appeared in dairy, meat, and fish replacements. All plant-based products in the study were also vegan.

The findings were published in the journal Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A. The study did not measure the concentration of additives or how often people consume these products. The research highlights a clear disparity in additive counts between plant-based and animal-based foods. The plant-based options contained more ingredients and additives overall. However, the study did not explore how these differences might affect consumption patterns or health.