A recent study by scientists from NIZO Food Research and Wageningen University and Research (WUR) has provided an overview of the levels and types of microbial contaminants present in 88 different plant-based ingredients used to make dairy alternatives. The researchers found the microbial loads in different ingredients to be highly variable, as well as a high proportion of spore-forming microbes among the total microbial counts in many samples.
Overall, the findings show that the starting concentrations and types of microbial contaminants present in plant-based ingredients, even of the same type, can be influenced by many factors, most of which are difficult to control.