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ProVeg highlights plant-based fortification gaps, calls for manufacturer actionProVeg highlights plant-based fortification gaps, calls for manufacturer action

There are gaps in the fortification of plant-based products, according to ProVeg International, which is urging manufacturers to align them more closely with their animal-based counterparts.

Rik Moors, Content Editor

January 17, 2025

5 Min Read
ProVeg highlights plant-based fortification gaps, calls for manufacturer action
© iStock/coffeekai

Valentina Gallani, health and nutrition manager at ProVeg International and co-author of the report, “Building Bridges Between Habit and Health”, spoke to Fi Global Insights about the importance of fortifying plant-based products to ensure they deliver equivalent nutritional value.  

Plant-based alternatives often outperform animal products


The report, which analysed 422 plant-based meat and 251 plant-based milk products from supermarkets in 11 countries, including Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK, used a scoring system based on global nutrition standards. These included the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Nutrient Profile Model, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s White Paper, and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) nutrition claim regulations. The researchers measured protein, fibre, saturated fats, and key micronutrients such as iron, calcium, and vitamin B12, while also examining the presence of nutrients of concern, such as salt and sugar.  

The findings revealed that while plant-based alternatives often outperformed animal products in terms of fibre content and lower saturated fat, micronutrient fortification remained inconsistent across the industry. The Netherlands, US, Belgium, and Spain led in fortification practices for plant-based meat and milk alternatives, while South Africa, the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Malaysia showed minimal or no use of fortification, with fewer than 20% of products enriched with key nutrients.  

Fortification performance by product category


The ProVeg report highlighted considerable variation in fortification practices depending on the product category. Plant-based meat alternatives such as sausages, nuggets, and burgers were often fortified with iron and vitamin B12, yet the extent of fortification varied widely. As a result, in countries with more fortified meat alternatives like the Netherlands, nutritional scores for plant-based products (an average of 6.67 points out of 8) significantly exceeded those of meat-based versions – which scored just 5.32 out of 8 for the total sample. On the other hand, Polish, German, Malaysian, and Czech plant-based products – which were often unfortified and low in protein and fibre – were rated as equally nutritious as the meat counterparts.

In the dairy alternatives segment, soy milk emerged as a standout product. Across multiple markets, soy milk was frequently fortified with vitamin B12, and due to its high protein content, high protein quality, and low saturated fat content, soy milk outperformed cow’s milk. However, many milk alternatives did not contain equal amounts of vitamin D and calcium; fortification with these micronutrients would result in major nutrient score improvements of milk replacements like oat and rice milk.

Gallani stressed the importance of these efforts, especially for manufacturers producing dairy alternatives, noting: “Must-have(s) are vitamin B12 and iron for meat alternatives and calcium and vitamin D for dairy alternatives.”

Consumer perception: Important micronutrients seen as ‘strange additives’


Despite its proven effectiveness, Gallani noted that consumer perception remains a significant barrier to wider adoption of fortification strategies. She explained, “Unfortunately, [consumer acceptance] is still a problem because when people see common chemical names on the ingredients list, they think [they] are ‘strange additives’ while instead [they] are important micronutrients.” Gallani cited examples such as cyanocobalamin for vitamin B12 and calcium sulphate, both of which are commonly misunderstood despite being essential nutrients.  

She suggested that clearer ingredient labelling could help reduce consumer hesitation and increase trust in fortified products. Simplifying terms or providing educational information on packaging could also contribute to better public understanding. Gallani added that regulatory changes might be needed to help standardise how fortified ingredients are presented on labels.  

Formulation strategies for manufacturers

For manufacturers aiming to improve the nutritional profile of plant-based products, the ProVeg report offers practical insights into fortification strategies. One core recommendation involves aligning fortification with the nutritional composition of the animal-based products they aim to replace.  

A separate ProVeg fortification brief also provides guidance for food retailers and manufacturers, noting some technical challenges associated with fortifying foods, particularly taste alteration and bioavailability issues when using certain mineral compounds. For example, ferrous sulphate, commonly used for iron fortification, offers high bioavailability but can alter the sensory profile of food, giving a metallic taste. In contrast, ferrous phosphate, another iron fortifier, has colour-enhancing properties but lower bioavailability. Calcium salts, often added to plant-based dairy products, present similar issues, as they can be highly bioavailable but may introduce bitterness or astringency.  

Addressing concerns about whether fortification increases production costs, Gallani clarified that micronutrient fortification requires minimal quantities and does not significantly affect manufacturing expenses. “The quantity of micronutrients included in products is really low and their production is usually sustainable and cheap,” she explained.  

Instead, she attributed the higher price points of plant-based products to other factors such as VAT structures and premium branding strategies rather than fortification itself. “I think the high cost of products is still due to the high taxation of plant-based alternatives that in most countries have a high VAT, and because of branding: if it’s a very fancy and attractive product with nice packaging and branding [it] is more expensive than a simple supermarket-label product.”

‘Tailored regulations’ for plant-based nutrition  


Gallani stressed the need for regulatory reforms that better reflect the unique nutritional challenges and benefits of plant-based products. She advocated for “tailored regulations” that focus specifically on the nutritional goals of plant-based alternatives rather than applying generic scoring systems across all product categories. “Rather than stricter regulations, we need 'tailored regulations' for plant-based alternatives that need to be designed to the main characteristics they need to focus on.”

As an example, Gallani pointed to the way current European labelling regulations can disadvantage fortified plant-based products. The widely adopted NutriScore front-of-pack label often fails to account for the positive nutritional contributions of fortification, resulting in lower scores for fortified plant-based alternatives compared to their non-fortified animal counterparts.  

“Unfortunately as of now, there is not a front-of-pack label that takes into account micronutrient fortification, that’s why NutriScore fails in properly evaluating plant-based alternatives,” Gallani explained. She added, “Most of the time with the new NutriScore regulation, plant-based alternatives obtain a C or even worse a D, and this is because they fall into specific product categories that are not seen as 'general foods' and because it doesn’t take into account fortification.”


Looking ahead, Gallani revealed that ProVeg plans to expand its research on plant-based fortification, particularly on fish alternatives. She noted that future studies will explore how fortification can be applied to ensure plant-based fish products offer equivalent nutritional benefits to their seafood counterparts.  

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About the Author

Rik Moors

Content Editor, Informa Markets

Rik Moors is a Content Editor for Fi Global Insights and Ingredients Network, writing about the latest trends and developments in food ingredients and nutrition. As a researcher and journalist, Rik has previously covered topics such as economic development and agriculture for various organisations in Africa and the Middle East.

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