Analysis of eight types of plant-based milk alternatives from the United States market for target minerals and trace elements

A wide variety of commercial plant-based foods that are marketed and sold as alternatives for milk (plant-based milk alternatives or PBMAs) are available to consumers. In this study, PBMAs from the United States (n = 85) were subjected to analysis for target minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc) to compare their variability across PBMA types, brands, and production lots. Samples were also screened for the environmental contaminant elements arsenic, cadmium, and lead. The eight PBMA types sampled were produced from almond, cashew, coconut, hemp, oat, pea, rice, and soy. Elemental analysis was conducted using microwave-assisted acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The results showed that pea PBMAs contained the highest mean amounts of phosphorus, selenium, and zinc, while soy PBMAs were highest in magnesium. Mean amounts of minerals were lower than those found in milk for the majority of PBMA types. There was significant variation (P < 0.05) in amounts of minerals across the majority of product brands. The amounts of phosphorus and magnesium varied across production lots (P < 0.05), but the absolute value of these differences was low. Total arsenic was highest in rice PBMAs; amounts of cadmium and lead across PBMAs were generally found at low or non-quantifiable amounts. These results underscore the importance of generating analytical data on the elemental composition of products within the rapidly growing category of PBMA.

Automated summary

This study analyzed a variety of plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs) from the US to compare their mineral composition and environmental contaminant levels. The results showed variation in mineral content across different brands and production lots of PBMAs. Pea PBMAs had the highest levels of phosphorus, selenium, and zinc, while soy PBMAs had the highest levels of magnesium. Most PBMAs had lower mineral content compared to milk. Rice PBMAs had the highest levels of arsenic, while cadmium and lead were generally found at low or non-quantifiable levels. These findings highlight the importance of analyzing the elemental composition of PBMA products.