Crunchy rolls, crunchy vegetables and juicy patties, preferably eaten with your hands – who can deny themselves a good burger? In the original, the fast food classic comes with meat, but at least since the “Beyond Meat” hype this is only optional. Plant-based substitutes have modernized the burger game, offering an alternative for those who choose not to eat meat for environmental, ethical or health reasons. But how good is this alternative? Ökotest did the test and failed almost a quarter of the meat imitations.
Meat imitations are now available in a wide variety. What the products have in common is that they have to be produced at great expense in order to come as close as possible to the consistency and taste of the original. With the exception of organic patties, the highly processed products usually contain additives and flavorings, and they are also high in calories and often high in gluten. After all: in contrast to the previous test from 2019, according to the tester, “all vegan burgers with soy were free of genetically modified ingredients”. They also had nothing to complain about microbiologically with the patties. Elsewhere, however, there is room for improvement.
As in the last test, it is mineral oil components that spoil the appetite for Ökotest. Residues were found in 8 of the 16 vegan burger patties tested. Four products failed due to discoveries of aromatic or saturated mineral oil hydrocarbons, MOAH and MOSH. Under MOAH there could be carcinogenic compounds, MOSH accumulates in the body and causes impurities there, explains Ökotest the devaluations.
Two organic products were also among the test losers. The patties “Dm Bio Make It Vegan Burger” and “My Veggie Tag The Wonder Burger” from Aldi performed the worst, both of which are insufficient. Block House fans shouldn’t be happy with the test result either. The company’s popular “Vegan Burger” is not only the most expensive in the test, but one of two rated Poor.
Other providers do it better. Five vegan burger patties made with a lentil, sweet potato, or pea protein base are very good. These include, of all things, the two cheapest meat imitations. Both the vegan patties from Penny “Food For Future Vegane Burger Patties” and “Rewe Beste Wahl Vegane Burger Patties” steal the show from most other substitute products.
You can find the complete test for a fee at oekotest.de.
