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November 4, 2026 from the Medical Press:

"Replacing dairy products, even partially, with unfortified plant-based alternatives may lead to a deficiency in vital nutrients, a new study from the University of Surrey reports. Mandatory fortification of plant-based alternatives and other foods, including bread, could lessen the risk of deficiencies, particularly iodine deficiency.

"In the first study of its kind in the United Kingdom, researchers from Surrey, in collaboration with colleagues from Queen's University Belfast, investigated the impact of replacing milk, yogurt and cheese with commercially available plant-based alternatives on an individual's micronutrient intake. This study was published in Lancet Planetary Health.

"The team used data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey from over 3,500 individuals aged between 18 months and 100 years old. They then used a novel modeling technique to assess the impact of replacing dairy products with plant-based alternatives on four essential micronutrients found in dairy products—iodine, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B12.

"Researchers found that even modest replacements of dairy intake with plant-based dairy alternatives led to marked declines in all four micronutrients, with iodine in particular being the most sensitive to replacements. For example, replacing just 20% to 35% of dairy products with plant-based dietary alternatives, under current market fortification levels, increased iodine inadequacy among adolescent females from 54% to 65% and from 32% to 42% in women aged 19–49 years old. At full replacement, the prevalence of iodine inadequacy rose to 80% in adolescent females and 72% in adolescent males.

"Researchers also examined the impact of mandatory fortification of plant-based dairy alternatives with micronutrients as a potential way to prevent deficiencies. It was found that such fortification prevented declines in micronutrient intake when dairy products were replaced, although levels of iodine remained inadequate in 59% of adolescent females. However, iodine-fortified bread was found to improve iodine intake, reducing inadequacy in adolescent females to 37%."