Lebanon’s Dairy Campaign, Health Risks, and the Rise of Plant‑Based Alternatives

The Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture has promoted local dairy production and encouraged its consumption through national campaigns. While these initiatives have sought to boost the sector, dairy consumption in Lebanon and across the wider region nevertheless raises serious concerns. In 2020, two peer‑reviewed papers highlighted these risks. One, which analyzed Lebanese dishes, Arabic sweets, and market foods, linked dairy‑rich diets to obesity and chronic disease. The other reviewed foodborne disease control systems in the Middle East and North Africa and documented outbreaks in Lebanon tied to unpasteurized dairy contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. In response to these concerns, Lebanese producers are offering plant‑based alternatives, some of which are V‑Label certified.