New plant-based commodities are increasingly appearing in the supermarkets. Plant based ingredients in itself may not be new but their use in new product formulations may introduce new microbiological hazards. Plant-derived side streams of food production processes may be re-introduced in new food products and need evaluation of the microbiological risks associated. Hazard identification and risk assessment tools specific for plant based products will aid in identifying potential microbiological risks at an early stage in the development of new products. This contribution will discuss the microbiological challenges and tools in development at WUR to aid in safe development.