Replacement of Milk and Dairy Products with Soy-Based Alternatives-How to Avoid Nutrient Deficiencies in a Milk-Free Diet?

BACKGROUND: In Germany, milk and dairy products are increasingly replaced by their plant-based alternatives. Although they can be used as substitutes, they differ significantly in their nutrient composition; thus, substitution could lead to nutrient deficiencies. So far, there are no food-based dietary recommendations that show which foods can replace milk and dairy products in a healthy way when switching to a plant-based substitute. OBJECTIVES: Against this background, the question arises as to how to ensure adequate intake of critical nutrients when plant-based alternatives are consumed instead of milk and dairy products. To answer this question, this study aims to analyze what dietary changes would be required to avoid possible nutrient deficiencies and what types of foods can be consumed instead. METHODS: To answer the research question, 3 different models are compared using the linear programming method: healthy diets with 1) milk and dairy products, 2) nonfortified plant-based alternatives, and 3) fortified plant-based alternatives. The models are applied to omnivorous, pescatarian, and vegetarian diet types. RESULTS: The results show that when consuming nonfortified soy alternatives, an adequate supply of calcium and, in the case of a vegetarian diet, vitamin B12 can only be achieved if significant dietary changes are made compared to the average diet. This includes a significantly higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, whereby within the groups, calcium-rich varieties should be chosen (e.g., green leafy vegetables). When consuming fortified soy-based alternatives instead, the absence of milk and dairy products can be well compensated by the nutrients currently added to commercially available products. CONCLUSIONS: Given the trend to consume less milk and dairy products or to abstain from them altogether, public health measures should point out possible nutrient deficiencies as well as necessary dietary changes, especially because in Germany, many plant-based alternatives are not fortified.

Application of legumes in plant-based milk alternatives: a review of limitations and solutions.

In recent years, a global shift has been observed toward reducing the consumption of animal-derived foods in favor of healthier and more sustainable dietary choices. This has led to a steady growth in the market for plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs). Projections suggest that this market will reach a value of USD 69.8 billion by 2030. Legumes, being traditional and nutritious ingredients for PMBAs, are rich in proteins, dietary fibers, and other nutrients, with potential health benefits such as anticancer and cardiovascular disease prevention. In this review, the application of 12 legumes in plant-based milk alternatives was thoroughly discussed for the first time. However, compared to milk, processing of legume-based beverages can lead to deficiencies such as nutritional imbalance, off-flavor, and emulsion stratification. Considering the potential and challenges associated with legume-based beverages, this review aims to provide a scientific comparison between legume-based beverages and cow's milk in terms of nutritional quality, organoleptic attributes and stability, and to summarize ways to improve the deficiencies of legume-based beverages in terms of raw materials and processing method improvements. In conclusion, the legume-based beverage industry will be better enhanced and developed by improving the issues.

Carbohydrate composition of cow's milk and plant-based milk alternatives.

The prevalence of lactose intolerance is one of the factors driving consumers toward plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA). This study aimed to analyze the carbohydrate profile of cows' milk (regular and lactose-free from both pasteurized and UHT milks; n = 80) and PBMA (n = 60) by HPLC. The study revealed that there was no significant difference in the energy content and total carbohydrate content between regular milk and lactose-free milk. Although milk and PBMA are entirely different food matrices, some PBMA types, as soya and coconut, may have energy contents and total carbohydrate contents comparable to those of milk. Furthermore, the variability observed in total carbohydrate content, as well as in carbohydrate profile, both between PBMA types and within samples of the same type, arises not only from variations in raw materials but also from the number of dilutions of the vegetable extract and the addition of different types and levels of carbohydrates, such as sucrose, fructose, or sorbitol, during PBMA manufacture. Although, milk presents a regular carbohydrate composition, differing solely between presentations (regular/lactose-free), the PBMA differs significantly between types and among the same type, not being for that reason regarded as a milk substitute.

The effect of different pre-treatments on unformulated pulse-based milk analogs: physicochemical properties and consumer acceptance.

This is the first part of a study on developing pulse-based milk analogs using chickpea, faba bean, and cowpea as raw materials. The objectives of the present study were to determine the processing conditions for pulse-based milk analog production at laboratory-scale and to investigate the effects of some pre-treatments such as dry milling (control), soaking and wet milling, blanching, blanching and dehulling, vacuum, and germination on lipoxygenase (LOX) activity of the raw material and some physicochemical and sensory properties of the final products. Dry milling provided the lowest LOX activity and the highest yield while soaking and wet milling resulted in a substantial increase in LOX activity, lower product yield, and a final product with lower whiteness value, regardless of the pulse type. Germination caused a significant decrease in LOX activity in all pulse types, while milk analogs produced from germinated pulses received the lowest acceptability scores from consumers. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05836-7.

Cardinal models to describe the effect of temperature and pH on the growth of Anoxybacillus flavithermus & Bacillus licheniformis.

Anoxybacillus flavithermus and Bacillus licheniformis are among the predominant spore-formers of heat-processed foods. To our knowledge, no systematic analysis of growth kinetic data of A. flavithermus or B. licheniformis is currently available. In the present study, the growth kinetics of A. flavithermus and B. licheniformis in broth at various temperature and pH conditions were studied. Cardinal models were used to model the effect of the above-mentioned factors on the growth rates. The estimated values for the cardinal parameters Tmin,Topt,Tmax,pHmin and pH1/2 for A. flavithermus were 28.70 ± 0.26, 61.23 ± 0.16 and 71.52 ± 0.32 °C, 5.52 ± 0.01 and 5.73 ± 0.01, respectively, while for B. licheniformis they were 11.68 ± 0.03, 48.05 ± 0.15, 57.14 ± 0.01 °C, 4.71 ± 0.01 and 5.670 ± 0.08, respectively. The growth behaviour of these spoilers was also investigated in a pea beverage at 62 and 49 °C, respectively, to adjust the models to this product. The adjusted models were further validated at static and dynamic conditions and demonstrated good performance with 85.7 and 97.4% of predicted populations for A. flavithermus and B. licheniformis, respectively, being within the -10%-10% relative error (RE) zone. The developed models can be useful tools in assessing the potential of spoilage of heat-processed foods including plant-based milk alternatives.

Microfluidic Analysis for the Determination of Protein Content in Different Types of Plant-Based Drinks.

The widespread consumption of plant-based drinks, driven by health and dietary reasons (including cow's milk allergy, lactose intolerance, milk protein intolerance, following a vegetarian or vegan diet) necessitates automated and accurate test methods. Our study demonstrates the simultaneous determination of protein components and total protein concentrations in plant-based milk alternatives using a rapid and reproducible microchip gel electrophoretic method. As expected, the electrophoretic profiles of each plant-based drink differed. Based on our analyses and statistical evaluation, it can be determined that the protein profiles of different plant-based beverages do not differ significantly between different manufacturers or different expiry dates. The measured total protein content was compared with the nominal values, i.e., the values stated on the beverage labels. As the number of consumers of functional and specialized plant-based milk alternatives continues to rise, it is important to prioritize methods that provide qualitative and quantitative information on protein composition and other nutrients.

Colour descriptors for plant-based milk alternatives discrimination.

Colour characteristics of plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs: almond, coconut, cashew, oat, soy) were monitored during long-term storage to select suitable descriptors for PBMAs differentiation. All colour descriptors evaluated varied depending on the raw material used in the plant-based milk alternative production. Long-term storage of plant-based beverages resulted in slightly noticeable (0.5-1.5) and noticeable (1.5-3.0) colour changes. Based on all colour descriptors, an absolute differentiation of PBMAs according to the type of raw material and storage time was achieved using canonical discriminant analysis. The results also indicate the possibility of using colour descriptors to detect the addition of honey to these products. Statistical analysis identified yellowness, browning index and lightness as the most discriminating parameters.

Trends in the consumption of conventional dairy milk and plant-based beverages and their contribution to nutrient intake among Canadians.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence suggests a shift from conventional dairy milk to plant-based beverages (PBBs) for a number of lifestyles and perceived health-related reasons. METHODS: Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from the 2004 and 2015 Canadian Community Healthy Surveys, the main objectives of the present study were to (i) examine the trend in the proportion of Canadians (≥ 2 years) consuming plain milk and PBBs and (ii) determine the percentage contribution of plain milk and PBBs to daily energy and nutrient intakes. RESULTS: From 2004 to 2015, the percentage of Canadians consuming plain milk significantly decreased from 70.2% to 56.1%, whereas the percentage of PBBs consumers significantly increased from 1.8% to 3.0%. In 2015, plain milk provided almost 50% of the daily vitamin D intake, over 30% of calcium and vitamin B12, and over 20% of vitamin A and riboflavin among plain milk consumers. The top five nutrients provided by PBBs among PBBs consumers were vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin A and riboflavin. Although plain milk was a major contributor to saturated fat (14.5%) and protein (12.5%) intake among plain milk consumers, PBBs provided only 0.2% of saturated fat and 1.4% of protein intake in the diet of PBBs consumers. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of plain milk by Canadians has declined and the consumption of PBBs has increased, which may differentially affect the nutritional profile of the diet.

Plant-based milk alternatives an emerging segment of functional beverages: a review.

Plant-based or non-dairy milk alternative is the fast growing segment in newer food product development category of functional and specialty beverage across the globe. Nowadays, cow milk allergy, lactose intolerance, calorie concern and prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, more preference to vegan diets has influenced consumers towards choosing cow milk alternatives. Plant-based milk alternatives are a rising trend, which can serve as an inexpensive alternate to poor economic group of developing countries and in places, where cow's milk supply is insufficient. Though numerous types of innovative food beverages from plant sources are being exploited for cow milk alternative, many of these faces some/any type of technological issues; either related to processing or preservation. Majority of these milk alternatives lack nutritional balance when compared to bovine milk, however they contain functionally active components with health promoting properties which attracts health conscious consumers. In case of legume based milk alternatives, sensory acceptability is a major limiting factor for its wide popularity. New and advanced non-thermal processing technologies such as ultra high temperature treatment, ultra high pressure homogenization, pulsed electric field processing are being researched for tackling the problems related to increase of shelf life, emulsion stability, nutritional completeness and sensory acceptability of the final product. Concerted research efforts are required in coming years in functional beverages segment to prepare tailor-made newer products which are palatable as well as nutritionally adequate.

A review on nutritional quality of animal and plant-based milk alternatives: a focus on protein.

In recent years, the demand of consumers for products rich in protein is of significant growth. Due to its structure in tissues, protein is considered an essential nutrient for maintenance and growth. It is well known that dairy foods differ from plant-based milk alternatives in their composition. In addition to protein content, nutrients in milk and plant-based beverages vary greatly in composition and content, such as: Calcium, fiber and fat. The nutritional quality of dairy protein sources depends on both their amino acid composition and bioavailability. Indeed, dairy products are considered to be excellent sources of proteins with high Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) values varying from 100 to 120. However, plant proteins are considered to have generally lower essential amino acid contents and lower DIAAS values than dairy proteins. For example, pea and rice proteins are known to have medium and lower DIAAS with values of 62 and 47, respectively. The present review is dedicated to study the nutritional quality of animal and plant-based milk alternatives, where a focus on protein composition and amount are determined.

Assessing the Nutrient Content of Plant-Based Milk Alternative Products Available in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of plant-based milk alternatives is increasing. Current dietary guidance primarily relies on dairy milk as a source of key nutrients of public health concern including calcium and vitamin D. OBJECTIVE: To compare the nutritional content of plant-based milk alternatives between categories (eg, soy, almond, and oat) and with dairy milk. DESIGN: This study presents an evaluation of the nutritional content of 219 plant-based milk alternatives from 21 brands available in the US marketplace using data from the University of Minnesota Nutrition Coordinating Center's database. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nutrients of focus include those identified as nutrients of public health concern in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans or used by the US Department of Agriculture as criteria for determining whether a plant-based milk is a suitable substitute for dairy milk. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Most data are presented as percent Daily Values. Nutrients and food components were compared using means, medians, IQRs, and ranges. Statistical tests for significance were not used to evaluate between category differences because the plant-based milk alternatives included are a full census of the products from 21 brands available in the marketplace. Because data are a census, differences can be understood to be true differences. RESULTS: Fortified soy-based products most closely mimic the nutrient content of dairy milk. High variability was present in all the nutrients and food components. Plant-based milk alternatives were generally lower in protein and saturated fatty acids than dairy milk, with high variability in added sugars content. Approximately 70% were fortified with both calcium and vitamin D. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that most plant-based milk alternative products are not nutritionally equivalent to dairy milk, and there is high nutritional variability between and within product types. These findings highlight the importance of communicating the nutritional differences between plant-based milk alternatives and dairy milk to consumers.

Lipid Profile of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives (PBMAs) and Cow's Milk: A Comparison.

Some consumers are replacing cow's milk with plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs). The present study aimed to characterize the lipid profiles of cow's milk (n = 60) and PBMA types (soya, oat, rice, almond, coconut, and hazelnut; n = 10 per type). Significant differences were found in the fatty acid (FA) profiles of PBMAs and milk, particularly in FA diversity (15 FAs in PBMAs vs 54 FAs in milk) and the proportion of prime FA groups. The FA profile of coconut was dominated by saturated FAs (SFA), whereas monounsaturated FAs (MUFA) or polyunsaturated FAs (PUFA) were dominant in the remaining PBMA types. Cholesterol was not detected in any PBMA type. The FA profile of milk FAs was dominated by SFA; however, different individual SFA have varying health outcomes. Additionally, milk contains some FA groups with health-promoting properties, such as methyl-branched-chain FAs (BCFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), both of which are absent in PBMAs.

Comprehensive Study of Total Nitrogen Content and Microfluidic Profiles in Additive-Enriched Plant-Based Drinks.

The growing consumption of plant-based milk substitutes raises important questions about their composition. The various additives used by manufacturers, including those employed as flavor enhancers, protein additives, and stabilizers, may contain both protein and non-protein nitrogen components. In our study, we examined not only popular milk alternatives but also other milk substitutes made from specific plants. We present a reproducible and rapid method for the simultaneous qualitative and quantitative determination of the total nitrogen content in milk alternatives, focusing on applicability. Using the microchip gel electrophoretic method, we determined that the total nitrogen content differed from the protein content indicated on the packaging. Our results, along with statistical evaluations, supported the hypothesis that different brands of products, derived from the same plant source, resulted in different microfluidic profiles, likely due to the presence of additives. As expected, the microfluidic profiles of additive-free products differed from those of fortified products made from the same plant-based milk replacer. Total nitrogen content provides crucial information for individuals with kidney disease, as is essential to reduce the burden on the kidneys to slow deterioration, alleviate symptoms and avoid complications.

Soy, Rice and Oat Drinks: Investigating Chemical and Biological Safety in Plant-Based Milk Alternatives.

During the last decades, plant-based milk has become very appreciated by consumers, becoming a staple ingredient, especially for alternative breakfasts. Milk contains lactose, which is a sugar hydrolysed by the lactase enzyme. Lactose intolerance and lactose malabsorption are very common food intolerances among individuals. However, a lot of consumers consider themselves as lactose intolerant on the basis of self-reported intolerance and start to avoid dairy products, ignoring that plant-based milk alternatives are not nutritionally comparable to animal milk, especially in terms of protein intake. The aim of this study is to grow folder knowledge of the security of plant-based drinks, helping competent authorities to issue a risk assessment and to apply national plans about consumer safety. Results show that proper sanitary practices, such as pasteurization, are necessary in plant-based milk alternatives as well as in dairy milk. Chemical analysis has highlighted that there are no pesticide risks for consumers.

Plant-Based Milk Alternatives in Child Nutrition.

Plant-based milk alternatives can be distinguished in two main categories, differing in production processes and regulation: plant-based formulas and plant-based drinks. They are now a widely accepted class of products on the international market. The various plant-based milk alternatives differ in nutritional characteristics due to their origin and manufacturing; more importantly, whereas formulas from plant and cow origin can be used interchangeably, plant-based drinks are nutritionally different from cow's milk and can be consumed by children subsequently to the use of formula. Several scientific organizations have expressed differing opinions on the use of these products in the diets of children. In the face of unanimous conclusions regarding the use of these products during the first year of life, in subsequent ages there were conflicting opinions regarding the timing, quantities, and type of product to be used. From the viewpoint of the child's overall diet and health, it could be suggested that these foods be considered not as simple substitutes for cow's milk, but as part of a varied diet, within individual advice of use. We suggest accepting the presence of these products in a baby's diet (omnivores included), planning their use correctly in the context of a balanced diet, according to the specific product and the needs of the individual.

"Got Milk Alternatives?" Understanding Key Factors Determining U.S. Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Plant-Based Milk Alternatives.

Milk is an important dairy product in U.S. food retail. Lifestyle changes toward climate-conscious consumption, animal welfare, and food safety concerns have increased the popularity of plant-based milk alternatives. This study is focused on such beverages and provides insights and best practice recommendations for marketing managers in the U.S. food retail sector. An online survey was distributed to explore factors explaining the intentions of U.S. consumers to purchase and pay a premium for plant-based milk alternatives. Food curiosity and food price inflation were identified as relevant for both willingness to buy and willingness to pay a price premium. In addition, animal welfare concerns and the green and clean product image of plant-based alternatives were relevant to the willingness to pay a premium for plant-based milk.

Enzyme immunoassays for the detection of mycotoxins in plant-based milk alternatives: pitfalls and limitations.

Plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs) are a potential source of mycotoxin uptake. To ensure food safety, simple and rapid testing methods of PBMAs for mycotoxins are therefore required. This study investigated the applicability of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) methods for direct testing of PBMAs without sample extraction. Mycotoxin analyses included aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), sterigmatocystin (STC), ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2/HT-2-toxin (T-2/HT-2). It was found that the PBMA matrix negatively affected the EIA to varying degrees, thus affecting the reliability of the results. A dilution of PBMAs of at least 1:8 was necessary to overcome matrix interference. This resulted in calculated detection limits of 0.4 µg/L (AFB1), 2 µg/L (STC), 0.08 µg/L (OTA), 16 µg/L (DON), and 0.4 µg/L (T-2/HT-2). After analysis of 54 PBMA products from German retail stores, positive results in at least one test system were obtained for 23 samples. However, most positive results were near the calculated detection limit. Control analyses of selected samples by LC-MS/MS for AFB1, STC, and OTA qualitatively confirmed the presence of trace amounts of STC in some samples, but quantitative agreement was poor. It was concluded that the high diversity of ingredients used in PBMAs led to a highly variable degree of sample matrix interference even in a 1:8 dilution. Since the use of higher dilutions conflicts with the need to achieve low detection limits, the application of EIA for routine mycotoxin analysis in PBMA for mycotoxins requires further study on the development of a feasible sample preparation method.

Cow's Milk in Human Nutrition and the Emergence of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives.

Cow's milk is considered a complete food, providing high-quality protein and essential micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals. For medical reasons or as a lifestyle choice, consumers are replacing cow's milk with plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA); some perceive them as healthier alternatives to cow's milk due to their low saturated fatty acid content and no cholesterol content. However, the nutritional composition of PBMA is quite variable between different types and even within, which makes a comparison with cow's milk a complex issue. Furthermore, the consumption of PBMA has been associated with the development of some diseases in infants and children. Meanwhile, the consumption of cow's milk in human health is a controversial issue since it has been associated with a favorable effect in some diseases (such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's) and a negative effect in others (such as prostate cancer risk and Parkinson's disease); while in some diseases, there is no consensus in the cow's milk consumption effect. The aim of this review is to make a nutritional comparison of cow's milk with PBMA and to clarify the potential health issues related to their consumption.

Nutritional assessment of plant-based beverages in comparison to bovine milk.

Plant-based beverages (PBB) are often marketed and used by consumers as alternatives to ruminant milks, particularly bovine milk (hereafter referred to as milk). However, much research has established that there is variation in nutritional composition among these products, as well as demonstrating that they are largely not nutritional replacements for milk. A survey of the prices and nutrition labels of PBB available in New Zealand supermarkets was undertaken. Selected almond, coconut, oat, rice, and soy PBB products were then analyzed for nutritional content, including energy, fat, protein, amino acid, bioavailable amino acid, and trace element contents. Finally, the protein and calcium contents of well-mixed and unshaken products were analyzed to ascertain the impact of colloidal stability on nutrient content. All PBB groups were more expensive than milk on average, while their declared nutrient contents on package labels was highly variable within and between groups. Analyses of selected PBB revealed that soy products had the most similar proximate composition to milk, while all other PBB groups contained less than 1.1 g protein per 100 mL on average. Many PBB were fortified with calcium to a similar concentration as that in milk. Shaken and unshaken samples showed divergent protein and calcium content for several PBB products but had no effect on the composition of milk, indicating that the nutrient content of PBB at the point of consumption will be dependent on whether the product has been shaken. Only the soy PBB had comparable amino acid content and bioavailability to milk. Overall, our results demonstrate the diversity in composition and nutritional properties of PBB available in New Zealand. While the existent environmental footprint data on PBB shows that they generally have lower carbon emissions than milk, milk currently accounts for approximately 1% of the average New Zealand resident's consumption-based emissions. Except for calcium-fortified soy PBB, none of the commercially available PBB had nutritional compositions that were broadly comparable to milk.

Development and validation of an extended predictive model for the effect of pH and water activity on the growth kinetics of Geobacillus stearothermophilus in plant-based milk alternatives.

The cardinal model for the effect of temperature on Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 growth developed by Kakagianni, Gougouli, & Koutsoumanis, 2016 was expanded for the effect of pH and water activity (aw). The effect of pH (range: 5.7-8.5) and aw (range: 0.985-0.999) on G. stearothermophilus growth rate was studied in tryptone soy broth (TSB) using the Bioscreen C method and further modelled using a Cardinal Model (CM). The estimated values for the cardinal parameters [Formula: see text] , and [Formula: see text] were 5.65 ± 0.14, 6.74 ± 0.03, 8.71 ± 0.03, 0.984 ± 0.007 and 0.998 ± 0.001, respectively. The growth behaviour of G. stearothermophilus was investigated in 7 commercial non-refrigerated plant-based milk alternatives under static conditions (62 °C) and the estimated maximum specific growth rates were used to determine the optimum growth rate for each product. The developed model was validated against observed growth of G. stearothermophilus in the 7 products during storage at non-isothermal conditions (testing 4 different temperature profiles). The validation results showed a good performance of the model with overall Bias factor (Bf) = 1.06 and Accuracy factor (Af) = 1.12. The developed model can be used as an effective tool by the food industry in predicting spoilage of plant-based milk alternatives during distribution and storage at retail and domestic levels.