Processing of Plant based Milk: An overview

Introduction: Plant-based alternatives to cow’s milk have gained popularity in America and Europe due to rising demand for healthy, sustainable foods as well as significant advancements in novel food and beverage technologies. Plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs) have a market worth of more than $9 billion and are expected to double in value by 2023. Consumers that want to consume less or no animal-based foods are interested in PBMAs. Consumers are now more concerned about eating products that are sustainable and do not hurt the environment as a result of recent attention to the environmental effects of the agricultural business.

- Sangeetha Karunanithi, Gnana Moorthy Eswaran U, Proshanta Guha, Prem Prakash Srivastav

The term “plant-based milks” refers to aqueous extracts made from vegetable-derived raw materials such as legumes, grains, seeds, nuts, etc. that mimic animal-based milk and are a source of protein and calories for human consumption with a lower fat content than cow’s milk and no cholesterol. The market expanded by around 9% in 2015, illustrating how consumption is rising across Europe. This product is also lactose-free, which makes it suitable for those who are lactose intolerant. Lactose is the primary carbohydrate found in cow’s milk. For restricted vegetarians or vegans who don’t eat any kind of animal food, it also provides an option. Lactose intolerance was reported by about 75% of the world’s population. Additionally, the percentage of vegetarians is rapidly rising, representing 38, 13, 12, and 10% of the populations of India, Israel, Taiwan, and Italy respectively.

Importance of plant based milk: