Page 31 - FoodFocusThailand No.213 DECEMBER 2023

SPECIAL FOCUS

Consumer expectations of PBMA products the ability to extract fat, which will be extracted as oil bodies in
Consumers often expect PBMA beverages to have the water extracts, for example, producing soybean milk and
characteristics similar to cow’s milk. However, it was coconut milk extraction.
found that PBMA beverages have a unique odour, Enzymatic hydrolysis is very useful in preparing oat milk,
such as being beany or nutty. In addition, PBMA rice milk, and quinoa milk alternatives. In this process, the
beverages also differ from cow’s milk in terms of taste, main ingredient, starch, is gelatinized and hydrolysed with
such as being bitter or astringent. Water-soluble dietary alpha-amylase and amyloglucosidase enzymes to reduce
fibre in plants also alters PBMA beverage texture and viscosity. Partial enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides is
mouthfeel by making PBMA beverages more viscous. also used to increase protein extraction; for example, pectinase
Sometimes, insoluble starch and dietary fibre particles and cellulase are used to improve the yield of soy milk.
can cause a chalkiness texture due to the tiny particles After extraction, the coarse residue is separated from the
detected by the oral organs. In addition, PBMA suspensions by filtration or centrifugation. The extracted liquid is
Dairy and Plant-based and sensory qualities. It depends on the plant’s origin homogeneous, nutrient fortification, pasteurisation, packaging,
beverages have limitations in terms of nutritional value
then formulated to provide the desired nutrients, making it
and production process. It has been reported that
and evaluating quality before selling as PBMA drinks or developing
almond, oat, rice, and coconut drinks have lower protein
them into alternative products that imitate dairy products, such
Milk Products and fat content than cow’s milk. Meanwhile, soy milk as yoghurt and cheese.
The dairy industry’s challenge focuses on ways to reduce
contains 3.47% protein, compared to 3.42 and 3.25%
the environmental impact of raising cattle. Improving energy
in cow and goat milk, respectively. In addition, many
efficiency in industrial dairy production, together with increasing
minerals in PBMA beverages are, on average, lower
with Similar Aspects But Different Points than those in cow’s milk, especially iodine. PBMA the proportion of plants that are alternative protein food sources
drinks must, therefore, ensure that the product has
by adapting regenerative agriculture and agroecology in addition
complete macronutrients and micronutrients and an
globally within this decade.
amino acid profile to be an appropriate replacement to developing food production technology, is quite a challenge
for cow’s milk.
But still, using plants as raw materials for producing
PBMA beverages may have advantages in terms of
phytochemicals. In addition to protein, soy milk is a good
source of isoflavones, phytosterols, and tocopherols. More Information Service Info C003
Almond beverages are a good source of tocopherols,
phenols, phytosterols, flavonoids, and arabinose. Whole
rice beverages are a good source of phytosterols, tocols,
and unsaturated fatty acids. Oat drinks are a good
source of beta-glucan and phytosterols. Sesame
drinks are a good source of lignans. These
phytochemicals provide health benefits; for example,
soy isoflavones can bind to estrogen receptors and
are a phytoestrogen, relieving menopausal symptoms
and reducing the risk of breast, prostate, and colon
cancer. It protects against osteoporosis and
cardiovascular disease, lowers blood cholesterol, and
acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
PBMA beverage manufacturing process
PBMA beverages are suspensions or emulsions from
wet milling and emulsification. It is usually possible to
reduce the quality limitations of PBMA beverages by
adjusting the production process to suit the raw material
plants by pre-treatment process. The pre-treatment of
grains starts with cracking the shell, soaking in water
for 3 to 18 hours, or soaking in a sodium bicarbonate
solution (0.2%–2%) to remove beany odour using a
ratio between grain and water of 1:2 to 1:12. The process
of preparing PBMA from certain plants, such as almonds
and peanuts, may also involve blanching to get rid of
the seed coat and off-taste. While blanching or steaming
soybeans helps destroy anti-nutritional substances such
as trypsin inhibitors. However, heating reduces protein
solubility and extraction yield.
Extraction has an essential effect on the composition
of the resulting product. Alkaline condition is often
used to extract proteins. However, it is necessary to
neutralize the alkalinity of the extract. In addition,
increasing the extraction temperature will increase

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