Influence of material characteristics on plant-based milk alternative properties

Plant-based milk alternatives are gaining increasing relevance in the food industry, but the influence of plant proteins and fibers on the specific product properties has not yet been explored. In this study, the influence of soy protein isolate and the oat fiber β-glucan on the emulsion and powder properties of plant milk alternatives is analyzed. The components exhibit different behavior at the oil-water interface after homogenization, thereby affecting droplet size distribution, dynamic viscosity and emulsion stability in terms of electrostatic repulsion. To determine the interactions of the components at the interface, the individual raw materials soy protein isolate and oat bran as well as mixtures of both were investigated. The measurements highlight variations between the fiber component and the plant protein source at the interface. The identified differences in emulsion characteristics also manifest in spray drying with different particle sizes and lipid encapsulation efficiencies.