The search for new technologies for alternative food products is currently capturing the attention of scientists from around the world and is one of the most sought-after and cited areas in the scientific community.
Numerous factors shape consumer interest in alternatives to traditional animal-based products, particularly natural milk and meat products. These include, first and foremost, ethical concerns; restrictions related to intolerance to milk components and dietary principles; and economic factors, including the quick renewability and low cost of plant-based raw materials.
The search for innovative approaches to developing alternatives to fermented dairy products is a sought-after area; however, there is no "ideal" "plant-based milk" technology due to the wide variability of plant substrates, diverse production parameters, and the wide range of microorganisms added to the substrate.
For several years, scientists at the SUSU School of Medical Biology have been successfully conducting research into developing alternative dairy product technologies, including those based on plant-based matrices of soybeans, barley, and oats, as well as hemp and flaxseed cake. The use of recycled seed processing resources in the production of plant-based beverages is a resource-saving technology that meets the principles of a circular economy.
Furthermore, the research focuses on studying the adaptability of probiotic microbial strains to plant matrices, depending on the biochemical composition of the substrate and the metabolic activity of the starter culture.
For example, Svetlana Merenkova, Associate Professor at the SUSU Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology, together with students from the 19.04.01 "Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology" Master's degree programme proposed a "plant-based beverage" technology based on hemp or flaxseed oilseeds, as well as soybeans. It has been proven that acidophilus and bifidobacteria adapt and exhibit high viability on these substrates. The scientists' findings are experimentally confirmed by biochemical and microbiological studies, including the accumulation of organic acids, the development of the drink's rheological properties, and an increase in its antioxidant activity. The research results are presented in scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals.
It was found that bacteria of the Lactobacillus acidophilus species most intensively fermented soybean and flaxseed polysaccharides and accumulated acidity; thus, the lactic acid content in plant-based drinks increased almost nine-fold, and the polyphenol content increased by 32-45% compared to unfermented drinks.
It has been proven that starters containing lactobacilli and bifidobacteria effectively adapt to plant substrates and accumulate beneficial metabolites: organic acids, exopolysaccharides, bacteriocins, and polypeptides, thereby increasing the bioavailability of natural components of seeds and beans.
"The interrelation between regular consumption of fermented plant-based beverages and a reduced risk of developing gastrointestinal pathologies, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and the prevention of cancer complications has been scientifically proven," Svetlana Merenkova explained.
Created using hemp, flax, and soybean seed substrates, these drinks are characterized with an extended shelf life, improved nutritional value, a pleasant taste, and a familiar consistency. This plant-based drink, developed at South Ural State University, can replace fermented milk drinks in the diets of people with dairy intolerance and those watching their weight.
The SUSU scientists have experimentally confirmed that a plant-based matrix of soybean and hemp seed-based drinks can be used as a 100% alternative to dairy raw materials to produce a probiotic drink suitable for lactose-intolerant individuals, vegetarians, and those watching their weight.