PHYSICOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF INDUSTRIAL PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES

The variety of vegetables available for plant-based beverage production is associated with a lack of specific regulatory aspects and difficult standardization. The aim of this study was to characterize the physicochemical properties of plant-based beverages (five different sources, three different market brands for each vegetable). The parameters studied were pH, moisture content, acidity, soluble ionic calcium at initial pH and pH 4.3, soluble solids, heat coagulation time (HCT), density, conductivity, surface zeta potential, morphology, polydispersity index, particle size. When comparing the mean values of the results found in the present work with model emulsions and/or plant based beverages produced on a laboratory scale, it can be found that the mean values for pH, moisture, soluble solids, calcium, surface zeta potential, particle size, and polydispersity index were similar to the reported values in the literature, however, acidity, HCT, density, and conductivity were lower than those reported in the literature. The coconut plant-based beverage exhibited the most significant statistical difference as compared to other plant-based beverages, especially in terms of pH, conductivity, particle size, and polydispersity index. This study is a promising aid to regulatory agencies and industries for standardization of nutritional value, production, stability, storage and chemical attributes of these beverages.

Keywords:
vegetables; vegetarians; lactose intolerant; regulatory aspects; commercial samples.