Development of novel plant-based milk based on chickpea and coconut

Abstract

Lately, the demand for cow's milk substitutes has been growing. These substitutes are called plant-based milk, which are water-soluble extracts based on vegetables, legumes, cereals, pseudocereals, or nuts. Legumes are an attractive option in the development of new products since they are rich in proteins. Chickpea is one of them also rich in fibers, and minerals while coconut milk is plant-based, rich in lipids, and with good acceptance by consumers. Despite the use of coconut milk in food industries, there are no studies in the literature regarding the development of plant-based milk based on chickpea. So, this study aimed to develop a plant-based milk based on chickpea and coconut as a substitute for cow's milk. Seven different concentration extracts were prepared, with varying dilutions of chickpea and coconut extracts. The chemical composition was analyzed, including calcium, potassium and sodium content; total soluble solids; pH; titratable acidity; color, physical stability, and acceptance. Protein content ranged from 2.1 g/100 g to 1.04 g/100 g, and calcium content ranged from 107.41 to 131.26 mg/100 g among the seven samples. The samples containing 100, 90, 80, and 70% of chickpea extract reached higher protein values than other plant-based milk and calcium content similar to cow's milk, as well as soy milk, almond extract, and rice extract. Plant-based milk consumers well-accepted chickpea extracts with 10 and 30% of coconut. When the vanilla extract was added to both evaluated beverages in the secondary sensory analysis, acceptance improved. Novel plant-based milk based on chickpea and coconut was developed in this study. The drink has a good nutritional composition (such as protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and calcium content) when compared to cow's milk and other common substitutes for cow's milk, such as oat, almond, and rice extracts. Thus, it may be a potential substitute for cow's milk.