Development and Nutritional, Physical, and Functional Assessment of a Plant-Based Oat Almond Milk Alternative

Purpose: The growing prevalence of lactose intolerance, milk allergies, and ethical dietary choices has fueled interest in plant-based milk alternatives.This study aimed to formulate an oat-almond milk substitute and evaluate its physicochemical, nutritional, functional, and sensory properties.Methods: Oat-almond blends were prepared as T1 (25% almond + 75% oat), T2 (40% almond + 60% oat), and T3 (50% almond + 50% oat), and compared with oat milk (T01), almond milk (T02), and cow milk (T0).Proximate composition, physicochemical characteristics, and functional attributes -including total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and DPPH radical scavenging activity-were analyzed.Sensory evaluation was performed using a trained panel on a 9-point hedonic scale.Results: Oat milk (T01) had the highest carbohydrate content (63.62%) but the lowest protein (15.8%) and fat (5.2%).Almond milk (T02) showed superior protein (34.8%), fat (32.5%), and antioxidant capacity (TPC = 62.13 mg GAE/100 mL; TFC = 13.10 mg QE/100 mL; DPPH = 63.47%).Among blends, T2 displayed a balanced composition-protein (29.9%), fat (34.9%), carbohydrate (19.04%), ash (1.8%), low acidity (0.045%), viscosity (94.4 ± 0.65 cP), TPC = 50.13,TFC = 10.93, and DPPH = 58.97%.T3 achieved the highest sensory acceptance (>7.2), comparable to cow milk.Conclusion: Blending oats and almonds produced a nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich, and sensoryacceptable milk alternative.The 40:60 almond-oat formulation (T2) provided the best balance between nutritional quality and consumer appeal, suggesting its promise as a functional dairy substitute.