Assessment of qualitative parameters in fermented plant-based dairy alternatives: a comparative study

This study evaluated commercially available plant-based dairy alternatives: soy, almond, cashew, oat, and coconut, supplied from supermarkets in Bratislava, Slovakia. Physicochemical, textural, nutritional, antioxidant, and colour properties were analysed to characterise the samples. Almond dairy alternative exhibited the highest pH and water-holding capacity (WHC), while oat dairy alternative showed the lowest pH but comparable WHC. Soy dairy alternative had the highest titratable acidity (TA) and lactic acid content, suggesting intense fermentation. Textural analysis revealed superior firmness and consistency in almond and oat dairy alternatives, whereas cashew dairy alternative had the weakest structure. Fatty acid profiling highlighted the nutritional benefits of each base, such as medium-chain fatty acids in coconut and polyunsaturated fatty acids in soy. Cashew and soy dairy alternatives exhibited the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), which correlated with enhanced antioxidant activity. Colour analysis showed distinct L*, a*, and b* values across samples, with coconut dairy alternative being the lightest. Multivariate analyses successfully discriminated dairy alternatives based on plant origin, with TA, TFC, fatty acids, and antioxidant parameters being key discriminators. The above findings underscore the potential of plant-based dairy alternatives as functional foods, supporting improved product formulation and targeted consumer marketing.