Processing of Groundnut and Soybean to Enhance their Value

At present, for medical reasons, significant amount of consumers opt for plant based milk substitutes for various medical reasons or as a lifestyle choice. Medical reasons include lactose intolerance as well as milk protein allergies. Plant milk substitutes also serve as a more affordable option. Technologically, plant milk substitutes are suspensions of dissolved and disintegrated plant material in water, resembling cow’s milk in appearance. They are manufactured by extracting the plant material in water, separating the liquid and formulating the final product. Homogenisation and thermal treatments are necessary to improve the suspension and microbial stabilities of commercial products that can be consumed as such or be further processed into fermented dairy type products. Groundnut and soybean are two major raw materials used for preparation of plant based milk. The nutritional properties depend on the plant source, processing and fortification.