Colour descriptors for plant-based milk alternatives discrimination

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Analysis
• Agricultural Chemistry

Background:

• Plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs) are increasingly popular, necessitating methods for quality control and differentiation.
• Objective color measurement is crucial for understanding product stability and authenticity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify reliable color descriptors for differentiating PBMAs based on raw material and storage.
• To assess the impact of long-term storage on PBMA color characteristics.
• To explore the potential of color analysis for detecting adulteration, such as honey addition.

Main Methods:

• Monitoring of various color descriptors (e.g., yellowness, browning index, lightness) in almond, coconut, cashew, oat, and soy milk alternatives during long-term storage.
• Application of canonical discriminant analysis for classifying PBMAs based on color data.
• Statistical analysis to identify the most discriminating color parameters.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in color descriptors were observed, directly linked to the raw material used in PBMA production.
• Long-term storage induced noticeable color changes, ranging from slightly perceptible to significant.
• Canonical discriminant analysis successfully differentiated PBMAs by raw material type and storage duration using color data.
• Yellowness, browning index, and lightness were identified as the most effective parameters for PBMA differentiation.

Conclusions:

• Color characteristics are inherent to the raw material of PBMAs and change predictably during storage.
• Objective color measurement provides a robust method for PBMA authentication and quality assessment.
• Color analysis offers a promising approach for detecting adulterants like honey in plant-based beverages.