Temp log
Frozen storage −18°C or colderChilled foods 0 to 5°C typicalBananas avoid below ~13°CDanger zone 5–60°CIce cream hardening −25°C to −30°CLeafy greens 0–2°C, high humidityChocolate around 15–18°C, dryLive seafood species-specificBlast freezer air −30°C to −40°CCured vanilla cool, dry, sealedFrozen storage −18°C or colderChilled foods 0 to 5°C typicalBananas avoid below ~13°CDanger zone 5–60°CIce cream hardening −25°C to −30°CLeafy greens 0–2°C, high humidityChocolate around 15–18°C, dryLive seafood species-specificBlast freezer air −30°C to −40°CCured vanilla cool, dry, sealed

Food Tech

Plant-based dairy alternatives: processing and storage challenges

Oat, soy, almond and pea drinks, yoghurts and cheeses each bring different processing problems: emulsions, heat treatment, fermentation and chilled shelf life.

By Editorial desk · · 3 min read

Main bases
Oat, soy, almond, coconut, pea, rice and blends
Processing
Milling, enzyme treatment, homogenisation, UHT or pasteurisation
Storage
Ambient UHT vs chilled pasteurised and fermented products

Plant-based dairy alternatives have become a normal part of the dairy aisle. Oat, soy, almond, coconut and pea drinks, plant-based yoghurts, creams and cheeses are sold alongside dairy products. Making them taste, look and behave like dairy requires careful processing, and storing them brings its own challenges.

Processing plant-based drinks

The basic process for many plant-based drinks includes:

  1. Milling or grinding the base ingredient, such as oats or almonds, with water.
  2. Enzyme treatment, especially for oats, to break down starches into sugars and reduce thickness.
  3. Separation to remove fibre and particles.
  4. Formulation, adding oils, sugars, salt, vitamins, minerals, stabilisers and flavours.
  5. Homogenisation to break oil into small droplets and create a stable emulsion.
  6. Heat treatment, usually UHT for ambient products or pasteurisation for chilled products.
  7. Filling into cartons or bottles.

Emulsion stability

Plant-based drinks must stay stable through storage. Common problems include creaming (fat rising), sedimentation (particles settling) and gelling. Stabilisers such as gellan gum and emulsifiers such as lecithin help. Protein type and processing conditions also matter.

In coffee, plant-based drinks can "feather" or curdle because of heat and acidity. Barista versions use buffering salts, adjusted proteins and stabilisers to perform better.

Heat treatment choices

UHT: heating to high temperatures for a few seconds and aseptic filling gives ambient shelf life of months. It may affect flavour.

Pasteurisation: lower heat, better fresh flavour, but needs chilled storage and has a shorter shelf life.

Extended shelf life (ESL): a middle ground with chilled storage and longer shelf life than standard pasteurisation.

Fermented products

Plant-based yoghurts and cheeses use fermentation with cultures. Challenges include:

  • achieving texture without dairy proteins;
  • supporting culture growth with suitable sugars;
  • avoiding off-flavours;
  • maintaining live cultures through shelf life.

Fermented products typically need chilled storage throughout the supply chain.

Storage challenges

Chilled products need a reliable cold chain. Temperature abuse can cause spoilage, separation and loss of live cultures.

Ambient UHT products do not need refrigeration until opened, but after opening must be refrigerated and used within a few days.

Plant-based cheeses can be sensitive to temperature for texture, melting and oil separation.

Frozen desserts based on plant ingredients need stable freezing to prevent ice crystal growth and texture problems.

Nutrition and fortification

Many plant-based drinks are fortified with calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Fortificants must stay suspended and stable. Calcium can settle, so manufacturers use specific forms and stabilisers. Labels should be clear about nutrition differences compared with dairy.

Allergen and contamination control

Soy, nuts and some other ingredients are major allergens. Plants making multiple products need strong allergen controls and cleaning. Oat drinks may need to address gluten cross-contact if marketed as gluten-free.

Sustainability and efficiency

Plant-based dairy often has lower environmental impact per litre than dairy milk, depending on the ingredient and production methods. Manufacturers can improve further with:

  • using byproducts such as oat fibre in other foods or feed;
  • energy-efficient heat treatment and refrigeration;
  • recyclable packaging.

Distribution and shelf placement

Retailers usually place plant-based drinks in both the chilled dairy aisle and the ambient aisle, sometimes for the same brand. Chilled placement suits fresher-tasting pasteurised products and shoppers who expect to find milk alternatives beside milk. Ambient UHT products suit multipacks, online orders and foodservice. Manufacturers need clear labelling so that ambient products are refrigerated after opening and chilled products are never stored at ambient. Chilled products also need short, reliable routes, because their shelf life is much shorter.

What manufacturers should consider

  1. Choose heat treatment based on market, distribution and flavour.
  2. Test emulsion stability over full shelf life.
  3. Validate chilled shelf life under realistic temperature conditions.
  4. Ensure fortificants stay stable.
  5. Manage allergens carefully.
  6. Use byproducts where possible.

Plant-based dairy alternatives are now mainstream, and success depends on getting processing and storage right.

Key figures above are general reference points, not regulatory limits.