Underutilized Tropical Seeds as a Source for Development of Sustainable Plant-Based Milk Alternatives -A Review

Abstract

The development of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives (PBMAs) is rapidly growing as an alternative choice for high-protein beverages. Underutilized tropical plant seeds are promising candidates for producing sustainable milk alternatives because they contain a wide range of bioactive and functional properties. However, the presence of some antinutrients, off-flavors, allergenicity, and toxicity at high dosages need to be addressed to improve the sensory quality and safety of related products. This review explores the potential of underutilized tropical seeds to be developed as novel PBMAs using various processing methods. The primary sources of tropical seeds are classified according to their origin: tropical fruit and vegetable seeds (jackfruit, watermelon, melon, and pumpkin), tropical nuts and legume seeds (cowpeas, Brazil nuts and Bambara groundnuts), tropical flower seeds (kenaf) and sesame seeds. This review also examines the regulatory and nutritional challenges associated with PBMAs, focusing on the European Union’s Common Market Organization (CMO) regulations and the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) draft guidelines on voluntary nutrient declarations. Selected nutrient-dense seeds were proposed for sustainable PBMA production. Rigorous safety testing and unified global regulatory requirements are necessary to promote as nutritious alternatives for human consumption and to promote them as sustainably produced high-protein beverages.