Plant-based milk comprising sunflower oleosomes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant-based milk comprising 0.5-15 wt.% plant protein chosen from soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, potato, chickpea, coconut, peanut, sesame, pea, fava bean; and 0.5-8 wt.% sunflower oleosomes. The present invention also relates to use of a creamer composition comprising sunflower oleosomes, for increasing foam stability and / or foaming capacity of plant-based milk.

Description

[0001] Plant-based milk comprising sunflower oleosomes

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to a plant-based milk which can be used as an additive in a coffee-based beverage.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] The demand for vegan alternatives to dairy milk has led to the development of various plantbased milks, foremost based on oats, almonds, soybean etc. Such plant-based milks are currently being widely adopted in various foodstuffs and drinks. Milk is especially high in demand in the coffee industry, being used in various coffee-beverages found in the supermarket and to prepare milk-based coffee drinks such as cafe latte or cappuccino in coffee shops (wherein the milk serves as “barista milk”). Although the shift from dairy milk to plant-based milk is receiving a widespread positive response, dairy milks are typically still preferred over plant-based alternatives for coffee-based drinks, in particular when used as barista milk.

[0006] The preference for dairy milk in coffee beverages and barista milk is associated with its generally superior foaming properties and creaminess (which are interrelated parameters) over plant-based milk. The foaming properties of milk are not only important for coffee beverages, but also for certain ice cream, whipped cream and other foamed beverages. It is generally considered that dairy milk has excellent foaming properties due to the physicochemical characteristics of milk proteins and interactions with other components of milk, (Damodaran, S. 1996. Functional properties. In S. Nakai, & H. W. Modler Eds., Food proteins: Properties and characterization, pp. 167-234. New York, NY, USA: VCH Publisher). Plant-based milk typically lack such properties and furthermore typically have a lower specific gravity than dairy milk, which in combination leads to inferior foaming properties.

[0007] WO2021152122 discloses compositions that are dairy-free substitutes for sweetened condensed milk. WO2021152122 discloses that the composition can contain oil, oat flour and plant-proteins as three different sources, i.e. no proteins are included in the oil phase, and hence no oleosomes. Plant oils are typically extracted from plant seeds using chemical solvents (e.g., hexane), or cold pressing / expeller pressing (i.e., squeezed directly from sunflower seeds by crushing them), which processes destroy oleosomes (see e.g. de Figueiredo et al, Journal of Food Engineering 240 (2019) 49-55).

[0008] Overall, it is observed that the foam obtained from plant-based milk is less dense, stable, and creamy and that its volume tends to be easily reduced. A smaller bubble size (e.g. microbubbles or microfoam) is typically desired for barista milk, which is also difficult to achieve with plant-based milk. In addition or alternatively, the produced foam may (undesirably) float on top of the crema of a coffee drink which is another reason why it is not a first choice of coffee shop workers and consumers.

[0009] Overall, the undesirable properties of plant-based milk as barista milk can thus be seen in parameters such as creaminess (bubble density and / size), foaming stability, and foaming capacity, for example as compared to dairy milk.

[0010] It is the aim of the present invention to solve one or more of the aforementioned limitations of plant-based milk and / or to provide an improved milk composition for coffee beverages, e.g. as barista milk.

[0011] Summary of the invention

[0012] The present inventors surprisingly found that oleosomes, in particular sunflower oleosomes, markedly improve the quality and / or foaming properties of (barista) milk, for example as compared to use of non-oleosome derived oils (e.g. sunflower oil). The improvement in the foaming properties can be seen in for instance the foam volume, the foam density (e.g. air bubbles per cm2), foam firmness, foam creaminess and foam stability. To improve the foaming capacity and creaminess, it was found particularly advantageous to provide oleosomes in plant protein-based (barista) milk. High foaming capacity and creaminess was in particular seen when oleosomes were combined with soy protein- and / or sunflower-protein based (barista) and / or carbohydrates from (hydrolyzed) oat.

[0013] In an aspect, the present invention relates to a plant-based milk comprising:

[0014] - 0.5-15 wt.% plant protein chosen from one or more of soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, potato, chickpea, pea, and fava bean; and

[0015] - 0.5-8 wt.% sunflower oleosomes.

[0016] The plant-based milk preferably comprises 0.5 - 12.5 wt.%, more preferably 1-10 wt.%, even more preferably 1.2-6.5 wt.% of one or more carbohydrates from one of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, more specifically from oat. In an aspect, the present invention relates to a method for preparing plant-based milk of the invention, the method comprising the step of: a) mixing water, one or more plant proteins chosen from soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, potato, chickpea, pea, fava bean, and sunflower oleosomes to obtain the plant-based milk.

[0017] Preferably, step a) includes (further) mixing with one or more carbohydrates from one of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, more specifically from oat.

[0018] In an aspect, the present invention relates to a use of plant-based milk of the invention as an additive in a coffee-based beverage.

[0019] In an aspect, the present invention relates to use of a creamer composition comprising sunflower oleosomes, for increasing foaming stability and / or foaming capacity of plant-based milk.

[0020] In an aspect, the present invention relates to a use of a creamer composition comprising sunflower oleosomes, for increasing creaminess of plant-based milk.

[0021] Detailed description of the invention

[0022] Plant-based milk composition

[0023] The plant-based milk of the current invention pertains to a composition preferably comprising plant protein and sunflower oleosome, and optionally one or more carbohydrates, preferably carbohydrate from oat, more preferably hydrolyzed and / or fermented oat carbohydrate.

[0024] The term “plant-based” (milk) as used herein means a (milk) composition originating from plants, i.e. comprising plant protein and / or fat at least in or higher amounts as compared to respectively animal protein and / or animal fats. Preferably, the term “plant-based” (milk) means that the (milk) composition contains (essentially) no animal protein and fat (e.g. less than 1%, more preferably lower than 0.1% of total protein or fat animal protein or fat).

[0025] Typically, and also in the context of the current invention, “plant-based milk” means the same as “non-dairy milk”. The term “milk” as used herein can be used interchangeably with the term “milk alternative”, meaning that it resembles dairy milk or serves the same purpose as dairy milk. In a preferred embodiment, the plant-based milk comprises:

[0026] - 0.5-15 wt.% plant protein; and

[0027] - 0.5-8 wt.% oleosomes, and optionally

[0028] - 0.5 - 10 wt.% of one or more carbohydrates from one of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, preferably from oat.

[0029] The plant protein is preferably chosen from one or more of soy (i.e. soy bean), oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, potato, chickpea, pea, algae protein (or other products from precision fermentation) and fava bean (i.e. broad bean).

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, at least part of the plant protein in the plant-based milk disclosed herein is oat protein. In addition or alternatively, at least part of the plant carbohydrate in the plant-based milk disclosed herein is oat carbohydrate, including hydrolyzed and / or fermented oat carbohydrate.

[0031] The one or more carbohydrate as disclosed herein may be from one or more selected from grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, more specifically from oat, fava bean, white bean, soy bean, almond, pea, hemp, rice, wheat, potato, lentil, cashew, hazelnut, spelt, tapioca, corn, and may include e.g. oligosaccharides, malto-oligosaccharides, maltodextrins, oligosaccharides, raffinose, stachyose, fructo-ligosaccharides, polysaccharides, starch, amylose, amylopectin, modified starches, non-starch polysaccharides, glycogen, cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins and hydrocolloids.

[0032] The “carbohydrate” in the context of the current invention can be hydrolyzed, e.g. when provided as in the form of hydrolyzed oat flour. In addition or alternatively, the “carbohydrate” in the context of the current invention can be fermented, as in the form of fermented oats.

[0033] The carbohydrate and / or protein in the context of the current invention may be at least partially provided as oat, preferably an oat solid formulation, such as oat powder, oat flour, and / or oat base, wherein the oat is preferably fermented and / or hydrolyzed.

[0034] The soy (i.e. soy bean) protein as disclosed herein encompasses soy protein isolate and / or soy protein concentrate.

[0035] In addition or alternatively, the plant protein may be derived from sunflower, pulse, oil seed, tuber, grain, grass, leaf, a gluten (e.g. wheat gluten), corn protein (e.g. zein), rapeseed protein, lupine protein, quinoa protein, and mung bean protein. The oleosomes as disclosed herein are preferably sunflower (i.e. sunflower seed) oleosomes.

[0036] The term “oleosome” as used herein means a natural oil body as found in oil-bearing seeds. In particular, an “oleosome” is a membrane encapsulated oil droplet, wherein the oil droplet preferably comprises triacylglycerol and / or wherein the membrane preferably comprises phospholipid and protein, preferably wherein the protein comprises oleosin, caleosin, and / or steroleosin. In addition or alternatively, an “oleosome” can be seen as an intracellular (naturally occurring) oil body. An “oleosome” (and / or the encapsulated oil droplet) typically has a diameter of between 0.2-10 micron. Oleosomes may be extracted from plant seeds naturally bearing oleosomes. The term “oleosome” as used herein preferably excludes any fat phase or oil phase having a protein content of below 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 , 0.5, 0.1 wt.%. In addition or as alternative to sunflower oleosome, oleosomes that are suitable in context of the current invention include but are not limited to one or more of rapeseed oleosomes, canola oleosome, safflower (seed) oleosomes, hemp oleosome, almond oleosome and sesame (seed) oleosomes. In the present context, it is preferred that all or most of the fat and / or oil in the plant-based milk or creamer composition as taught herein is contained in oleosomes, e.g. at least 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95, 100 wt.% of the fat (and / or oil) in the plant-based milk or creamer composition is contained in oleosomes.

[0037] In a more preferred embodiment, the plant-based milk comprises

[0038] - 0.5-15 wt.% plant protein, preferably 0.5-6 wt.% plant protein, chosen from one or more of soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, potato, chickpea, pea, and fava bean; and

[0039] - 0.5-8 wt.%, preferably 1-5 wt.% sunflower oleosomes; and

[0040] - optionally 0.1-20 wt.%, preferably 0.2- 15 wt.%, more preferably 0.5 - 12.5 wt.%, even more preferably 1-10 wt.%, most preferably 1.2-6.5 wt.% carbohydrates from one of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, more specifically from oat, fava bean, white bean, soy bean, almond, pea, hemp, rice, wheat, potato, lentil, cashew, hazelnut, spelt, tapioca, corn (such as oligosaccharides, malto-oligosaccharides, maltodextrins, oligosaccharides, raffinose, stachyose, fructo-ligosaccharides, polysaccharides, starch, amylose, amylopectin, modified starches, non-starch polysaccharides, glycogen, cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins, hydrocolloids).

[0041] In different embodiments, the amount of plant protein in the plant-based milk is at least 0.05 wt.%, or at least 0.1 wt.%, or at least 0.2 wt.%, or at least 0.5 wt.%, or at least 1.0 wt.%, or at least 1.5 wt.%, or at least 2.0 wt.%, or at least 2.5 wt.%, or at least 3.0 wt.%, or at least 3.5 wt.%, or at least 4.0 wt.%, or at least 4.5 wt.%, or at least 5.0 wt.%, or at least 6.0 wt.%, or at least 7.0 wt.%, or at least 8.0 wt.%, or at least 9.0 wt.%, or at least 10.0 wt.% and in addition or alternatively, the amount of plant protein in the plant-based milk is no more than 30 wt.%, or no more than 25 wt.%, or no more than 20 wt.%, or no more than 19 wt.%, or no more 18 wt.%, or no more 17 wt.%, or no more 16 wt.%, or no more 15 wt.%, or no more 14 wt.%, or no more 13 wt.%, or no more 12 wt.%, or no more 11 wt.%, or no more 10 wt.%.

[0042] In different embodiments, the amount of oleosomes in the plant-based milk is at least 0.1 wt.%, or at least 0.2 wt.%, or at least 0.5 wt.%, or at least 0.7 wt.%, or at least 1 wt.%, or at least 1.5 wt.%, or at least 2.0 wt.%, or at least 2.5 wt.%, and in addition or alternatively, the amount of oleosomes in the plant-based milk is no more than 15 wt.%, or no more than 12.5 wt.%, or no more than 10 wt.%, or no more than 7.5 wt.%, or no more 5.0 wt.%, or no more 4 wt.%, or no more 3 wt.%, or no more 2 wt.%, or no more 1 wt.%.

[0043] In an embodiment, the plant-based milk (further) comprises 0.01 - 15 wt.%, preferably 0.05 - 10 wt.%, more preferably 0.1 - 6 wt.%, even preferably 0.2 - 4 wt.%, most preferably 0.5 - 2 wt.% sunflower protein and / or soy protein.

[0044] In an embodiment, the plant-based milk (further) comprises 0.05 - 25 wt.%, preferably 0.1 - 15 wt.%, more preferably 0.5 - 10 wt.%, even more preferably 1.0 - 7.5 wt.%, most preferably 1.5 - 5.0 wt.% plant oil.

[0045] The plant oil as disclosed herein is preferably one or more of soy (oil), oat (oil) almond (oil), sunflower (oil), rapeseed (oil), hemp (oil), safflower (oil), hazelnut (oil), avocado (oil), cashew (oil), olive (oil), palm (oil), grapeseed (oil), apricot (oil), rice bran (oil), walnut (oil), coconut (oil), peanut (oil), sesame (oil), pea (oil), fava bean (oil), and algae (oil).

[0046] In an embodiment, the plant-based milk (further) comprises 0.005 - 10 wt.%, or 0.01 - 5 wt.%, or 0.05 - 2 wt.%, or 0.1 - 1.5 wt.%, or 0.5 - 1 wt.% of at least one buffer selected from the list of dipotassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, potassium lactate, sodium lactate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium citrate, sodium citrate, and a mix of them, and their corresponding acids.

[0047] It is preferred that the plant-based milk of the invention does not comprise dairy protein or at most 10, 5, 1, 0.5, or 0.1 wt.%.

[0048] In an embodiment, the plant-based milk comprises (nutritive or non-nutritive) natural sweetener, for example one or more selected from the consisting of natural stevia, monk fruit sweetener (Luo han), fermented carbohydrates, maple syrup, coconut sugar, (raw) honey, (raw) agave sweetener or crystals, (brown) rice syrup, sugar alcohols (e.g. xylitol), (African) berries, inulin fiber, lakanto, stevioside, rebaudioside, truvia, raw yacon syrup, corn syrup, beet sugar, and cane sugar.

[0049] In an embodiment, the plant-based milk comprises one or more vitamins in an amount of 0.00001 - 1 wt.%, e.g. 0.0001 - 0.1 wt.% , or 0.001 - 0.01 wt.%, 0.0000003-0.0003 wt. %, wherein the vitamin is selected from the group consisting of vitamin A, C, D, E, or K, and thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B12 (cobalamin), and folate.

[0050] The plant-based milk of the invention preferably comprises at least 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 97, or 99 wt.% water.

[0051] The plant-based milk of the invention preferably comprises at least one or more (synthetic) emulsifiers in a total amount of 0.1 - 10 wt.%, preferably 0.5 - 7.5 wt.%, more preferably 1 - 5 wt.%, even more preferably 1.5 - 3.0 wt.%, wherein the emulsifier may be one or more selected from the group consisting of (sunflower, soy or egg) lecithin, a monoglyceride, a diglyceride, a polysorbate, carrageenan, guar gum a seed oil, mustard, flax seeds, pickering particles, sodium phosphates, (plant-)proteins and combinations thereof.

[0052] The plant-based milk of the current disclosure may be or homogenized non-homogenized. It appears beneficial for creaminess and / or foaming stability to not homogenize the plantbased milk.

[0053] In an embodiment, the plant-based milk of the current disclosure has a higher foaming stability and / or higher foaming capacity as compared to the same plant-based milk, but without oleosomes, preferably sunflower oleosomes.

[0054] The foaming stability and / or foaming capacity are preferably determined after aerating the milk to produce foam. The aerating is preferably performed using a milk frother (according to the manufacturer’s instructions). For example, preferred method of aerating is using a the Clatronic MS 3326 (Germany) milk frother for 3 min at 65°C. It is preferred to heat the mixture to be aerated prior to this, for example at 63°C in a heated blender (Vorwerk Thermomix TM6, Germany) for 30 minutes at speed 2. The foaming stability and / or foaming capacity is preferably defined after aerating 150 mL of plant-based milk for 3 minutes.

[0055] To determine foaming stability, the foam volume is preferably divided by volume of the plantbased milk before the aerating. In additionally or alternatively, foam stability is preferably determined by aerating 150 mL of the plant-based milk for 3 minutes and dividing foam volume after 30 minutes by initially obtained foam volume. The foam stability (FS) can be determined using the following equation: where Vf30is the foam volume at t = 30 min and Vothe foam volume at t = 0.

[0056] A detailed protocol and analysis method for foaming stability can be as described in the Examples.

[0057] The foam capacity (FC) is preferably determined by pouring the foamed milk (using) in a volumetric cylinder and recording the foam volume immediately after pouring, using the following equation: where Vfois the foam volume at t = 0 and the volume of the initial milk solution before frothing (Lajnaf et al 2022, Food Hydrocolloids Volume 126, May 2022, 107470).

[0058] A detailed protocol and analysis method for foaming capacity can be as described in the Examples.

[0059] In an embodiment, the plant-based milk of the current disclosure has a higher creaminess as compared to the same plant-based milk, but without oleosomes, preferably sunflower oleosomes.

[0060] The creaminess is preferably determined by measuring the bubble diameter, wherein decrease in (average) foam bubble diameter means a higher creaminess. The (average) bubble diameter can be measured using image analysis software (such as Imaged) to identify air bubbles, setting the scale, and measure their (average) diameter. A preferred protocol is to take pictures of the top 5 cm of the foam immediately after transfer of the foamed milk into a graduated cylinder. The volume weighted average of the bubble size distribution can be calculated with the following equation:

[0061] Based on the bubble diameter distribution, the bubble size can be based on the peak in the distribution and / or the area under curve of the distribution. A detailed protocol and analysis method for creaminess and / or bubble diameter can be as described in the Examples.

[0062] The use of the current invention pertains to a use of the plant-based milk in for example ice cream, (whipped) cream, spreads, yogurt, cheese, mayonnaise, and chocolate.

[0063] The use of the current invention preferably pertains to a use of the plant-based milk in coffee of a coffee-based beverage, and / or as a barista milk. The term “coffee-based beverage” as used herein means a beverage comprising coffee (bean), preferably at least 1 gram, preferably at least 2.5 gram, more preferably at least 5 gram, even more preferably at least 10 gram coffee (bean) per serving and / or per 150 ml. The term “coffee-based beverage” encompasses coffee, espresso, ristretto, flat white, affogato, cafe au lait, Irish coffee, mocha, americano, doppio, cortado, macchiato, mocha, (caffe) latte, and cappuccino. The term “barista milk” as used herein means a milk primarily intended for use in coffee or coffeebased beverage.

[0064] The use of the current invention preferably pertains to a use of a creamer composition comprising sunflower oleosomes, for increasing foaming stability and / or foaming capacity of plant-based milk (relative to not using said creamer composition).

[0065] Creamer composition

[0066] In an aspect, the current invention relates to a creamer (i.e. creamer composition) comprising oleosomes, preferably sunflower oleosomes.

[0067] The term “creamer composition” as used herein means a dry (e.g. powder) or liquid formulation intended as additive for a beverage and / or a (plant-based) milk. The beverage is most typically coffee, tea or hot chocolate, typically as to improve mouthfeel, taste (e.g. higher sweetness, lower bitterness, lower sourness) and / or creaminess. As an additive for (plantbased) milk, the creamer comprising (sunflower) oleosomes may among others increase the foaming stability and / or foaming capacity of the milk, e.g. as compared to no use of creamer or use of the same creamer but without the (sunflower) oleosomes. The term “creamer composition” encompasses coffee creamer (i.e. coffee whitener) and tea cream (i.e. tea whitener). The creamer composition of the current invention is preferably a non-dairy creamer composition and / or a plant-based creamer composition.

[0068] The creamer as disclosed is particularly suitable as an additive in a beverage, particular coffee-based beverage. The creamer comprising (sunflower) oleosomes as disclosed herein is found to increase the creaminess of a (coffee-based) beverage, e.g. as compared to the same beverage without creamer or the same beverage with a creamer without the (sunflower) oleosomes.

[0069] In an embodiment, the creamer is used for increasing creaminess of a beverage, preferably a coffee-based beverage, wherein increased creaminess is preferably determined by a decreased average foam bubble diameter (increasing relative to not using the creamer).

[0070] The creamer comprising as disclosed herein is additionally or alternatively particularly suitable as additive in (plant-based) milk, especially barista (plant-based) milk. The creamer comprising (sunflower) oleosomes as disclosed herein is found to increase the creaminess, foaming stability and / or foaming capacity of a (plant-based) milk, e.g. as compared to no use or the same creamer but without the (sunflower) oleosomes.

[0071] In an embodiment, the creamer is used for increasing foaming stability and / or foaming capacity in a milk, preferably a plant-based milk, more preferably a plant-based barista milk (relative to not using the creamer).

[0072] The creamer preferably comprises one or more oleosomes, wherein oleosomes in the creamer are preferably sunflower oleosomes or a mixture of oleosomes comprising sunflower oleosomes. The creamer preferably comprises one or more proteins, wherein the proteins in the creamer are preferably sunflower and / or soy proteins or a mixture of proteins comprising sunflower and / or soybean proteins.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment, the creamer is a powder (composition). In preferred embodiment, the creamer is a liquid (composition).

[0074] The use of the creamer as disclosed herein is preferably for increasing foaming stability and / or foaming capacity of plant-based milk (relative to not using the creamer). The use of the creamer as disclosed herein is preferably for increasing creaminess of plant-based milk (relative to not using the creamer).

[0075] The “powder” as disclosed herein preferably means a dry formulation (e.g. less than 1% or less than 0.1% water) with free-flowing behaviour such as defined by a Carr Index of 75 or less, preferably 50 or less, more preferably 25 or less, even more preferably 10 or less. In addition or alternatively, the “powder” as disclosed herein preferably means a material subjected to drying. The “drying” in the context of the current invention is preferably one or more of rotary evaporation, freeze drying, spray drying, drum drying, pulse combustion drying, vacuum drying, and hot air drying (e.g. oven drying), preferably spray drying.

[0076] In an embodiment, the powder as disclosed herein is obtained by one or more of rotary evaporation, freeze drying, spray drying, drum drying, pulse combustion drying, and hot air drying (e.g. oven drying), preferably spray drying.

[0077] The spray drying can be performed at any rate and can be dependent on the used equipment. In the present invention good results were obtained with an air flow rate of between 30 and 80 m3 / h. The spray drying can be performed at a temperature between 60 and 200 degrees Celsius.

[0078] In an embodiment, the powder is a premix powder. The term “premix” powder means that the premix powder is preferably dissolvable in a liquid formulation, e.g. water or (plant-based) milk.

[0079] To prepare the powder creamer as disclosed herein, the oleosomes fraction obtained after liquid-liquid separation (i.e. the floating fraction) is preferably not washed or further cleaned, but is used as it is obtained from the extraction process. In certain preferred embodiments, the drying step is performed directly on the extract. Thus, the method contains the steps of extracting oleosomes from the aqueous dispersion of material containing oleosomes to thereby obtain a crude oleosome extract and drying the thus obtained crude oleosome extract without intermediate steps between the obtainment of the crude oleosome extract and the drying of the extract to obtain the oleosomes.

[0080] In a preferred embodiment, the extract directly obtained from the aqueous dispersion is subjected to filtration and directly (spray) dried.

[0081] In a preferred embodiment, the drying is carried out on the crude oleosome extract directly, preferably without additives and preferably without the addition of carriers such as maltodextrin. The liquid creamer preferably comprises 0.05 - 50 wt.% oleosomes, or 0.1 - 40 wt.% oleosomes, or 0.5 - 30 wt.% oleosomes, or 1.0 - 25 wt.% oleosomes, or 2.5 - 20 wt.% oleosomes, or 5.0 - 15 wt.% oleosomes, or 7.5 - 10 wt.% oleosomes.

[0082] The liquid creamer preferably comprises 0.05 - 25 wt.% protein, or 0.1 - 20 wt.% protein, or 0.5 - 15 wt.% protein, or 1.0 - 10 wt.% protein, or 1.5 - 9 wt.% protein, or 2.0 - 8 wt.% protein, or 2.5 - 7 wt.% protein, or 3.0 - 6 wt.% protein or 3.5 - 5 wt.% protein.

[0083] The liquid creamer preferably comprises 40 - 99 wt.% water, or 50 - 95 wt.% water, or 60 -

[0084] 92.5 wt.% water, or 65 - 90 wt.% water, or 70 - 87.5 wt.% water, or 75 - 85 wt.% water, or 80 - 82.5 wt.% water.

[0085] In a preferred embodiment, the liquid creamer comprises:

[0086] - 65-90 wt.% water;

[0087] - 0.5-40 wt.% oleosomes, preferably sunflower oleosomes; and / or

[0088] - 0.5-8 wt.% proteins, preferably sunflower protein and / or soy protein, wherein the wt.% is calculated on the weight of the liquid creamer composition.

[0089] The powder creamer preferably comprises 10 - 99 wt.% oleosomes, or 15 - 95 wt.% oleosomes, or 20 - 90 wt.% oleosomes, or 25- 85 wt.% oleosomes, or 30 - 80 wt.% oleosomes, or 35 - 75 wt.% oleosomes, or 40 - 70 wt.% oleosomes, or 45 - 65 wt.% oleosomes.

[0090] The powder creamer preferably comprises 0.5 - 65 wt.% protein, or 1.0 - 60 wt.% protein, or

[0091] 1.5 - 55 wt.% protein, or 2.0 - 50 wt.% protein, or 2.5 - 45 wt.% protein, or 3.0 - 40 wt.% protein, or 3.5 - 35 wt.% protein, or 4.0 - 30 wt.% protein or 4.5 - 25 wt.% protein, or 5.0 - 20 wt.% protein.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment, the powder creamer comprises:

[0093] - 30-90 wt.% oleosomes, preferably sunflower oleosomes; and / or

[0094] - 2-40 wt.% protein, preferably sunflower protein and / or soy protein, wherein the wt.% is calculated on the weight of the powder creamer composition.

[0095] The creamer may (further) comprise a fibre, preferably seed fibre and / or soy fibre, preferably in a concentration of 0.01-5 wt%, 0.05-2 wt.%, 0.1-0.8 wt.%, preferably 0.1-0.8 wt.%. In an embodiment, the creamer is combined with a plant-based milk, preferably a plant-based milk having a composition as disclosed herein.

[0096] In a preferred embodiment, the use of the creamer involves combining the creamer composition and plant-based milk as disclosed herein.

[0097] Method for preparation

[0098] The method (for preparing plant-based milk) of the invention pertains to a method comprising the step of mixing

[0099] - aqueous medium, preferably water;

[0100] - one or more plant proteins as disclosed herein, preferably chosen from soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, potato, chickpea, pea, and fava bean; and / or

[0101] - one or more oleosomes, preferably sunflower oleosomes, which allows obtaining the plant-based milk of the current disclosure, wherein the amount of aqueous medium, plant protein and / or oleosome mixed is preferably in amount chosen as to achieve a final amount as herein disclosed for the plant-based milk (composition).

[0102] In a preferred embodiment, the step of mixing as disclosed herein comprises (additionally) mixing one or more carbohydrates as disclosed herein, preferably selected from one or more of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, preferably from oat, more preferably hydrolyzed and / or fermented oat carbohydrate.

[0103] The aqueous medium as disclosed herein is preferably water. In addition or alternatively, the aqueous medium may contain salts, buffers and / or acid / base compounds to regulate the pH. Preferably, the aqueous medium has a pH of between 2 and 10. The aqueous medium may further contain additives to control the viscosity.

[0104] In a preferred embodiment, the method the step of mixing (further) includes mixing of sunflower protein and / or soy protein, wherein the sunflower protein and / or soy protein is preferably mixed in an amount chosen as to achieve a final amount as herein disclosed for the plant-based milk (composition).

[0105] In a preferred embodiment, the method the step of mixing (further) includes mixing of one or more plant oils, preferably one or more plant oils chosen from soy, sunflower, rapeseed, hemp, safflower, hazelnut, avocado, cashew, olive, palm, grapeseed, apricot, rice bran, walnut, oat, almond, coconut, peanut, sesame, pea, fava bean, and algae oil, wherein the one or more plant oils is preferably mixed in an amount chosen as to achieve a final amount as herein disclosed for the plant-based milk

[0106] In a preferred embodiment, the method the step of mixing (further) includes mixing of one or buffers, preferably one or more buffers selected from the list consisting of dipotassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, potassium lactate, sodium lactate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium citrate, sodium citrate and a mix of them and their corresponding acids, wherein the one or more buffers is preferably mixed in an amount chosen as to achieve a final amount as herein disclosed for the plant-based milk (composition).

[0107] In an embodiment, the method of making plant-based milk involved subjecting the milk to homogenization, in particular high-pressure homogenization.

[0108] The plant-based milk of the current disclosure may be homogenized or non-homogenized. It appears not necessary and advantageous in the context of the current invention to be homogenized, meaning that the method of the current invention preferably does not involve homogenization, preferably high-pressure homogenization. The present disclosure also preferably does not use (high)-shear mixing.

[0109] The term “homogenization” as used herein may refer to any process that mixes and disperses fat to break it down into smaller particles, preferably by using high pressure. The term “homogenization” as used herein may refer to any process that reduces particle size of a composition, typically by using high pressure (wherein high pressure preferably refers to applying at least 800, 1000, 1200 bar and / or at most 3000, 2500 bar to force a fluid composition through a nozzle, wherein the nozzle may have a diameter of between 10 - 10000 nm, or between 10-1500 nm, or between 10-1000 nm, or between 50-1000 nm or between 100-500 nm; or between 1 - 10000 pm, or between 1-1500 pm, or between 1-1000 pm, or between 5-1000 pm or between 10-500 pm; or between 1 - 10000 pm, or between 1- 1500 pm, or between 1-1000 pm, or between 5-1000 pm or between 10-500 pm.

[0110] High-shear mixing , or shear mixing, may refer to use of a (high) shear mixer. A high-shear mixer disperses, or transports, one phase or ingredient (liquid, solid, gas) into a main continuous phase (liquid, e.g. aqueous medium). A rotor or impeller, together with a stationary component known as a stator, or an array of rotors and stators, may be used either in a tank containing the composition to be mixed, or in a pipe through which the solution passes, to create shear. A high-shear mixer can thus be used to create emulsions, suspensions, dispersions, and granular products. It can be used for emulsification, homogenization, particle size reduction, and dispersion. The term “high shear mixing” is well- recognized by the skilled person, but may in the present disclosure also replaced by “ shear mixing” or “mixing”. Fluid undergoes shear when one area of fluid travels with a different velocity relative to an adjacent area. A high-shear mixer uses a rotating impeller or highspeed rotor, or a series of such impellers or inline rotors, usually powered by an electric motor, to "work" the fluid, creating flow and shear. The tip velocity, or speed of the fluid at the outside diameter of the rotor, will be higher than the velocity at the center of the rotor, and it is this velocity difference that creates shear. Specific design factors include the diameter of the rotor and its rotational speed, the distance between the rotor and the stator, the time in the mixer, and the number of generators in the series, which can be varied by the skilled person in accordance with the application.

[0111] In an aspect, the current invention relates to a method of preparing the creamer from seeds, preferably sunflower seeds, the method preferably comprising one or more of the following steps:

[0112] -dehulling the seeds;

[0113] -soaking seeds in an aqueous solution (e.g. water), e.g. for 12-18 hours;

[0114] -comminuting the (soaked) seeds, e.g. by one or more of pressing, screw pressing, homogenising, extruding, milling, blending and / or grinding, to provide a slurry comprising aqueous solution and comminuted seeds; -subjecting the slurry to liquid-solid separation, e.g. by filtering, to obtain a liquid composition comprising sunflower oleosomes

[0115] -subjecting the liquid composition to liquid-liquid separation, e.g. by centrifugation, to obtain a floating fraction (comprising cream layer, fat pad oleosomes);

[0116] -resuspending the floating fraction in aqueous medium (e.g. water), to achieve a (liquid) creamer with protein and / or oleosome content as disclosed herein.

[0117] In the context of the current invention, the terms ‘comprising’ or ‘to comprise’ and their conjugations, as used herein, refer to a situation wherein said terms are used in their nonlimiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. It also encompasses the more limiting verb ‘to consist essentially of’ and ‘to consist of’.

[0118] In the context of the current invention, reference to an element by the indefinite article ‘a’ or ‘an’ does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. The indefinite article ‘a’ or ‘an’ thus usually means ‘at least one’.

[0119] In the context of the current invention, the terms ‘to increase’ and ‘increased level’ and the terms ‘to decrease’ and ‘decreased level’ refer to the ability to significantly increase or significantly decrease or to a significantly increased level or significantly decreased level. Generally, a level is increased or decreased when it is at least 5%, such as 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50% higher or lower, respectively, than the corresponding level in a control or reference. Alternatively, a level in a sample may be increased or decreased when it is statistically significantly increased or decreased compared to a level in a control or reference. The term “to reduce” may herein be used interchangeably with “to decrease”. The term “reducing” may herein be used interchangeably with “decreasing”.

[0120] Weight percentages, i.e. wt.% are calculated relative to the total weight of the (liquid)(creamer) composition or plant based milk.

[0121] Brief description of the figures

[0122] Figure 1 - Foam capacity (FC) and foam stability (FS) percentages of barista milk samples with 0; 1 ; 1 ,5; or 3 wt.% added sunflower oleosomes. For each sample as indicated, the first bar represents FC (%), and the second bar represents FS (%).

[0123] Figure 2 - Foam capacity (FC) and foam stability (FS) percentages of barista milk samples with 0; 1 ; 3; or 5 wt.% added plant oil. For each sample as indicated, the first bar represents FC (%), and the second bar represents FS (%).

[0124] Figure 3: Steps of image processing to analyse particles size distribution with Imaged software. Figure 4: The Foaming Capacity and Foam Density of barista milk containing 3 % fat from sunflower oil or sunflower oleosomes.

[0125] Figure 5: Bubble size distribution and weighted volumetric average bubble diameter (D4,3) of barista milk containing 3 % fat from sunflower oil or sunflower oleosomes

[0126] The following Examples illustrate the different embodiments of the invention.

[0127] EXAMPLES

[0128] Preparing liquid composition comprising sunflower oleosomes

[0129] Lab scale

[0130] 100 g of bakery grad fully dehulled intact sunflower seeds (Linoleic variety) are soaked in tap water over night in the fridge and washed the next day under running water. Soaked seeds were combined with water to reach a total weight of 1000 g and blended 90s at 10200 rpm in a Thermomix TM6. The resulting slurry was filtered through 2 layers of cheese cloth. The solution was filled into six 50 mL centrifuge tubes (Roth), which were centrifuged in a Thermo Heraeus Multifuge X1 R with 15000xg at 4 °C for at least 5 h. The resulting floating fractions (cream layer, fat pat, oleosomes) were lifted with a small spoon and resuspended in water to achieve a fat content of 32% and a protein content of 2%. The diluted “cream” was heat treated in a water bath to increase the shelf life and stored in the fridge until the day of the experiment.

[0131] Pilot scale

[0132] 100 kg of bakery grade fully dehulled intact sunflower seeds (Linoleic variety) are soaked in tap water over night. The washed soaked seeds were milled in a line of colloid mills (FrymaKoruma ML 150 + MZ 100) together with 900 kg of water and the resulting slurry was decanted using a GEA decanter (SCE 306-71-32). The light phase of the decanter was further concentrated in an Alfa-Laval (MRPX 214-44T) centrifuge. The light phase of the centrifuge was heat treated in a turbular heat-exchanger UHT (Combitherm) and filled in sterile bags. The final composition measure was 62,5% water, 32% fat, 2% protein.

[0133] Plant-based milk preparation

[0134] Materials

[0135] Sunflower oleosomes (32% fat, 2% protein, 1 .5% carbohydrates, 0.5% minerals) were provided by TTM (Time-Travelling Milkman, The Netherlands). Oat base was obtained from Blue Farm (Oat Base Classic, Blue Farm, Germany), and soy protein isolate from Mattisson (Organic Soy Protein, Mattisson Healthcare BV, The Netherlands). Di-potassium phosphate was of analytical grade and obtained from Laboratoriumdiscounter (Laboratoriumdiscounter, The Netherlands).

[0136] Methods

[0137] Barista milk preparation

[0138] Plant-based barista milk recipes were developed for physical characterization. Sunflower seed oleosomes were the source of fat. Soy protein was added to replicate the nutritional value of commercially available plant-based barista milks. All ingredients were hydrated in potable water at 63°C in a heated blender (Vorwerk Thermomix TM6, Germany) for 30 minutes at speed 2. Upon completion of the heating step, 150 mL of the mixture was placed in a milk frother (Clatronic MS 3326, Germany) for approximately 3 min at 65°C. The milk was then poured into a cylinder and the foaming capacity and stability were measured. The rest of the milk was used in latte coffee, where the phase stability was observed. Samples’ composition is presented in Table 1. Table 1 : Barista milk sample composition

[0139] Foaming capacity and foam stability

[0140] Barista milk sample (150 mL) was placed in a milk frother and was aerated for approximately 3 minutes. The foam capacity (FC) was determined by pouring the foamed milk in a volumetric cylinder and record the foam volume immediately after pouring. The foaming capacity was calculated using the following equation: 100 (1) where Vfois the foam volume at t = 0 and the volume of the initial milk solution before frothing (Lajnaf et al 2022, Food Hydrocolloids Volume 126, May 2022, 107470).

[0141] Foam stability (FS) was determined by recording the foam volume after 30 minutes. The foaming stability was calculated using the following equation: 100 (2) where Vf30is the foam volume at t = 30 min and Vothe foam volume at t = 0.

[0142] The results as presented in Figure 1 show that foam capacity and foam stability of plant-based milk can be drastically improved by addition of sunflower oleosomes, and even more upon pasteurization (heating for 30 min at 63 degrees Celsius). Also, addition of soy protein improves foam capacity and foam stability of plant-based milk. This is very surprising, in particular in comparison to Figure 2, showing that if sunflower oil is added instead of sunflower oleosomes, foam capacity and foam stability is destroyed.

[0143] To further support the beneficial effects of oleosomes in barista milk, a more detailed look was taken into the quality of the milk foam for barista milk where the fat was added as sunflower oil or as sunflower oleosomes. The recipe (Soy protein, oat base, sunflower oleosomes, 3% fat, pasteurised) shown in Table 1, was compared to a commercially available vegan barista milk (Alnatura Haferdrink mit Soja). To the commercial benchmark 1 wt% of sunflower oil was added to equalize the fat content, and better reflect the fat content of dairy barista milk. The final compositions of these two barista milks are given in Table 2.

[0144] The added sunflower oil was emulsified within the existing barista milk by high-speed homogenization for 1 min at 10,000 rpm. The preparation of the recipe with sunflower oleosomes was the same as for previous experiments. Similarly, the milks were frothed, and subsequently transferred to graduated cylinders, and the Foaming Capacity and Foaming Stability were determined as was done before (Equations 1 and 2). Additionally, to analyze the foam quality, pictures were taken of the top 5 cm of the foam immediately after transfer into the graduated cylinder. These pictures were analyzed using image analysis software (Imaged) to identify air bubbles, and by setting the scale, measure their size. Using this data, a bubble size distribution, weighted volumetric average bubble diameter (Equation 3), and the foam density were calculated.

[0145] Table 2: Nutritional value of a commercial benchmark adjusted to 3% fat content, and one of our developed recipes.

[0146] The Foaming Capacity (FC) and Foam Density (FD) in Figure 4 show a much larger capacity to produce milk foam when using sunflower oleosomes instead of sunflower oil. Not only is the volume of foam more than twice as large, also the density, meaning the number of air bubbles per cm2, is significantly higher. This indicates that the foam created with oleosomes is firmer and more stable, as it consists of many small bubbles instead of fewer large bubbles.

[0147] This smaller bubble size is confirmed in Figure 5, as the peak in the bubble size distribution for foam with sunflower oleosomes is at a smaller bubble diameter, and the weighted volumetric average is 289.1 pm as opposed to 404.2 pm. Therefore, it is evident that replacing sunflower oil with sunflower oleosomes not only improves the foaming capacity of the barista milk, but also the quality of the foam. The sunflower oleosomes are better able to stabilize the air-water interfaces, thereby allowing for the creation and stabilization of more and smaller air bubbles, resulting in a firmer and more stable foam.

[0148] Comparison of addition of oil vs oleosomes vs protein on foaming capacity, foam stability and creaminess of plant-based milk

[0149] Plant-based milk is prepared as described above, but with different additions (oil, oleosomes, and / or protein). Subsequently, the foaming capacity, foam stability and creaminess are assessed.

[0150]

[0151] It was surprisingly found that adding sunflower oleosomes, preferably together with soy protein and / or sunflower protein dramatically improves foaming capacity, foam stability and creaminess of plant-based milk, especially upon pasteurization. An improvement in quality and / or foaming properties of barista milk is less clear or absent for non-oleosome derived oils such sunflower oil. Under certain conditions, addition of non-oleosome derived oils may even destroy foaming capacity and foam stability.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Plant-based milk comprising:- 0.5-15 wt.% plant protein chosen from one or more of soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, potato, chickpea, pea, and fava bean; and- 0.5-8 wt.% sunflower oleosomes, wherein the term oleosome refers to a membrane encapsulated oil droplet, wherein the oil droplet preferably comprises triacylglycerol and / or wherein the membrane preferably comprises phospholipid and protein preferably wherein the protein comprises oleosin, caleosin, and / or steroleosin.

2. Plant-based milk according to claim 1, comprising 0.5-6 wt.% of the plant protein and / or 1-5 wt.% sunflower oleosomes.

3. Plant-based milk according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising- 0.1-6 wt.% sunflower protein and / or soy protein; and / or- 0.5-10 wt.% plant oil chosen from one or more of soy, oat, almond, sunflower, rapeseed, hemp, safflower, hazelnut, avocado, cashew, olive, palm, grapeseed, apricot, rice bran, walnut, coconut, peanut, sesame, pea, fava bean, and algae; and / or- 0.05-2 wt.% of at least one buffer selected from the list of dipotassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, potassium lactate, sodium lactate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium citrate, sodium citrate, a mix of them, and their corresponding acids.

4. Plant-based milk according to any one of the previous claims, comprising 0.5 - 10 wt.% of one or more carbohydrates.

5. Plant-based milk according to claim 4, wherein the one or more carbohydrates is from one or more of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, preferably from oat.

6. Plant-based milk according to claim 5, wherein the carbohydrate from oat is hydrolyzed and / or fermented oat carbohydrate.

7. Method for preparing the plant-based milk according to any one of claims 1-6, the method comprising the step of mixing- aqueous medium;- one or more plant proteins chosen from soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, potato, chickpea, pea, fava bean; and- sunflower oleosomes, to obtain the plant-based milk.

8. Method according to claim 7, the method comprising additionally mixing:- sunflower protein and / or soy protein;- one or more plant oils chosen from soy, sunflower, rapeseed, hemp, safflower, hazelnut, avocado, cashew, olive, palm, grapeseed, apricot, rice bran, walnut, oat, almond, coconut, peanut, sesame, pea, fava bean, and algae; and / or- at least one buffer selected from the list of dipotassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, potassium lactate, sodium lactate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium citrate, sodium citrate and a mix of them and their corresponding acids, in order to obtain the plant-based milk.

9. Method according to claim 7 or 8, the method comprising additionally mixing one or more carbohydrates selected from one or more of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, preferably from oat.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the carbohydrate from oat is hydrolyzed and / or fermented oat carbohydrate.

11. Method according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein the method does not involve high- pressure homogenization or high-shear mixing, wherein the term high pressure homogenization means any process that reduces mean particle size of a composition comprising particles, preferably by applying at least 800 bar to force a fluid composition through a nozzle, wherein the term high shear mixing means using a mixer which disperses one phase or ingredient into a main continues phase by means of a rotor or impeller together with a stator.

12. Use of the plant-based milk according to any one of claims 1-6 as an additive in a coffeebased beverage.

13. Use of a creamer composition comprising sunflower oleosomes, for increasing foaming stability and / or foaming capacity of plant-based milk, wherein the term oleosome refers to a membrane encapsulated oil droplet, wherein the oil droplet preferably comprises triacylglycerol and / or wherein the membrane preferably comprises phospholipid and protein preferably wherein the protein comprises oleosin, caleosin, and / or steroleosin.

14. Use of a creamer composition comprising sunflower oleosomes, for increasing creaminess of plant-based milk, wherein the creamer composition is a liquid creamer composition or a powder creamer composition,- wherein if the creamer composition is a liquid creamer composition, the liquid creamer composition comprises:- 65-90 wt.% water;- 0.5-40 wt.% sunflower oleosomes; and / or- 0.5-8 wt.% sunflower protein and / or soy protein, wherein the wt.% is calculated based on the weight of the liquid creamer composition.- wherein if the creamer composition is a powder creamer composition, the powder creamer composition comprises:- 30-90 wt.% sunflower oleosomes; and / or- 2-40 wt.% sunflower protein and / or soy protein, wherein the wt.% is calculated based on the weight of the powder creamer composition, and wherein the term oleosome refers to a membrane encapsulated oil droplet, wherein the oil droplet preferably comprises triacylglycerol and / or wherein the membrane preferably comprises phospholipid and protein preferably wherein the protein comprises oleosin, caleosin, and / or steroleosin.

15. Use according to any one of claims 13-14, wherein the use involves combining the creamer composition and plant-based milk, wherein the plant-based milk preferably comprises- 0.5-15 wt.% plant protein chosen from one or more of soy, oat, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, peanut, sesame, chickpea, potato pea, and fava bean; and / or- 0.5-8 wt.% sunflower oleosomes; and / or- 0.5-10 wt.% plant oil chosen from one or more of soy, oat, almond, sunflower, rapeseed, hemp, safflower, hazelnut, avocado, cashew, olive, palm, grapeseed, apricot, rice bran, walnut, coconut, peanut, sesame, pea, fava bean, and algae, preferably 1-5 wt.% plant oil chosen from soy, oat, almond, sunflower, rapeseed, hemp, safflower, hazelnut, avocado, cashew, olive, palm, grapeseed, apricot, rice bran, walnut, coconut, peanut, sesame, pea, fava bean; and / or- 0.05-2 wt.% of at least one buffer selected from the list of dipotassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, potassium lactate, sodium lactate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium citrate, sodium citrate and a mix of them and their corresponding acids.

16. Use according to claim 15, wherein the plant-based milk comprises 0.5 - 10 wt.% of one or more carbohydrates selected from grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, preferably from oat.

17. Use according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the plant-based milk comprises 0.5-6 wt.% of the plant protein and / or 1-5 wt.% sunflower oleosomes.

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