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Chemistry Report: Dairy Imitation Products
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April X, 2022

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Dairy imitation products are an ongoing growing sector within the food industry. From
dairy-free yogurt to the vast number of plant-based milks, these dairy imitation products are
known to serve as an appropriate alternative to milk-based dairy products. In the 1800s, these
dairy imitation products, such as plant-based milks like almond milk, have been utilized for
primarily beverage and medicinal purposes (Hetrick, 1969). Throughout the 1900s, as the
popularity of the products increased, the manufacturing of new types of dairy imitation products
- such as dairy-free butter - increased as well (Hetrick, 1969). Historically, this explosion of
popularity and production of dairy imitation products caused these products to become the
biggest adversary to milk-based dairy products, which is still seen today (Fuquay et al., 2011).
Throughout the recent decades, while the products were utilized as beverages, they also were
(and are) heavily utilized as healthier alternatives to dairy products in recipes and meals. Because
of ongoing advancements in the food industry, the variety of dairy imitation products have
become more palatable overtime, further causing these analogs to be often chosen over
traditional dairy products (Fuquay et al., 2011).
There are various reasons as to why dairy imitation products are necessary and justified
in food products. For instance, these products allow for other food products to remain lactosefree. Many individuals have a lactose intolerance, which causes them to be unable to digest the
lactose (sugar molecules) in milk-based dairy products (Fuquay et al., 2011). The dairy imitation
products lack lactose, allowing individuals to consume various dairy-free food products similar
in taste to those with dairy ingredients, but lacking the negative health complications associated
with consuming lactose with a lactose intolerance (Fuquay et al., 2011). Similarly, these dairy
imitation products are utilized to reduce the overall fat and calorie amounts in many food
products (Saraco & Blaxland, 2020). In general, because dairy-imitation products contain
individual plant-based ingredients, the fat content and overall calorie amounts are lower than
those in dairy products (Saraco & Blaxland, 2020). This not only allows for a more healthier
food product, but also subsequently reduces the likelihood of various health complications and
diseases associated with a high fat and high calorie diet, including obesity, high cholesterol,
cardiovascular disease, and cancer (Astolfi et al., 2020). In addition to the potential health
benefits associated with utilizing dairy imitation products, there are also environmental factors
that heavily justify the usage of these products. In general, dairy imitation products require
significantly less amounts of machinery, grain, and land, which collectively results in decreased
greenhouse gas emissions (Fuquay et al., 2011). With that, these dairy imitation products are not
only justified for usage because of the health benefits offered but also because of the positive
impact they have on the environment.
Discussion of Specific Ingredients
Almond Milk
Almond milk is one of the most popular dairy imitation ingredients. From being utilized
solely as a beverage to being a key dairy-free alternative in various food products, almond milk
is a heavily versatile ingredient (Reyes-Jurado et al., 2021). Almond milk can generally be made
safely at-home by soaking almonds in water overnight, blending the almonds with fresh water
and salt, and straining the blended mixture (Reyes-Jurado et al., 2021). However, for the
traditional commercial almond milk products seen in retail stores, the manufacturing process is
more complex. Most commonly this product is manufactured by first heating almond powder in
high temperature water (approximately 90°C) (Reyes-Jurado et al., 2021). The large particles are
then removed via centrifugation, and the resulting product is homogenized to create the
traditional appearance of the product that is like typical dairy milk. To ensure that the almond

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milk product is free of any microorganisms and contaminants, the product is subjected to ultrahigh temperatures (Reyes-Jurado et al., 2021). The resulting almond milk is modified and
fortified with vitamin and mineral blends, salt, stabilizers, and potentially sweeteners and
artificial flavorings. (Reyes-Jurado et al., 2021) While many of these final almond milk products
are manufactured to be shelf-stable, most of the common products seen in retail stores require
refrigeration. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the regulatory status of
almond milk is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), which indicates that the ingredient is
considered safe under the conditions of the intended use(s) of the product (Sethi et al., 2016).
Almond milk is generally marketed as a more nutritious alternative to regular milk that offers
both health and weight loss benefits as well as...