Comparative Nutritional Characterization of a Novel Formulated Composite Milk Alternative and a Conventional Infant Formula
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Submitted
February 7, 2025
Published
January 16, 2026
Keywords:
-
Plant-Based, Composite, Milk Alternative, Nutritional Profile
Abstract
Background: The beverage industry has experienced a substantial surge in the development of composite milk alternatives (CMAs), precipitated by shifting dietary preferences and specific nutritional requirements. However, the increasing utilization of these alternatives in infant nutrition has prompted critical inquiries regarding their nutritional adequacy and bioequivalence to standardized formulas.
Aims: This study aimed to perform a comparative evaluation of the proximate, phytochemical, vitamin, and mineral profiles of a novel formulated CMA (plant-animal-based, formulated using soybean, tiger nut, peanut, cashew nut, dry fish, crayfish, and dates) against a conventional commercial infant formula (NAN).
Materials and methods: Raw materials were processed, and homogenized in standardized proportions. Analytical characterization was conducted using established biochemical methods for proximate analysis and micro-/macro-nutrient quantification. Statistical significance was determined using a two-tailed unpaired Student's t-test, assuming equal variance, with the threshold for significance set at α = 0.05.
Results: Distinct compositional divergence was observed between the formulated CMA and the commercial control. The CMA exhibited significantly higher concentrations (p<0.05) of crude fiber and moisture, as well as elevated levels of bioactive phytochemicals, including phenols, flavonoids, and lycopene. Additionally, the CMA contained a more diverse array of antinutritional factors (tannin, phytate, and alkaloids), and high concentrations of vitamins B2 and C. Conversely, NAN exhibited significantly higher carbohydrate and ash content (p < 0.05), resulting in a superior total caloric density, alongside higher concentrations of vitamins B1 and B9. While most mineral concentrations were comparable, the CMA displayed significantly higher levels of sodium, cobalt, and zinc.
Conclusion: The formulated CMA demonstrated a nutritional profile that compares favorably with conventional infant formula in several key metrics. While these findings suggest significant nutritional potential, further optimization and rigorous safety evaluations are imperative before this formulation can be recommended for infant consumption.
Keywords: Plant-based; Composite; Milk alternative; Nutritional profile.
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References
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Astolfi, M. L., Marconi, E., Protano, C., & Canepari, S. (2020). Comparative elemental analysis of dairy milk and plant-based milk alternatives. Food Control, 116, 107327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107327
Aydar, E. F., Tutuncu, S., & Özçelik, B. (2020). Plant-based milk substitutes: Bioactive compounds, conventional and novel processes, bioavailability studies, and health effects. Journal of Functional Foods, 70, 103949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.103949
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Belewu, M. A., & Belewu, K. Y. (2007). Comparative physicochemical evaluation of tiger nut, soybean and coconut milk sources. International Journal of Agriculture & Biology, 9(5), 785–787. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:52029836
Brooker, P. G., Anastasiou, K., Smith, B. P. C., Tan, R., Cleanthous, X., & Riley, M. D. (2023). Nutrient composition of milk and plant-based milk alternatives: A cross-sectional study of products sold in Australia and Singapore. Food Research International, 173(2), 113475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113475
Carbas, B., Machado, N., & Oppolzer, D. (2020). Nutrients, antinutrients, phenolic composition, and antioxidant activity of common bean cultivars and their potential for food applications. Antioxidants, 9(2), 186. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9020186
Chatterjee, C., Gleddie, S., & Xiao, C.-W. (2018). Soybean bioactive peptides and their functional properties. Nutrients, 10(9), 1211. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10091211
Crivelli, J. J., Mitchell, T., Knight, J., Wood, K. D., Assimos, D. G., Holmes, R. P., & Fargue, S. (2021). Contribution of dietary oxalate and oxalate precursors to urinary oxalate excretion. Nutrients, 13(1), 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010062
Curhan, G. C., Willett, W. C., Knight, E. L., & Stampfer, M. J. (2004). Dietary factors and the risk of incident kidney stones in younger women: Nurses' Health Study II. Archives of Internal Medicine, 164(8), 885–891. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.164.8.885
Cruz, N., Capellas, M., Hernandez, M., Trujillo, A. J., Guamis, B., & Ferragut, V. (2007). Ultra high pressure homogenization of soymilk: Microbiological, physicochemical and microstructural characteristics. Food Research International, 40(6), 725–732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2007.01.003
Drewnowski, A. (2022). Most plant-based milk alternatives in the USDA branded food products database do not meet proposed nutrient standards or score well on nutrient density metrics. Nutrients, 14(22), 4767. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224767
Dupont, C., Bocquet, A., Tomé, D., Bernard, M., Campeotto, F., Dumond, P., … Kalach, N. (2020). Hydrolyzed rice protein-based formulas, a vegetal alternative in cow's milk allergy. Nutrients, 12(9), 2654. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092654
Givens, D. I. (2020). MILK Symposium review: The importance of milk and dairy foods in the diets of infants, adolescents, pregnant women, adults, and the elderly. Journal of Dairy Science, 103(11), 9681–9699. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18296
Gonçalves, B., Pinto, T., Aires, A., Morais, M. C., Bacelar, E., Anjos, R., Ferreira-Cardoso, J., Oliveira, I., Vilela, A., & Cosme, F. (2023). Composition of nuts and their potential health benefits—An overview. Foods, 12(5), 942. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12050942
Harborne, J.B. (1995). Phytochemical Methods. A Guide to Modern Techniques of Plant Analysis (Third Edition). Chapman and Hall, New York. Pp 674-681. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3059.1999.00318.x
Headey, D. D., & Alderman, H. H. (2019). The relative caloric prices of healthy and unhealthy foods differ systematically across income levels and continents. The Journal of Nutrition, 149(11), 2020–2033. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz158
Jeske, S., Bez, J., Arendt, E. K., & Zannini, E. (2019). Formation, stability, and sensory characteristics of a lentil-based milk substitute as affected by homogenisation and pasteurisation. European Food Research and Technology, 245(7), 1519–1531. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-019-03286-0
Kirk, R., & Sawyer, R. (1991). Pearson's composition and analysis of foods (9th ed.). Longman Scientific and Technical, pp 647-648. https://doi.org/10.1016/0308-8146(93)90087-v
Klein, B. P., & Perry, A. K. (1982). Ascorbic acid and vitamin A activity in selected vegetables from different geographical areas of the United States. Journal of Food Science, 47(3), 941–945. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.1982.tb12750.x
Kundu, P., Dhankhar, J., & Sharma, A. (2018). Development of non-dairy milk alternative using soymilk and almond milk. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science, 6(1), 203–210. https://doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.6.1.23
Lima, J. R., Souza, A. C. R., Pinto, C. O., Araujo, I. M. S., Bruno, L. M., Goiana, M. L., Wurlitzer, N. J., & Tajra, T. F. (2018). Stability during storage at room temperature of water-soluble cashew nut kernel extract. Infoteca-e Repository, 175, 4–15.
Liu, K. S. (1997). Chemistry and nutritional value of soybean components. In K. S. Liu (Ed.), Soybeans: Chemistry, technology, and utilization (pp. 25–113). Chapman & Hall. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1763-4_2
Lolas, G. M., & Markakis, P. (1975). Phytic acid and other phosphorus compounds in beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 23(1), 13–15. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf60197a016
Mäkinen, O. E., Wanhalinna, V., Zannini, E., & Arendt, E. K. (2016). Foods for special dietary needs: Non-dairy plant-based milk substitutes and fermented dairy-type products. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 56(3), 339–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2012.761950
Mattiello, S., Caroprese, M., Matteo, C. G., Fortina, R., Martini, A., & Martini, M. (2017). Typical dairy products in Africa from local animal resources. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 17(3), 740–754. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2017.1401910
Mrabet, A., Jiménez-Araujo, A., Guillén-Bejarano, R., Rodríguez-Arcos, R., & Sindic, M. (2020). Date seeds: A promising source of oil with functional properties. Foods, 9(6), 787. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060787
Olawoye, B. T., & Gbadamosi, S. O. (2017). Effect of different treatments on in vitro protein digestibility, antinutrients, antioxidant properties, and mineral composition of Amaranthus viridis seed. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 3(1), Article 1296402. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2017.1296402
Osagie, A. U. (1998). Antinutritional factors. In Nutritional quality of plant foods (pp. 1–40, 221–244). Ambik Press Ltd, Benin City, Nigeria.
Padmarajaiah, N., Ramanathapura, A. V., & Hemmige, S. Y. (2002). Spectrophotometric determination of folic acid in pharmaceutical preparations by coupling reactions with iminodibenzyl or 3-aminophenol or sodium molybdate–pyrocatechol. Analytical Biochemistry, 307(2), 316–321. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-2697(02)00038-6
Paul, A., Kumar, S., Kumar, V., & Sharma, R. (2020). Milk analog: Plant based alternatives to conventional milk, production, potential and health concerns. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 60(18), 3005–3023. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2019.1674243
Pointke, M., Albrecht, E. H., Geburt, K., Gerken, M., Traulsen, I., & Pawelzik, E. (2022). A comparative analysis of plant-based milk alternatives part 1: Composition, sensory, and nutritional value. Sustainability, 14(13), 7996. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137996
Popova, A., & Mihaylova, D. (2019). Antinutrients in plant-based foods: A review. The Open Biotechnology Journal, 13(1), 68–76. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874070701913010068
Raeed, M. Q., & Azzam, A. M. (2008). Spectrophotometric assay of pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) in pharmaceutical preparations and serum via arsenazo III-cerium (III) reaction. Rafidain Journal of Science, 19(2), 28–41. https://doi.org/10.1039/an9881301097
Ramsing, R., Santo, R., Kim, B. F., Altema-Johnson, D., Wooden, A., Chang, K. B., Semba, R. D., & Love, D. C. (2023). Dairy and plant-based milks: Implications for nutrition and planetary health. Current Environmental Health Reports, 10(3), 291–302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-023-00400-z
Redan, B. W., Zuklic, J., Hryshko, J., Boyer, M., Wan, J., Sandhu, A., & Jackson, L. S. (2023). Analysis of eight types of plant-based milk alternatives from the United States market for target minerals and trace elements. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 122, 105457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105457
Riaz, M. N., Asif, M., & Ali, R. (2009). Stability of vitamins during extrusion. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 49(4), 361–368. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408390802067290
Rutkowski, M., Grzegorczyk, K., & Paradowski, M. T. (2005). Colorimetric method of blood plasma total vitamin E determination – The own modification of Tsen method. Diagnostyka Laboratoryjna, 41, 375. https://www.food.actapol.net/pub/2_3_2007.pdf
Rutkowski, M., Grzegorczyk, K., Gendek, E., & Kędziora, J. (2006). Laboratory convenient modification of Bessey method for vitamin A determination in blood plasma. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 57(Suppl. 2), 221–228. https://www.food.actapol.net/pub/2_3_2007.pdf
Schlemmer, U., Frølich, W., Prieto, R. M., & Grases, F. (2009). Phytate in foods and significance for humans: Food sources, intake, processing, bioavailability, protective role and analysis. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 53(Suppl. 2), S330–S375. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.200900099
Schuster, M., Wang, X., Hawkins, T., & Painter, J. (2018). Comparison of the nutrient content of cow's milk and nondairy milk alternatives: What's the difference? Nutrition Today, 53(3), 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1097/nt.0000000000000284
Sethi, S., Tyagi, S. K., & Anurag, R. K. (2016). Plant-based milk alternatives an emerging segment of functional beverages: A review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53(9), 3408–3423. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-016-2328-3
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Authors
Ani, O. N., Ujah, I. I., Akpata, E. I., & Oguazu, C. E. (2026). Comparative Nutritional Characterization of a Novel Formulated Composite Milk Alternative and a Conventional Infant Formula. The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 10(21), 11–21. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.10.21.11-21
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