Plant‐Based Fermented Beverages: Nutrition, Flavor, Health Benefits

Research Background
As consumers increasingly pursue healthier and more sustainable diets, plant-based beverages are emerging as popular alternatives to dairy. For individuals with lactose intolerance, milk allergies, or high cholesterol, plant-based drinks provide an ideal dietary option.Plant based fermented beverages

Soy-based beverages were the first to gain traction, thanks to their high nutritional value, rich protein content, and affordability. With growing consumer demand, other raw materials such as legumes, nuts, seeds, cereals, and pseudocereals have also been widely adopted. Despite their promise, plant-based beverages still face challenges in nutritional quality and sensory appeal. Fermentation technology offers new solutions to address these limitations.

This article highlights a review published in the journal Foods, "Plant-Based Fermented Beverages: Nutritional Composition, Sensory Properties, and Health Benefits." The study examines production methods, technical features, and health benefits of plant-based fermented beverages. It explores how fermentation influences nutritional composition, sensory properties, and bioactive compounds, and summarizes the associated health outcomes.

Key Research Findings
Nutritional Optimization Fermentation significantly enhances vitamin content (e.g., vitamin C and B vitamins), amino acids (e.g., methionine and tryptophan), and proteins, while reducing anti-nutritional factors such as phytic acid and saponins.

Improved Sensory Properties Flavor compounds generated during fermentation (e.g., diacetyl and acetic acid) enrich aroma and taste, while reductions in off-flavors (e.g., hexanal and hexanol) further improve quality.

Enhanced Bioactivity Plant-based fermented beverages are rich in polyphenols, peptides, and other bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive properties.

Health Benefits Animal studies and clinical trials indicate that plant-based fermented beverages can lower cholesterol, reduce oxidative stress, and provide anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, antioxidant, and anti-aging effects.Picture1: Flowchart of the production process for plant-based fermented beverages.

Picture1: Flowchart of the production process for plant-based fermented beverages.

Summary and Outlook
Plant-based fermented beverages, with their unique nutritional value and health benefits, are becoming a favorite among health-conscious consumers. However, large-scale commercialization still faces challenges.

Technology: Non-thermal processing methods such as high-pressure treatment show promise but require further refinement to preserve active compounds while ensuring safety and stability.

Clinical Research: While existing studies suggest health benefits, more large-scale, long-term human trials are needed to establish clear dose-response relationships and provide stronger scientific evidence for product claims.

Personalized Nutrition: Advances in metabolomics and precision nutrition may enable the development of customized plant-based fermented beverages tailored to individual gut microbiota, meeting personalized health needs and contributing to sustainable development.Picture2: Comprehensive effects of fermentation on key aspects of plant-based beverages. ☑ indicates increase; ⊠ indicates decrease.

Picture2: Comprehensive effects of fermentation on key aspects of plant-based beverages. ☑ indicates increase; ⊠ indicates decrease.

SINOFN Health(https://www.sinofnhealth.com/) and Edible Composite JIAOSU
As a company committed to advancing the science of fermentation, SINOFN Health has played a leading role in shaping industry standards. Notably, SINOFN was one of the drafting organizations behind the official Edible Composite JIAOSU (QB/T 5760‐2023) industry standard, which provides clear guidelines for safety, quality, and innovation in fermented products.

By combining traditional wisdom with modern food technology, SINOFN Health (https://www.sinofnhealth.com/)continues to explore the potential of Edible Composite JIAOSU and plant-based fermented beverages-delivering safe, effective, and innovative nutrition solutions for global consumers.

Reference
Hidalgo-Fuentes, B.; de Jesús-José, E.; Cabrera-Hidalgo, A.d.J.; Sandoval-Castilla, O.; Espinosa-Solares, T.; González-Reza, R.M.; Zambrano-Zaragoza, M.L.; Liceaga, A.M.; Aguilar-Toalá, J.E. Plant-Based Fermented Beverages: Nutritional Composition, Sensory Properties, and Health Benefits. Foods 2024, 13, 844.

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SINOFN Health Co., Ltd. is the dedicated supplement OEM manufacturing division of SINOFN Group - a national high-tech enterprise founded in 2012 and backed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Established in 2025, we operate from Shanghai as the trading hub for global partners seeking premium, science-driven contract manufacturing services.

This release was published on openPR.