Chemical and physical properties of cow milk and plant-based milk – A comparative study

Plant-based milk alternatives are becoming increasingly popular because they are lactose-free, gluten-free and suitable for people with food allergies or special dietary needs. Common plant-based milks include soy, almond and rice-based beverages. Most research has focused on mature grains or legumes, while milk made from immature rice-harvested during the milky stage-has been less studied, even though it may have higher protein and other beneficial nutrients. The present study compared the chemical and physical properties of cow’s milk (raw and pasteurised) with selected plant-based milk alternatives, including immature rice milk, almond milk and soy milk. Key parameters, including titratable acidity, pH, electrical conductivity, viscosity and density, were measured using standardised methods, while protein, fat, solids-not-fat (SNF) and lactose were analysed using a milk analyser. Results showed that almond and soy milk contained lower protein (0.09 ± 0.02 % and 1.79 ± 0.03 %, respectively), fat (0.66 ± 0.02 % and 1.46 ± 0.01 %, respectively) and SNF (0.27 ± 0.03 % and 5.14 ± 0.04 %, respectively) compared to cow’s milk (protein: raw 2.94 ± 0.07 %, pasteurised 3.18 ± 0.05 %; fat: raw 5.61 ± 0.08 %, pasteurised 3.43 ± 0.07 %; SNF: raw 7.86 ± 0.19 %, pasteurised 8.82 ± 0.31 %). Lactose was present in cow’s and soy milk, but negligible in almond and immature rice milk. Immature rice milk showed a high protein content (10.0 ± 1.09 %) with low fat (0.40 ± 0.08 %). Cow’s milk exhibited higher acidity and electrical conductivity than plant-based milks, while viscosity was highest in almond milk, followed by soy milk, cow’s milk and immature rice milk. Density values were similar across all samples (1.01–1.09 g/cm³). These findings highlight the distinct compositional differences between animal and plant-based milks. Immature rice milk, with its combination of high protein and low fat, may serve as a functional plant-based alternative suitable for dietary applications where protein enrichment is desired without increasing fat intake. Understanding these differences can help consumers and food producers choose the right milk for nutrition and functional uses.