1、 General Oat-based beverages White paper Processing challenges&techniques 2 Publisher Tetra Pak Processing Systems AB SE 221 86 Lund,Sweden Published February 2020 Tetra Pak International S.A No part of this publication may be duplicated in any form without the source being indicated.3 CONTENTS Intr

2、oduction _ 4 Who is this white paper for?_ 4 Why oats?_ 4 The challenges ahead _ 4 Why is the world turning to oats?_ 5 Consumer health trends _ 5 Oats are nutritional and healthy _ 5 Oat-based beverages are versatile _ 6 Why do oat beverages present challenges?_ 7 Process overview and examples _ 8

3、Producing the oat base _9 Challenge 1 Select the right ingredients _ 9 Typical oat drink recipes _ 10 Challenge 2 Select the right process parameters Controlling how starch and proteins behave during processing _ 11 Fibre separation _ 12 Formulation of a final oat beverage _ 13 Challenge 3 Select th

4、e right process design _ 14 Effects of microorganism load _ 14 Homogenization _ 14 Final steps _ 15 Summary_ 16 Tetra Pak your partner for oat beverages _ 17 Were ready to help _ 17 Technology and line expertise _ 17 4 INTRODUCTION Who is this white paper for?This white paper provides a general back

5、ground on preparing oat-based beverages just one of several plant-based formulations that are winning increased popularity among consumers.Unlike dairy products and other beverages,those based on oats are relatively new in the market and there is a need for orientation and guidance to producers who

6、are considering adding oats to their product portfolios.These include:Producers whose experience is mainly in high-acid products,such as juices and nectars Producers who wants to expand their offering beyond soy-based products,for example Dairy producers who want to offer their consumers a non-dairy

7、 option Within these industries we are particularly addressing the needs of CEOs,marketing managers,plant managers and R&D mangers who may be considering investing in new product lines.Why oats?Plant-based beverages are enjoying market growth.Oats are one of the latest of many plant-based materials

8、that have emerged as nutritious alternative sources,which include coconuts,soybeans,almonds,buckwheat,peas and hemp.Oats are easy to grow in many parts of the world at a low cost and they have a high nutritional value.For producers in many markets,plant-based production may be a key to unlocking pot

9、ential market growth that capitalizes on consumer trends involving healthier foods.The challenges ahead Plant-based beverage production is still a new area,with no off-the-shelf solutions.As a useful starting point for producers entering this segment,we have identified the main challenges in oat-bas

10、ed production,managing processing parameters,and how you can develop your processing lines for product success.5 WHY IS THE WORLD TURNING TO OATS?Consumer health trends Were seeing a powerful growth in plant-based products.Oats have joined a small club of other plant-based materials that have emerge

11、d as nutritious alternative beverages:coconuts,soybeans,almonds,buckwheat,hemp and peas.A number of consumer trends and interests coincide to make this product category extremely popular:Sustainable foods Healthy diets Vegetarianism and veganism Lactose concerns Animal welfare Plant-based beverages

12、may help unlock potential market growth that capitalizes on these consumer trends.Our research indicates that there is a high potential for oat-based production in Western Europe and North America.These drinks are consumed as a morning food supplement,and young people drink them as snacks.In many ca

13、ses they command premium prices,two to five times that of ordinary milk.Oats are nutritional and healthy Table 1.Oat composition(source USDA)Oat is a nutritional and healthy grain crop,whether whole or partially debranned,as Error!Reference source not found.shows.It has a relatively high protein con

14、tent.It is high in soluble fibres,especially-glucan,which is good for lowering cholesterol It is naturally free from gluten It has a high polyunsaturated fatty acid content Whole oat flour,g/100g Oat flour (partially debranned),g/100g Proteins 17 15 Fats 7 9 Carbohydrates 66 66 Of which total fibres

15、 11 7 Of which-glucan(soluble fibre)4 2 hull bran endosp germ 6 Oat-based beverages are versatile Added stabilizers Added flavours or juice Vitamin enriched Blended with milk Clean label Oat-based beverages are extremely versatile in how they may be formulated,allowing many different product profile

16、s that can be targeted to different consumers:Clean-label varieties with just water,oats,oil and salt With additional stabilizers Enriched with calcium and vitamins Blended with milk Blended with fruit juice With added flavours,such as chocolate.An oat extract(10-15%oat)can be formulated into drinks

17、,yoghurt,cooking cream,and even cheese more or less all the products that can be formulated from milk.7 WHY DO OAT BEVERAGES PRESENT CHALLENGES?Oat-based beverage production is still a new area,with no off-the-shelf solutions.Among other factors affecting processing complexity,oat beverages:Are low-

18、acid products,so they require heat treatment similar to milk;but to have long running times,the process configuration has to be adapted for oats due to the difference in composition compared to milk.Are not naturally stable.Careful consideration must be given to how the product will be formulated,pr

19、ocessed,packaged,and consumed.Our specialists have the knowledge and practical experience to handle all these scenarios.As a starting point for producers entering this segment,we have identified the main production challenges,as well as how you can best develop your processing lines for successful p

20、roducts.It all boils down to three key strategies:Product formulation Processing parameters Process design But before we discuss these in detail,lets look at an overview of the entire production process.8 PROCESS OVERVIEW AND EXAMPLES Figure 1.Process overview Brief process description:The choice of

21、 raw materials determines the setup in the first part of the process Mixing of oats and h ot water to gelatinize the starch Enzyme treatment,to obtain the desired viscosity/sweetness Enzyme deactivation,to inactivate the added enzymes Fibre separation,to get rid of the insoluble fibres,resulting in

22、an oat base that can be further formulated into a specific product.Mixing and blending of additional components and any stabilizers Heat treatment Homogenization,to break down fat globules into smaller ones to prevent creaming,and to get a smooth product Cooling Aseptic storage Packaging 9 PRODUCING

23、 THE OAT BASE The first major decision in designing an oat beverage process is to select the right process steps and product formulation,meaning the right process parameters and ingredients to achieve the desired taste,mouthfeel and stability.This is influenced by several factors:Oat quality(type,ho

24、w it is grown,seasonal variations),The addition of enzymes helps break down the starch and fibres and make the product smooth,with the right sweetness.This has to be done both quickly and correctly in order to avoid the product becoming too viscous or too sweet.Following the hydrolysation process th

25、e product is taken through a decanter,where insoluble particles(like fibres,etc.)are separated out.Depending on how much fibre is extracted,the smoothness and process yield will be affected.Challenge 1 Select the right ingredients Oat processing lines have a basic choice of raw materials,with vastly

26、 different consequences for processing steps and costs.Whole oat kernels(dehulled)or oat flakes Inexpensive raw material Requires a separate investment in oat grinding and enzyme treatment capability in the plant Requires facilities for fibre separation and high-shear mixing Oat flour,commonly used

27、by oat beverage producers About twice as expensive as oat kernels or flakes No oat grinding needed Lower investment cost Lower operational costs Higher production flexibility Oat compounds from vendors in ready-made liquid concentrate form,which can be a fast way to bring a product to market.Most ex

28、pensive raw material No grinding,enzyme treatment or separation necessary Formulated on customer site,by adding water and stabilizer Lowest investment cost Lowest operational cost Less complex process Highest production flexibility In addition,there are different varieties of oats with varying level

29、s of proteins,fat,fibres,beta-glucan,and with varying particle sizes.The choice of a given raw material will determine the characteristics of the oat base.But regardless of which type of raw material you start with,it is possible to optimize the process and product formulation,and produce a good pro

30、duct.10 Typical oat drink recipes Before going to the formulation step,the oat base is an unstable product that separates quite quickly.The very basic“clean label”products are formulated with only salt and oil,to achieve a smoother taste/mouthfeel.The next level is fortification with calcium and add

31、ition of vitamins D and B,to arrive at a better nutritional profile.While these products are not stable and will separate in the package,this fact can be taken care of simply by instructing the consumer to“shake before using”on the package.To avoid,or at least delay sedimentation,some producers add

32、stabilizers,which also help modify the mouthfeel of the product.A variety of oat beverages can be formulated by adding different flavours,fruit juices,etc.Table 2.Example of a typical“clean-label”non-dairy oat drink recipe Ingredients Weight%Water 85-90 Oat flour 10-15 Sunflower oil 0,5-1 Salt 0,1 1

33、1 Challenge 2 Select the right process parameters Controlling how starch and proteins behave during processing The next major challenge is to control how the starch and proteins in the oats behave during different process conditions,especially heat treatment and cooling.Figure 2.An example of enzyma

34、tic treatment In the example shown in Figure 2,step 1,oat flour is mixed with hot water(normally at 70C)while circulating over a high shear mixer and a tank.If starting from grains or flakes,a continuous wet grinding is carried out.When the oats are mixed with hot water,the starch in the oat starts

35、to gelatinize and swell,resulting in a dramatic increase in viscosity.In step 2 the enzymes are added,and it is important to introduce the first enzyme(amylase)at an early stage of this process to break down the starch and thereby decrease the viscosity.A second enzyme is then added(glucosidase or-a

36、mylase)to achieve the desired sweetness of the product.This second enzyme cuts off glucose/maltose units.When the desired levels of viscosity and sweetness are reached,the enzymatic activity is stopped(step3)by heating the oat slurry at 95C/80s,either by indirect or direct heat treatment.12 Fibre se

37、paration The next step is to feed the deactivated oat slurry into a decanter(Figure 3)where the insoluble fibres are separated.The decanter centrifuge depicted operates with a rotating bowl and a rotating screw embedded in it,operating at a slightly different speed.The screw conveys the insoluble fi

38、bres(solids)to the small end of the decanter.The oat base(liquid)exits at the large end.Figure 3.Fibre separation using a decanter centrifuge The operating parameters of the decanter such as bowl speed,differential speed,and liquid hold up time will affect the separation efficiency and thereby the p

39、roduct characteristics and yield.With lower separation efficiency,more insoluble substances will remain in the oat base,which will influence the organoleptic perception of the product.After the separation stage,the oat base has a white colour(Figure 4)resembling milk,both in appearance and viscosity

40、.Figure 4.Oat base before separation(left)and after(right)Feed;oat Fibre phase(solid)Oat base(liquid)13 The fibre waste(Figure 5)resulting from separation has 60-70%moisture.With dryer fibre waste,the yield goes up.The fibre waste is often used for cattle feed,but because it has a rather high nutrit

41、ional values,alternative uses are under investigation.Figure 5.Fibre waste Formulation of a final oat beverage Following separation,the oat base is formulated with various ingredients.Good mixing is essential for the final product quality;a high-shear mixer and circulation over a blending tank are r

42、ecommended.The selection of additional ingredients,such as oil,Calcium salts,or stabilizers,and the parameters at which the heat treatment and homogenization are performed,will have a major impact on how the final product is perceived by the consumer.In this step,different flavours can also be added

43、.The formulated product is then sent to heat treatment,homogenization and packaging.When formulating a plant-based fermented product(such as yoghurt),the oat base is heat-treated before adding a starter culture,to obtain the desired product.The level of the heat treatment is determined by the time r

44、equired for fermentation,taking both product quality and food safety into consideration.The fermented product is then formulated and packed,with or without additional heat treatment.14 Challenge 3 Select the right process design Effects of microorganism load Oat beverages are heat-treated to obtain

45、a commercially sterile product.They normally contain small grain particles and the raw material itself typically has a higher microorganism load than milk.Due to the amounts of particles and microorganism activity,the F0 in many cases is higher for oat beverages than for milk.Besides inactivation of

46、 microorganisms,heat treatment will also bring about other changes,such as inactivation of naturally occurring enzymes,and denaturation of proteins.The denaturation temperature of the oat globulins is around 110C,so adding a stabilization holding tube around that temperature could stabilize the oat

47、base,resulting in less fouling and longer running times.There are no obvious heat markers,like the lactulose value for milk that indicates the heat load in oat beverages,so a difference in product quality between various heat treatments is judged mainly on organoleptic parameters.Heat treatment can

48、be done either by using indirect or direct heat treatment.Both are commonly used by producers of oat products and can produce an oat beverage with good taste and mouthfeel.Direct systems have lower heat load,but higher operational costs due to their inability to regenerate heat energy in the final h

49、eater.Indirect systems have higher heat loads,but lower operational costs.When using an indirect system on oats,the heat exchanger should be designed with a sufficiently large surface and a stabilizing holding cell to enable long running times,as well as an inline deaerator to minimize air in the pr

50、oduct,which can have a negative impact on product quality.Oils and proteins tend to retain air from previous processing steps,e.g.grinding and mixing.Effective deaeration minimizes oil oxidation.Low oxygen levels can also improve stability of certain vitamins as well as lower oxidation of unsaturate

51、d fatty acids during ambient storage.Homogenization To obtain a smooth product with the desired mouthfeel,the oat beverage has to be homogenized.Homogenization breaks fat globules into smaller ones in order to delay creaming during the products shelf life.There is normally not so much oil in oat bev

52、erages and a homogenization pressure similar to milk is applied.Sometimes additional plant oils are added in order to achieve the desired mouthfeel.The homogenization needs to be tested for this oil-enriched formulation.Homogenization pressure is also affected by stabilizers,consumer acceptance of s

53、eparation(both creaming and sedimentation),etc.The impact of homogenization on other aspects,such as mouthfeel or shelf life,needs to be further studied.15 There are often many abrasive particles(mainly fibres)in the oat slurry.These particles will cause wear on the homogenizer device and therefore

54、may add to maintenance costs.Producers can try experimenting with the homogenization pressure in an attempt to optimize it at a lower level in order to balance product quality and service cost.Downstream homogenization is by far the most common,to avoid“sandiness”in the product,which can come from a

55、ggregates that may form during heat treatment.Final steps After the homogenization and final cooling,the product is sent to an aseptic tank for intermediate storage before it is packed.The type of package is selected based on the distribution chain and expected shelf life.The shelf life of chilled d

56、istributed products is limited by microbiology whereas the shelf life of ambient distributed products are often limited by aging of the product due to oxidation reactions.That said,the final customer experience will be dependent of every step from raw material through to the package material and all

57、 steps must be designed and implemented with knowledge and care.16 SUMMARY Business motivations for formulating oat beverages include:Oats are an excellent base for nutritious drinks.Oats are inexpensive and easy to grow in many regions.Many consumer trends converge to make this product category ext

58、remely popular,including sustainable and healthy foods,vegetarianism,lactose concerns and animal welfare.There is a large potential for producing oat-based beverages in many markets,where they often command premium prices.There are three main production challenges that must be met in order to produc

59、e successful products:The selection of raw material will influence the operational and investment cost as well as time to market.Process parameters will have a major impact on the consumer experience and the operational cost.The process design will have a large impact on food safety,investment and o

60、perational costs.17 TETRA PAK YOUR PARTNER FOR OAT BEVERAGES Were ready to help We are currently the global market leader in providing line solutions for producing beverages from oats.Our strong application expertise within low acid,aseptic technology as well as more than 30 years of experience with

61、in soy products combined with a broad portfolio,including extraction,mixing,UHT treatment,aseptic storage and filling has enabled us to understand,optimize and capture new beverage trends.Plant-based products is not one product or plant.The variation of ingredients and plant-based protein is endless

62、,and it is only your creativity that stops you.Based on your product ambitions and formulations,we can configure a complete line from product formulation to heat treatment and packaging to secure your product quality,running time and efficiency.Our ten Product Development Centres(PDCs)around the wor

63、ld can help you develop new recipes as well as optimize different process parameters.Technology and line expertise We offer complete line concepts and technology support for beverage and dairy producers,including:Extensive knowledge of food processing technology and ability to support its implementa

64、tion Processing modules(extraction unit,high-shear mixers,pasteurizers/UHT,homogenizers,and more)and best-practice line concepts based on proven technologies End-to-end offering from raw materials through processing,and all the way to filling and palletized products.As an innovator,we at Tetra Pak r

65、emains dedicated to further exploring and developing the beverage and dairy industries.We collaborate with customers,universities,and other business partners to develop new applications and find the best solutions for producing new products with flexibility.We develop customized solutions for your n

66、eeds and have taken a leading position in the development of new process line concepts.At our product development centres,customers can carry out product trials together with our specialists with unique comprehensive expertise in food processing and packaging.The centres provide highly flexible indu

67、strial pilot plant facilities for processing and packaging trials,which ensures fast and reliable scale-up.Customers are given the opportunity to experiment with recipes and use the latest processing equipment.For further information,please contact:Christer Lanzingh,Food Technologist Andreas Magnusson,Product Manager Andreas Rueppell,Line Solution Manager 18 Tetra Pak and Protects Whats Good are trademarks belonging to the Tetra Pak G Tetra Pak International S.A,Tetra Pak Processing system AB,2020-02