Topical aspects of producing beverages based on plant raw material

At the present time, the interest of consumers to healthy nutrition products, which contain functional components and have a favourable effect on physiological functions of the organism, is increasing. When manufacturing food products according to particular consumer appeals, the use of plant raw material has a wide range of perspectives. Plant raw material is of great value due to its specific combination of biologically and physically active components. There are categories of consumers with various health deviations, such as lactose intolerance or allergy to casein, contained in milk. An alternative to drinking milk of animal origin is using milk of plant origin, as well as food products on its basis. Non-alcoholic beverages, based on plant raw material with the use of grain, oily and bean raw material, are considered to be functional beverages. The raw material used for their production contains a unique collection of essential components, which have favourable effect on structures and functions of the organism. In order to produce plant-based beverages, the following agricultural crops are used: wheat, rye, oat, barley, buckwheat, soy, amaranth, and hemp. Biochemical composition, as well as correlation of macro- and micronutrients in the mentioned types of plants differ significantly. Therefore, physical-and-chemical properties, organoleptic properties and nutrition value of the produced beverages will be different. Grain, oily and bean crops contain nutritive substances necessary for functioning of various systems of the organism; they are the source of protein, vitamins, carbons, minerals and dietary fibre. Moreover, mentioned raw material is characterised by the presence of the following biologically valuable components: polyunsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, vitamins, and antioxidants. Plant-based beverages can be produced following various process charts. Technology of these beverages can be divided into the following stages: reception, storage and preparation of grains; steeping and germinating of grains, fermentation, extraction, filtration, homogenization, and component mixing.