Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile

The growing popularity of a diverse range of plant-based beverages is entrenched in promoting health functionality and addressing ethical and environmental concerns. These beverages offer similar physico-chemical attributes to animal milk and are prepared using plant-based ingredients, such as soy,...

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Main Authors: Ashish Pandey, Fozia Kamran, Manisha Choudhury, Li Li, Mohammad Shafiur Rahman, Malik Altaf Hussain
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Foods
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/9/1602
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author Ashish Pandey
Fozia Kamran
Manisha Choudhury
Li Li
Mohammad Shafiur Rahman
Malik Altaf Hussain
author_facet Ashish Pandey
Fozia Kamran
Manisha Choudhury
Li Li
Mohammad Shafiur Rahman
Malik Altaf Hussain
author_sort Ashish Pandey
collection DOAJ
description The growing popularity of a diverse range of plant-based beverages is entrenched in promoting health functionality and addressing ethical and environmental concerns. These beverages offer similar physico-chemical attributes to animal milk and are prepared using plant-based ingredients, such as soy, oats, almonds, rice, chickpeas, sesame seeds, and coconut. These beverages have many nutritional benefits but are deficient in certain nutrients such as essential amino acids, minerals, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Fortifying these beverages with deficient nutrients could effectively provide comprehensive and nutritionally balanced product options. This approach could be useful in improving the nutritional profile of plant-based beverages to meet the expectations of health-conscious consumers. However, fortifying these products poses challenges related to taste, stability, and ingredient sourcing. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for human health and provide numerous health benefits, such as improved heart and vascular health, reduced inflammation, and the prevention of various health conditions. As plant-based diets gain popularity, the demand for nutritionally balanced products is growing, making omega-3 fortification a strategic approach for businesses to tap into an expanding market of health-conscious consumers. However, it is important to consider individual needs about health and ensure regulatory oversight to ensure the safety and effectiveness of fortified plant-based products. This article provides an overview of emerging plant-based beverages, their comparative nutritional profiles, the need to improve the nutritional value using omega-3 fatty acids as an example, and challenges in omega-3 fatty acid fortification.
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spelling doaj-art-bbc16ef7f4cd4be5a46ccac61b75300d2025-08-20T02:59:08ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-05-01149160210.3390/foods14091602Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional ProfileAshish Pandey0Fozia Kamran1Manisha Choudhury2Li Li3Mohammad Shafiur Rahman4Malik Altaf Hussain5School of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond, NSW 2753, AustraliaSchool of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond, NSW 2753, AustraliaSchool of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond, NSW 2753, AustraliaSchool of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond, NSW 2753, AustraliaDepartment of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box q34-123, Al-Khod 123, OmanSchool of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond, NSW 2753, AustraliaThe growing popularity of a diverse range of plant-based beverages is entrenched in promoting health functionality and addressing ethical and environmental concerns. These beverages offer similar physico-chemical attributes to animal milk and are prepared using plant-based ingredients, such as soy, oats, almonds, rice, chickpeas, sesame seeds, and coconut. These beverages have many nutritional benefits but are deficient in certain nutrients such as essential amino acids, minerals, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Fortifying these beverages with deficient nutrients could effectively provide comprehensive and nutritionally balanced product options. This approach could be useful in improving the nutritional profile of plant-based beverages to meet the expectations of health-conscious consumers. However, fortifying these products poses challenges related to taste, stability, and ingredient sourcing. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for human health and provide numerous health benefits, such as improved heart and vascular health, reduced inflammation, and the prevention of various health conditions. As plant-based diets gain popularity, the demand for nutritionally balanced products is growing, making omega-3 fortification a strategic approach for businesses to tap into an expanding market of health-conscious consumers. However, it is important to consider individual needs about health and ensure regulatory oversight to ensure the safety and effectiveness of fortified plant-based products. This article provides an overview of emerging plant-based beverages, their comparative nutritional profiles, the need to improve the nutritional value using omega-3 fatty acids as an example, and challenges in omega-3 fatty acid fortification.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/9/1602plant-based beveragenutritional valueomega-3 fatty acidfortificationhealth benefits
spellingShingle Ashish Pandey
Fozia Kamran
Manisha Choudhury
Li Li
Mohammad Shafiur Rahman
Malik Altaf Hussain
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile
Foods
plant-based beverage
nutritional value
omega-3 fatty acid
fortification
health benefits
title Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile
title_full Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile
title_fullStr Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile
title_full_unstemmed Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile
title_short Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile
title_sort omega 3 fatty acid fortification of plant based beverages to enhance their nutritional profile
topic plant-based beverage
nutritional value
omega-3 fatty acid
fortification
health benefits
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/9/1602
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