High-Pressure Processing Effects on the Structural and Rheological Attributes of Plant-Based Milk Emulsions

Advances in Food Science and Technology | Vol. 14, No. 5, May 2026 | pp. 001–006

ISSN: 6732-4215

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: High-Pressure Processing Effects on the Structural and Rheological Attributes of Plant-Based Milk Emulsions

Names of Authors: Siddharth Mehta¹, Hiroshi Tanaka²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Food Processing Technology, Institute of Tech Engineering, Mumbai, India; ²Food Science Division, TechTokyo Institute, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract: Non-dairy milk alternatives derived from raw legume seeds often present physical instability and phase separation over storage periods due to large fat droplet distributions. This research investigated the impact of non-thermal high-pressure processing (HPP) treatment profiles on the long-term stability and rheological behavior of almond-cowpea protein milk formulations. The experimental product batches were treated under high hydrostatic pressures ranging from 200 MPa to 600 MPa for fixed exposure cycles of 5 min at ambient room conditions. The spatial metrics were compared directly against classic thermal pasteurization systems operating at 85 °C. The processing results demonstrate that treating mixtures at 500 MPa minimized fat droplet diameter metrics from an original baseline of 4.5 μm down to a sub-micron scale of 0.65 ± 0.08 μm. This dynamic fragmentation increased structural viscosity profiles, creating pseudoplastic flow models that completely prevented phase separation over a 30-day tracking period. Furthermore, HPP maintained native nutritional factors, achieving a 92% retention rate for total ascorbic acid elements.

Keywords: Plant-Based Milk, High-Pressure Processing, Particle Size Distribution, Emulsion Stability, Rheological Properties, Food Engineering

Manuscript Timeline: Received: December 05, 2025; Revised: January 24, 2026; Accepted: March 02, 2026; Published: May 08, 2026

Citation: Mehta, S., & Tanaka, H. (2026). High-Pressure Processing Effects on the Structural and Rheological Attributes of Plant-Based Milk Emulsions. Advances in Food Science and Technology, 14(8), 001–006.

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