The oat: A KEY INGREDIENT IN DAIRY-FREE ALTERNATIVE FOOD PRODUCTS

From discovering food sensitivities and allergies to setting new personal nutrition goals, the American diet is constantly evolving. The need for healthy, allergen-free alternatives is growing with these changing food preferences and requirements. One area that we have seen a particularly significant need for alternative options is the dairy industry. For those with lactose intolerance or dairy allergies, it can be difficult to gain the proper nutrition typically found in dairy products, and it can be even more rare to enjoy food products akin to milk, yogurt, or frozen desserts when one is avoiding dairy. In addition, these products are often highly restricted within dieting programs focused on weight loss and controlling heart disease, as they are typically high in fat and cholesterol.

Once again, oats play the hero in providing a solution for this challenge. Oat products, functional flours and oat fiber possess a variety of characteristics that make them ideal in formulations for dairy-free alternatives. Grain Millers’ Oat Fiber, Oat Hydrocolloid, Micro-Ground Oat Bran, Colloidal Whole Oat Flour, Low Viscosity Whole Oat Flour, hydrolyzed oat flour and CereSweet® are instrumental in achieving the ideal texture, taste, and nutritional composition of dairy-free products.

As an added bonus, Grain Millers’ oats are free from other common allergens, including gluten, soy, and nuts! Soy and nuts, such as almonds and cashews, are commonly used to provide dairy-free alternative products, but these products are not marketable to the large portion of the population with nut allergies. Oats are naturally free from gluten and are available gluten-free.

Grain Millers’ functional oat flours are available in a variety of viscosities to achieve a range of textures…

Texture

One persisting obstacle is achieving the ideal texture in alternative food products. Fortunately, oats can deliver a versatile range of textures, functioning in a variety of ways in different forms. Grain Millers’ functional oat flours are available in a variety of viscosities to achieve a range of textures. Our Oat Hydrocolloid contains gelling and emulsifying properties, while our Colloidal Whole Oat Flour acts as a thickener in sauces, soups, and dry mix beverage products. Our low-viscosity flours perform well in creamer formulations to achieve the ideal mouthfeel and low sugar formulas—though this is determined in part by the processing system being utilized. Many of our functional oat flours can be used to develop a smoothie with the ideal texture, and we offer oat bran, including Micro-Ground Oat Bran in customizable particle sizes, which can be combined with other synergistic ingredients to obtain differing textures.

Taste

Due to its high fat content, it can be a significant challenge to obtain the rich mouthfeel typically associated with cow’s milk. Grain Millers’ functional oat flours have been formulated to achieve a range of mouthfeel and flavors, from neutral toasted oat to sweet (40-50% of table sugar). In particular, our CereSweet contributes malty, sweet notes to beverages with low solids (>2%). This makes oat flour an ideal replacement for ingredients high in sugar and fat—offering a desirable flavor while maintaining superior nutritive properties.

Nutrition

Oats are lower in fat than cow’s milk and are much higher in fiber, making them far easier to digest (a common obstacle for those with lactose sensitivities). Oat milk also contains more protein than other plant-based milks, such as almond or rice milk. Our oat flour products offer a functional, nutritional, GI-tract-friendly solution for dairy-free formulations. For example, our Functional Flours function as effective fat replacements and taste enhancements for beverages with varying solids (e.g. >5%), such as meal replacement beverages.

All of our products are non-GMO and available in both Organic and Conventional forms, as well as optionally Gluten-free…

At Grain Millers, all of our products are non-GMO and available in both Organic and Conventional forms, as well as optionally Gluten-free. With our single-source advantage, we are positioned to provide our partners with quality ingredients, tailored formulations, and personalized expertise in research and development of new products.

If you would like to request a sample or further discuss Grain Millers’ oat fiber or functional oat flour ingredients within your application, we look forward to learning more. We specialize in partnering with food and beverage developers to create unique, innovative ingredients that help you succeed.

Email us or give us a call at 541.687.8000 to get in contact with an expert.