Functional Fermented Beverage Prepared from Germinated White Kidney Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The current demand for plant-based food indicates that the food market is providing alternatives for products that are currently commercially available. This chapter discusses the possible use of germinated bean seeds as a raw material in the production of substitutes for dairy products, including fermented ones. Beans are a valuable source of easily digestible protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and various vitamins (e.g., B vitamin group). They also contain significant amounts of fiber which affects the proper functioning of the digestive system and antioxidant compounds. The fat content is low and is estimated to be around only 1–2%. However, it is mainly (about 70%) constituted by unsaturated fatty acids, including the polyunsaturated ones such as linoleic acid or linolenic acid, which are desirable in the human diet for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases or cancer. Biological processes such as germination or fermentation may improve the nutritional value of bean seeds (by increasing the content, digestibility, and bioavailability of some nutrients and by eliminating undesirable components) and deliver live cells of prohealth bacteria (lactic acid bacteria, propionic acid bacteria, or bifidobacteria).

Plant-Based Milk Substitutes: Factors to Lead to Its Use and Benefits to Human Health

The consumption of vegetable milk has grown in recent years. Medical reasons are some reasons for the increase in the number of consumers of this type of drink. Lactose intolerance and allergy to cow’s milk protein are the major factors that lead to this consumption in addition to the option for a healthier lifestyle, there are also consumers concerned with animal health and welfare who are adept at restrictive diets like vegetarianism and veganism. Vegetable extracts are water-soluble extracts from legumes, oilseeds, cereals, or pseudocereals that resemble bovine milk in appearance, are considered substitutes for cow’s milk due to the similar chemical composition and can also be used as substitutes for direct use or in some animal milk-based preparations. In contrast, these substitutes have different sensory characteristics, stability, and nutritional composition of cow’s milk. Plant extracts have health-beneficial compounds, phenolic compounds, unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds such as phytosterols and isoflavones making plant-based milk substitutes an interesting choice.

Use of Soy Milk in Lamb Feeding

Soy milk was administered to Djallonké Lambs in pre weaning. Three groups of 20 animals, all from a traditional farming, were performed. Group 1 (control) was deprived of soy milk. In the 2nd and 3rd group lambs received 50 and 100 ml soy milk respectively per head. Food supplementation with soy milk began a week after the lambs’ birth. Soy milk was administered daily at the same time in one meal using a suckling bottle before leaving to the pasture. The results showed a significant delay of growth of the control group compared to the other groups. At the end of the 2nd week, the body weight difference was in average 0.32and 0.42 kg respectively for the control and the two other groups. At the end of the 12th week this difference became 2.55 and 3.22 kg respectively for the control and the two other groups. No significant differences were observed between the live weights’ mean in the 2nd and 3rd group.