A novel multiple plant‐based milk alternative containing various preprocessed grains achieves better performance in protein digestibility and free amino acid profile via in vitro gastrointestinal digestion analysis

Abstract Plant‐based milk alternatives are sustainable, hypoallergenic, and nutrient‐rich, but challenges related to their lower bioavailability compared with animal‐based milk still exist. In this study, we developed a multiple plant‐based milk alternative using germinated soybeans and fermented cereals, and compared the protein digestible behaviors with commercial soy and bovine milk via in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The multiple plant‐based milk alternative possessed a higher level of essential amino acids and amino acid scores than the soy milk and a smaller percentage of low‐molecular‐weight peptides than the bovine milk. It displayed better protein‐digestible responses with no apparent gastric coagulation. Moreover, the relatively larger particles in the multiple plant‐based milk alternative had few effects on protein digestibility, with the highest proteolytic degree and a better free amino acid profile. The findings suggest that the multiple plant‐based milk alternative presents higher protein digestibility behavior, and it could be a promising industrial plant‐based product.