PLANT BASED DAIRY ALTERNATIVES 2022
Rice ingredients for
authentic dairy-free
alternatives
Author: Benoit Tavernier,
Product Manager Specialty Rice Ingredients at BENEO
In European supermarkets, plant-based dairy products
are becoming as common as their dairy counterparts,
with the category now one of the fastestgrowing
food segments globally. However, although
their reasons for purchasing dairy-free alternatives
may vary, consumers agree that taste, texture and
mouthfeel are still key. With its portfolio of specialty rice
ingredients, BENEO offers the industry the perfect opportunity
to create full-bodied dairy alternatives that
are more than a match for milk-based products.
As the popularity of dairy alternatives has gained momentum,
manufacturers have become eager to experiment
and offer a comprehensive portfolio of plantbased
alternatives – from yoghurt and cream cheese to
desserts and ice cream. As a result, the variety of freefrom
dairy labels on supermarket shelves is constantly
growing, with such products getting more and more
convincing in terms of authenticity, and thus appealing
to even the most ardent of dairy product fans.
Rice is particularly suitable for the production of dairy
alternatives, with rice starch and rice flour currently in
great demand thanks to their good technological properties,
high stability and clean label. Furthermore, consumers
perceive rice ingredients as natural and easily
digestible. A recent survey on behalf of BENEO even
20 · September/October 2022 ¦ international-dairy.com
shows that 70% of flexitarians worldwide see rice as an
appealing source for dairy alternatives.1 The producer
offers an extensive portfolio of rice ingredients for the
production of plant-based dairy alternatives with appealing
sensory properties, including organic varieties
and a recently launched instant, functional, native rice
starch.
Healthy, nutritious and familiar
According to BENEO’s plant-based survey, almost half of
consumers globally are (very) interested in plant-based
nutrition (48%), and one in three consumers globally is
already limiting their dairy consumption. Additionally,
half of flexitarians already buy dairy alternatives, and
another third of them are interested in doing so.
There are various drivers of the non-dairy trend, including
animal welfare concerns and sustainability issues.
Furthermore, plant-based alternatives have a reputation
of being generally healthier,2 and thus beneficial
for overall wellbeing. However, lactose intolerance also
plays a huge part, as nearly half of the world's population
is considered to be lactose intolerant to some extent.
Unlike those in northern and central Europe, people
in Africa, Asia and South America consume much
less cows’ milk. As a result, more than 90% of the adult
/international-dairy.com
