13/10/2026
๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป!
๐ง๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐-๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐. ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐. ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ณ-๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ.
Plant-based beverages (PBBs) are becoming increasingly popular as alternatives to conventional dairy milk drinks because of lactose intolerance, sustainability, and consumer preferences. But beyond taste and nutrition, one important question remains: How long can these PBBs maintain their quality during storage?
To explore this, researchers from the DOST-FNRI developed two (2) variants of pasteurized PBBs using pili nuts and cashews, blended with chickpeas and white kidney beans, and evaluated changes in their physicochemical, nutrient, and sensory characteristics during refrigerated storage.
The study found that:
๐ฅ The pasteurized pili blend showed a significant decrease in pH during storage. This change was associated with the production of organic acids due to the production of lactic acid bacteria, which may impart sour and off-flavors. Using shelf-life kinetic modeling, researchers estimated that the beverage, when packed in 250-mL pouches and stored under refrigeration, has a shelf life of 6.55 weeks (46 days)
๐ฅ The pasteurized cashew blend showed a longer shelf life. The study found no critical shelf-life indicator for the cashew blend, which remained acceptable after six weeks of storage based on the quality tests conducted.
๐ฑ Both PBBs also provided important minerals, with the study reporting that the pili and cashew blends contain potassium, zinc, iron, and a good source of magnesium (โฅ 20% RNI).
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ณ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ?
For food products, shelf life is not simply about how long something can stay in its intended storage condition. It reflects how a productโs quality, stability, sensory characteristics, and safety may change over time.
The findings also show that even when PBBs are prepared and stored under similar conditions, their stability can differ depending on the food matrix, ingredients, and formulation. Understanding these changes can help guide further improvements in processing, packaging, and preservation of locally developed PBBs.
From Pili to cashew, the study highlights how science can help turn locally available crops into nutritious products while also answering an important question: How long will they last? ๐ฑ๐ฅ
๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ: Characterization and shelf-life kinetics of plant-based beverages from blends of Pili nuts (Canarium ovatum), cashews (Anacardium occidentale), chickpeas (Cicer arietinum), and white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
๐๐: Padrones, A.L., Tampil, G.D., Tiama, J.V.P., and Albao, M.D.
Read more about this from the DOST-FNRI FIRSt Collection!
