Plant milk

File:Amazake by emily harbour in july.jpg, Japanese rice milk]]Before commercial production of 'milks' from legumes, beans and nuts, plant-based mixtures resembling milk have existed for centuries.{{Cite journal|last1=Tangyu|first1=Muzi|last2=Muller|first2=Jeroen|last3=Bolten|first3=Christoph J.|last4=Wittmann|first4=Christoph|date=December 2019|title=Fermentation of plant-based milk alternatives for improved flavour and nutritional value|journal=Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology|language=en|volume=103|issue=23–24|pages=9263–9275|doi=10.1007/s00253-019-10175-9|issn=0175-7598|pmc=6867983|pmid=31686143}} The Wabanaki and other Native American tribal nations in the northeastern United States made milk and infant formula from nuts.{{Cite web|last=Kamila|first=Avery Yale|date=2020-11-08|title=Americans have been enjoying nut milk and nut butter for at least 4 centuries|url=https://www.pressherald.com/2020/11/08/vegan-kitchen-americans-have-been-enjoying-nut-milk-and-nut-butter-for-at-least-4-centuries/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-06|website=Portland Press Herald}}

In English, the word "milk" has been used to refer to "milk-like plant juices" since 1200 CE.{{cite web |title=Milk: Origin and meaning of milk|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/milk#etymonline_v_16158 |access-date=4 November 2018}}

Almond milk spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages and was popular in parts of the Middle East. Recipes for almond milk in the Middle East date back to around the 13th century as it was mentioned in Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi’s cookbook Kitāb al-Ṭabīḫ ({{lang|ar|كتاب الطبيخ}}; The Book of Dishes), written in 1226. It was especially popular during Lent.https://books.google.com/books?id=uYeJEAAAQBAJ&pg=PR17&dq=almond+milk+medieval+wine&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSsKiLh8CNAxUz6skDHYsTMQMQ6AF6BAgEEAMhttps://books.google.com/books?id=i5h7_HXPHvwC&pg=PA112&dq=almond+milk+medieval+wine&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSsKiLh8CNAxUz6skDHYsTMQMQ6AF6BAgLEAM#v=onepage&q=almond%20milk%20medieval%20wine&f=https://books.google.com/books?id=1-mss7-OStgC&pg=PA19&dq=almond+milk+medieval+wine&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj7juSLiMCNAxWe4skDHduVF6s4ChDoAXoECAIQAw#v=onepage&q=almond%20milk%20medieval%20wine&f={{citation |last=Al-Baghdadi |first=Muhammad bin Hasan |author-mask=Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi |title=The Book of Dishes |date=1226 |location=Baghdad |language=ar}} Soy was a plant milk used in China during the 14th century.{{cite book |chapter=horchata|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jbi6BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA341|first=Nancy|last=Zaslovsky|title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets|year = 2015|editor-first=Darra|editor-last=Goldstein|access-date=4 July 2018|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=341|isbn = 9780199313396}} In medieval England, almond milk was used in dishes such as ris alkere (a type of rice pudding){{cite web |last1=McSparran |first1=Frances |title=Middle English Dictionary Entry |url=https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/m/mec/med-idx?type=byte&byte=3460528&egdisplay=open&egs=3461083 |website=Middle English Dictionary |publisher=University of Michigan |access-date=4 November 2018}} and appears in the recipe collection The Forme of Cury.{{cite web |last1=Fraser |first1=Andrew |title=Cooking in the Middle Ages, recipe reconstruction |url=http://www.historyalive.com.au/cooking-in-the-middle-ages-recipe-construction/ |website=History Alive |publisher=Queensland Living History Federation |access-date=4 November 2018 |archive-date=27 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227123405/http://www.historyalive.com.au/cooking-in-the-middle-ages-recipe-construction/ |url-status=dead }} Coconut milk (and coconut cream) are traditional ingredients in many cuisines such as in South and Southeast Asia, and are often used in curries.{{cite web |url=https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/a-brief-history-of-plant-milks/ |first=Veronika |last=Charvatova |title=A brief history of plant milks |work=Vegan Food & Living |accessdate=30 November 2019 |date=23 April 2018 }}

Plant milks may be regarded as milk substitutes in Western countries, but have traditionally been consumed in other parts of the world, especially ones where there are higher rates of lactose intolerance (see especially {{section link|Lactose intolerance|Epidemiology}}).

File:Macadamia nut milk 1.jpg

Common plant milks are almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, and soy milk. Other plant milks include hemp milk, oat milk, pea milk, and peanut milk.{{cite journal | last1=Vanga | first1=Sai Kranthi | last2=Raghavan | first2=Vijaya | title=How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow's milk? | journal=Journal of Food Science and Technology | volume=55 | issue=1 | date=2 November 2017 | issn=0022-1155 | pmid=29358791 | pmc=5756203 | doi=10.1007/s13197-017-2915-y | pages=10–20}}

File:Barley milk.jpg

Plant milks can be made from:

• Grains: barley, fonio, maize, millet, oat, rice, rye, sorghum, teff, triticale, spelt, wheat
• Pseudocereals: amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa
• Legumes: lupin, pea, peanut, soy, chickpea
• Nuts: almond, brazil, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pistachio, walnut
• Seeds: chia seed, flax seed, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, sesame seed, sunflower seed
• Other: coconut (fruit; drupe), banana (fruit; berry) potato (tuber), tiger nut (tuber)

A blend is a plant milk created by mixing two or more types together. Examples of blends are almond-coconut milk and almond-cashew milk.

Other traditional plant milk recipes include:

• Kunu, a Nigerian beverage made from sprouted millet, sorghum, or maize
• Sikhye, a traditional sweet Korean rice beverage
• Amazake, a Japanese rice milk

{{Bar chart|title=Mean greenhouse gas emissions for one glass (200 g) of different milks{{Cite news|work=BBC News - Science and Environment|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46654042|title=Which vegan milks are best for the planet?|author1=Clara Guibourg |author2=Helen Briggs |date=2019-02-22|access-date=2019-09-04|language=en-GB}}|float=right|label_type=Milk Types|data_type=Greenhouse Gas Emissions (kg CO2-Ceq per 200 g)|bar_width=20|width_units=em|data_max=.62|label1=Cow's milk|data1=0.62|label2=Rice milk|data2=0.23|label3=Soy milk|data3=0.21|label4=Oat milk|data4=0.19|label5=Almond milk|data5=0.16|label6=|data6=|label7=|data7=|label8=|data8=|label9=|data9=|label10=|data10=|label11=|data11=|label12=|data12=|label13=|data13=}}

{{Bar chart|title=Mean water footprint for one glass (200 g) of different milks|float=right|label_type=Milk Types|data_type=Water use (L per 200 g)|bar_width=20|width_units=em|data_max=131|label1=Cow's milk|data1=131|label2=Almond milk|data2=74|label3=Rice milk|data3=56|label4=Oat milk|data4=9|label5=Soy milk|data5=2|label6=|data6=|label7=|data7=|label8=|data8=|label9=|data9=|label10=|data10=|label11=|data11=|label12=|data12=|label13=|data13=}}{{Bar chart|title=Mean land use for one glass (200 g) of different milks|float=right|label_type=Milk Types|data_type=Land Use (m² per 200 g)|bar_width=20|width_units=em|data_max=1.81|label1=Cow's milk|data1=1.81|label2=Oat milk|data2=0.25|label3=Soy milk|data3=0.23|label4=Almond milk|data4=0.19|label5=Rice milk|data5=0.14|label6=|data6=|label7=|data7=|label8=|data8=|label9=|data9=|label10=|data10=|label11=|data11=|label12=|data12=|label13=|data13=}}

Although there are variations in the manufacturing of plant milks according to the starting plant material, as an example, the general technique for soy milk involves several steps, including:{{cite book |first=Zeki |last=Berk |chapter=Soymilk and related products| title= Technology of production of edible flours and protein products from soybeans |chapter-url=http://www.fao.org/3/t0532e/t0532e09.htm |isbn=92-5-103118-5|publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization |access-date=20 March 2019 |date=1992 | series= FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin, No. 97}}

• cleaning, soaking and dehulling the beans
• grinding of the starting material to produce a slurry, powder or emulsion
• heating the processed plant material to denature lipoxidase enzymes to minimize their effects on flavor
• removing sedimentable solids by filtration
• adding water, sugar (or sugar substitutes) and other ingredients to improve flavour, aroma, and micronutrient content
• pasteurizing the pre-final liquid
• homogenizing the liquid to break down fat globules and particles for a smooth mouthfeel
• packaging, labeling and storage at {{convert|34|F|C|order=flip}}

The actual content of the highlighted plant in commercial plant milks may be only around 2%. Other ingredients commonly added to plant milks during manufacturing include guar gum, xanthan gum, or sunflower lecithin for texture and mouthfeel, select micronutrients (such as calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin D), salt, and natural or artificial ingredients—such as flavours characteristic of the featured plant—for aroma, color, and taste.{{cite web |author1=Meagan Bridges |title=Moo-ove Over, Cow's Milk: The Rise of Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives |url=https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/January-18-Milk-Alternatives.pdf |publisher=Practical Gastroenterology, Nutrition Issues in Gastroenterology, Series #171; University of Virginia School of Medicine |access-date=20 March 2019 |date=1 January 2018}} Plant milks are also used to make ice cream, plant cream, vegan cheese, and yogurt-analogues, such as soy yogurt.

The production of almond-based dairy substitutes has been criticized on environmental grounds as large amounts of water and pesticides are used.{{cite journal |last1=Holmes |first1=Bob |title=How sustainable are fake meats? |journal=Knowable Magazine |date=20 July 2022 |doi=10.1146/knowable-071922-1|doi-access=free |url=https://knowablemagazine.org/article/food-environment/2022/how-sustainable-are-fake-meats |access-date=1 August 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://sustainability.ucsf.edu/1.713|title=Almond Milk is Taking a Toll on the Environment|last=Fleischer|first=Deborah|website=University of California San Francisco Office of Sustainability|date=January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608092405/https://sustainability.ucsf.edu/1.713|access-date=2019-06-08|archive-date=8 June 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/sep/05/ditch-the-almond-milk-why-everything-you-know-about-sustainable-eating-is-probably-wrong|title=Ditch the almond milk: why everything you know about sustainable eating is probably wrong|last=Naylor|first=Tony|date=2018-09-05|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-08|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} The emissions, land, and water footprints of plant milks vary, due to differences in crop water needs, farming practices, region of production, production processes, and transportation. Production of plant-based milks, particularly soy and oat milks, can offer environmental advantages over animal milks in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use.

Many plant milks aim to contain the same proteins, vitamins and lipids as those produced by lactating mammals. Generally, because plant milks are manufactured using processed extracts of the starting plant, plant milks are lower in nutrient density than dairy milk and are fortified during manufacturing to add precise levels of micronutrients, commonly calcium and vitamins A and D. Animal milks are also commonly fortified, and many countries have laws mandating fortification of milk products with certain nutrients, commonly vitamins A and D.{{cite periodical |author1= DK Sharma |title=Fortification of Milk and Milk Products |url=https://www.dairyknowledge.in/sites/default/files/93-fortification-of-milk-and-milk-products.pdf |publisher=National Dairy Development Board |access-date=9 February 2022 |date=July–September 2017 | issue=93 | magazine=Technews | place= India}}

{{Milk nutrition}}

File:Oatly.jpg in original, organic, and specifically for coffee]]

Plant-based milks have emerged as an alternative to dairy in response to consumer dietary requests and changing attitudes about animals and the environment.{{Cite journal|last1=Clay|first1=Nathan|last2=Sexton|first2=Alexandra E.|last3=Garnett|first3=Tara|last4=Lorimer|first4=Jamie|date=2020-01-30|title=Palatable disruption: the politics of plant milk|journal=Agriculture and Human Values|language=en|volume=37|issue=4|pages=945–962|doi=10.1007/s10460-020-10022-y | pmc=7644520 |issn=0889-048X|pmid=33184529|doi-access=free}} Huffington Post stated that due to health and environmental reasons as well as changing consumer trends, more individuals regularly buy non-dairy alternatives to milk.{{Cite news|last=Krietsch|first=Beth|date=2020-01-07|title=The Best Milk Alternatives For Your Health (And The Environment)|language=en-US|work=Huffington Post|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-milk-alternatives-health-environment_l_5e0e5465c5b6b5a713b7aed2|access-date=2020-05-25}} Between 1974 and 2020, dairy milk consumption of people aged between 16 and 24 in the United Kingdom decreased from 94% to 73%. In Australia, there is decreased confidence within the dairy industry, with only 53% being optimistic in the future profitability and demand for dairy products per a Dairy Australia report.{{Cite web|title=Pea Milk: The new vegan milk to hit Australia |website =Australian Food News|url=https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2018/10/22/pea-milk-the-new-vegan-milk-to-hit-australia.html|access-date=2020-05-25|date=21 October 2018 }}

To improve competition, plant milks are typically packaged in containers similar to those of dairy milks.{{cite web |author1=Dayna Fields |title=Investors Thirst For Plant-Based Milks |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mergermarket/2019/01/31/investors-thirst-for-plant-based-milks/ |work=Forbes |access-date=20 March 2019 |date=31 January 2019}}{{cite web |author1=Charlotte Rogers |title=How marketing is fuelling the 'post-milk generation' |url=https://www.marketingweek.com/2019/01/02/marketing-fuelling-post-milk-generation/ |publisher=Marketing Week |access-date=20 March 2019 |date=2 January 2019}} A scientific journal article argued that plant-milk companies send the message that plant milks are 'good and wholesome' and dairy milk is 'bad for the environment', and the article also reported that an increasing number of young people associate dairy with environmental damage. There has been an increased concern that dairy production has adverse effects on biodiversity, water and land use. These negative links between dairy and the environment have also been communicated through audiovisual material against dairy production, such as 'Cowspiracy' and 'What the Health'. Animal welfare concerns have also contributed to the declining popularity of dairy milk in many Western countries. Advertising for plant milks may also contrast the intensive farming effort to produce dairy milk with the relative ease of harvesting plant sources, such as oats, rice or soybeans.{{cite news |author1=Tim Lewis |title=How we fell out of love with milk |url=https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/nov/11/how-we-lost-our-love-milk-alt |access-date=20 March 2019 |work=The Guardian |date=11 November 2018}} In 2021, an advertisement for oat milk brand Oatly aired during the Super Bowl.{{Cite web|last=Molina|first=Brett|title=Oatly's Super Bowl ad was dubbed one of the worst, yet we're still talking about it|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/02/08/oatly-super-bowl-commercial-we-cant-stop-talking-oatly-ceo/4437030001/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}

File:Flax milk 2.jpg

In the United States, plant milk sales grew steadily by 61% over the period 2012 to 2018.{{cite web |title=US non-dairy milk sales grow 61% over the last 5 years |url=https://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/us-non-dairy-milk-sales-grow-61-over-the-last-five-years |publisher=Mintel |access-date=20 March 2019 |date=4 January 2018}} As of 2019, the plant-based milk industry in the US is worth $1.8 billion per year. In 2018, the value of 'dairy alternatives' around the world was said to be $8 billion.{{Cite web|title=A Peas Offering For The Dairy Aisle: Can This Milk Alternative Rival The Real Deal?|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/01/19/578880390/a-peas-offering-for-the-dairy-aisle-can-this-milk-alternative-rival-the-real-dea|access-date=2020-05-18|website=NPR.org|date=19 January 2018 |language=en|last1=Pipkin |first1=Whitney }} Among plant milks, almond (64% market share), soy (13% market share), and coconut (12% market share) were category leaders in the United States during 2018. Oat milk sales increased by 250% in Canada during 2019,{{cite news |author1=Alex Soloducha |title=From oat field to coffee shop: The latest non-dairy star is grown in Canada |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/oat-milk-trend-benefiting-saskatchewan-canada-1.5325171 |access-date=17 January 2020 |work=CBC News |date=7 November 2019}} and its growing consumption in the United States and United Kingdom led to production shortages from unprecedented consumer demand.{{cite web |author1=Zara Stone |title=How oat milk conquered America |url=https://elemental.medium.com/how-oat-milk-conquered-america-728d49fd8f92 |publisher=Elemental |access-date=12 September 2019 |date=3 June 2019}}{{cite news |author1=Bethan Staton |title=Non-dairy surge leads to oat milk shortage in UK |url=https://news.sky.com/story/non-dairy-surge-leads-to-oat-milk-shortage-in-uk-11559562 |access-date=12 September 2019 |work=Sky News |date=21 November 2018}} In 2020, one major coffee retailer – Starbucks – added oat milk, coconut milk, and almond milk beverages to its menus in the United States and Canada.{{cite news |author1=Nivedita Balu |title=Starbucks launches oat milk drink as vegan movement grows |url=https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/world/starbucks-launches-oat-milk-drink-as-vegan-movement-grows-395214/ |access-date=22 February 2020 |work=The Chronicle Herald |publisher=Saltwire Network |date=7 January 2020}} During 2020, oat milk sales in the United States increased to $213 million, becoming the second most consumed plant milk after almond milk ($1.5 billion in 2020 sales).{{cite web |author1=Elaine Watson |title=Oatmilk edges past soymilk for #2 slot in US plant-based milk retail market |url=https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2020/09/25/Oatmilk-edges-past-soymilk-for-2-slot-in-US-plant-based-milk-retail-market-as-almondmilk-continues-to-drive-category-sales |publisher=Food-Navigator.com-USA, William Reed Business Media |access-date=25 September 2020 |date=25 September 2020}}

A key dietary reason for the increase in popularity of plant-based milks is lactose intolerance. For example, the most common food causing intolerance in Australia is lactose and affects 4.5% of the population.{{Cite web|date=2018-07-25|title=Forget Almond, Pea Milk Is What You'll Be Putting In Your Coffee Next|url=https://www.whimn.com.au/strength/health/forget-almond-pea-milk-is-what-youll-be-putting-in-your-coffee-next/news-story/5e59abe31e274e9211ede1c22c9b8425|access-date=2020-05-13|website=whimn|language=en}} In the United States, around 40 million people are lactose intolerant.{{Cite web|title=I Used Ripple's Pea Milk as My Dairy Substitute for a Week and Boy, Do I Have a Lot of Feelings|first=Anna|last=Cieslik|date=12 February 2018|url=https://www.dailybreak.com/break/ripple-pea-milk-taste-test-for-a-week|access-date=2020-05-18|website=Dailybreak|archive-date=9 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909201325/https://www.dailybreak.com/break/ripple-pea-milk-taste-test-for-a-week|url-status=dead}}

Historically, a number of plant-based beverages have been traditionally referred to as "milk". One of the first reliable modern English dictionaries, Samuel Johnson's 1755 A Dictionary of the English Language, gave two definitions of the word "milk". The first described "the liquor with which animals feed their young from the breast", and the second an "emulsion made by contusion of seeds", using almond milk as an example.{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Samuel|author-link=Samuel Johnson|title=A Dictionary of the English Language|year=1755|url=https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=Milk}}

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the use of the term "milk" for plant-based drinks became controversial. As demand for plant-based milks increased, dairy manufacturers and distributors advocated for legally restricting the term to animal products only: arguing that consumers may confuse the two, or be misled as to the nutritional content of plant-based alternatives.{{cite web |url=https://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/125023-alternative-milk-labeling-leads-to-legal-lashings |date=January 18, 2021 |access-date=20 July 2022 |first=Kathleen |last=Ryan |work=preparedfoods.com |title=Alternative Milk Labeling Leads to Legal Lashings }}

Many jurisdictions strictly regulate the use of the term "milk" on food labelling. Some countries have outright banned its use for non-dairy products, while others mandate that "milk" only be used with qualifiers (such as "oat milk") on non-dairy alternatives. Where use of the term "milk" is restricted, plant milks may be labeled with terms reflecting their composition (such as "oat drink"), or absence of ingredients (such as "dairy-free").

Food standards in Australia and New Zealand are developed by the same common body, called Food Standards Australia New Zealand. As of 2024, products sold as 'milk' without qualifiers in Australia or New Zealand "must be milk" which is defined as an animal product.{{cite web |title=Food Standards Code legislation |url=https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-standards-code/legislation#Chapter2 |website=www.foodstandards.gov.au |publisher=Food Standards Australia New Zealand |access-date=7 September 2024}} Qualifiers such as "soy milk" are allowed, due to the use of quotation marks in the legislative instrument.{{cite law|title=Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.1.1 – Structure of the Code and general provisions|section="1.1.1—13 Food sold with a specified name or representation|url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2015L00383/latest/text|access-date=7 September 2024|quote="The context within which foods such as soy milk or soy ice cream are sold is indicated by use of the name soy; indicating that the product is not a dairy product to which a dairy standard applies."}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dairy.com.au/dairy-matters/you-ask-we-answer/why-do-you-allow-non-dairy-milks-to-still-be-called-milk|access-date=7 September 2024|title="Why do you allow non-dairy milks (almond, soy etc) to still be called milk?"}}

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency limits the use of the word "milk" solely to ″the normal lacteal secretion, free from colostrum, obtained from the mammary gland of an animal″.{{cite web |title=Labelling requirements for dairy products |url=https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/industry/dairy |website=Canadian Food Inspection Agency |date=6 July 2022 |publisher=Digital Transformation Office, Employment and Social Development Canada |access-date=15 August 2024}}{{cite web |url=http://foodlaw.ca/blog/2017/10/2/the-law-and-politics-of-plant-based-milk-products|title=The Law and Politics of Plant-Based "Milk" Products|last=Tremblay-Huet|first=Sabrina|publisher=Canadian Association for Food Law and Policy|date=2 October 2017}}

In December 2013, European Union regulations stated that the terms "milk", "butter", "cheese", "cream" and "yoghurt" can be used to market and advertise products derived only from animal milk, with a small number of exceptions, including coconut milk, peanut butter and ice cream.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40274645|title=EU court bans dairy-style names for soya and tofu|date=14 June 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=23 December 2018|language=en-GB}} In 2017, the Landgericht Trier (Trier regional court), Germany, asked the Court of Justice of the European Union, to clarify European food-labeling law (Case C-422/16),{{Cite web|url=https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2017-06/cp170063en.pdf|title=Judgment in Case C-422/16 Verband Sozialer Wettbewerb eV v TofuTown.com GmbH|date=14 June 2017|website=Court of Justice of the European Union|location=Luxembourg|access-date=23 December 2018}} with the court stating that plant-based products cannot be marketed as milk, cream, butter, cheese or yoghurt within the European Union because these are reserved for animal products; exceptions to this do not include tofu and soy. Although plant-based dairy alternatives are not allowed to be called "milk", "cheese" and the like, they are allowed to be described as buttery or creamy.{{Cite web|last=Barry|first=Sinead|date=2021-05-28|title=Cheesed off? Controversial bill withdrawn from EU|url=https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/05/28/cheesed-off-controversial-amendment-171-withdrawn-from-eu|access-date=2021-09-16|website=euronews|language=en}} However, there are exceptions for each of the EU languages, based on established use of livestock terms for non-livestock products. The list's extent varies widely; for example there is only one exception in Polish, and 20 exceptions in English.{{Citation |title=2010/791/EU: Commission Decision of 20 December 2010 listing the products referred to in the second subparagraph of point III(1) of Annex XII to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 (notified under document C(2010) 8434) |date=2010-12-21 |url=http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2010/791/oj/eng |issue=32010D0791 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-19}}

A proposal for further restrictions failed at second reading in the European Parliament, in May 2021. The proposal, called Amendment 171, would have outlawed labels including 'yogurt-style' and 'cheese alternative'.{{Cite web|last=Fortuna|first=Gerardo|date=2020-10-23|title=MEPs save 'veggie burger' from denomination ban|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/meps-save-veggie-burger-from-denomination-ban/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=www.euractiv.com|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|last=Barry|first=Sinead|date=2021-05-28|title=Cheesed off? Controversial bill withdrawn from EU|url=https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/05/28/cheesed-off-controversial-amendment-171-withdrawn-from-eu|access-date=2021-09-09|website=euronews|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=foodnavigator.com |title=Amendment 171 off the table: Europe allows for 'creamy' and 'buttery' plant-based dairy |url=https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/05/26/Europe-drops-Amendment-171-allowing-for-creamy-and-buttery-plant-based-dairy |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=foodnavigator.com |date=26 May 2021 |language=en-GB}}

In the United Kingdom, strict standards are applied via acts of parliament to food labeling for terms such as milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, which are protected to describe dairy products and may not be used to describe non-dairy produce. These rules date from the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, and are still in force in Great Britain.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-standards-labelling-durability-and-composition|title=Food standards: labelling and composition|website=Gov.UK|date=20 September 2022 |language=en|access-date=2024-08-14}} To contrast, as of September 2023, the EU Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 applies directly to Northern Ireland.{{cite web |title=Packaging and labelling {{!}} Food Standards Agency |url=https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/packaging-and-labelling |website=www.food.gov.uk |language=en|access-date=14 August 2024}}

The FSSAI stipulates products need a declaration with the phrase "non-dairy product" if the product is a 'plant based beverage', and these must not be labelled with any dairy term. The use of the word 'milk' is limited to animal products. The regulator makes exceptions for cases where, internationally, as in the case of coconut milk and peanut butter, dairy terms were already in-use traditionally.{{cite news |title=Plant-based food cos urge FSSAI to ease 'milk' label rules for plant-based dairy alternatives |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/plant-based-food-cos-urge-fssai-to-ease-milk-label-rules-for-plant-based-dairy-alternatives/articleshow/110309947.cms |access-date=15 August 2024 |work=The Economic Times |agency=Press Trust of India |date=21 May 2024}}{{cite magazine |title=FSSAI against plant-based milks' classification as milk; invites public opinion |url=https://www.veganfirst.com/article/fssai-against-plant-based-milks-classification-as-milk-invites-public-opinion |website=Vegan First |language=en}}{{cite press release|url=https://fssai.gov.in/upload/press_release/2021/09/6134e1e56895bPress_Release_Diary_Term_04_09_2021.pdf|title=State Food Safety Departments are directed to investigate the alleged use of dairy terms on the labels of plant based beverages and food products|publisher=Food Safety and Standards Authority of India|date=3 September 2021}}{{cite report|title=Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011|date=2011|publisher=Food Safety and Standards Authority of India|url=https://www.fssai.gov.in/cms/Compendium-FSS-FPS-FA.php}}

In the United States, the dairy industry petitioned the FDA to ban the use of terms like "milk", "cheese", "cream" and "butter" on plant-based analogues (except for peanut butter).{{Cite web|url=http://sciencemeetsfood.org/whats-name-use-dairy-product-names-labeling-plant-based-alternatives/|title=What's in a Name?: The Use of Dairy Product Names in Labeling of Plant-Based Alternatives|date=13 December 2018|website=Science Meets Food|language=en-US|access-date=23 December 2018}} FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb stated on July 17, 2018, that the term "milk" is used imprecisely in the labeling of non-dairy beverages, such as soy milk, oat milk and almond milk: "An almond doesn't lactate", he said. In 2019, the US National Milk Producers Federation petitioned the FDA to restrict labeling of plant-based milks, claiming they should be described as "imitation".{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2019/02/22/Plant-based-milks-should-be-labeled-as-imitation-alternative-or-substitute-products-says-NMPF-petition|title=Plant-based 'milks' should be labeled as 'imitation,' 'alternative,' or 'substitute' products, says NMPF petition|last=Watson|first=Elaine|date=22 Feb 2019|publisher=FoodNavigator-USA.com, William Reed Business Media|access-date=2020-02-08}} In response, the Plant-Based Foods Association stated the word "imitation" was disparaging, and there was no evidence that consumers were misled or confused about plant-based milks. A 2018 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation found that consumers in the United States do not typically confuse plant-based analogues with animal milk or dairy products.{{Cite web|url=http://www.foodinsight.org/whats-in-a-name-types-of-milk-dairy-nondairy-alternatives-consumer-research|title=What's in a Name? Survey Explores Consumers' Comprehension of Milk and Non-Dairy Alternatives|date=11 October 2018|website=FoodInsight.org|language=en|access-date=23 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230085351/https://www.foodinsight.org/whats-in-a-name-types-of-milk-dairy-nondairy-alternatives-consumer-research|archive-date=30 December 2018|url-status=dead}} As of 2021, though the USDA is investigating and various state legislatures are considering regulation, various courts have determined that reasonable consumers are not confused, and the FDA has enacted no regulations against plant-based milk labels.

In 2021, the FDA issued a final rule that amends yogurt's standard of identity (which remains a product of "milk-derived ingredients"), and was expected to issue industry guidance on "Labeling of Plant-based Milk Alternatives" in 2022.{{update inline |date=April 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/06/11/2021-12220/milk-and-cream-products-and-yogurt-products-final-rule-to-revoke-the-standards-for-lowfat-yogurt-and|title=Milk and Cream Products and Yogurt Products; Final Rule To Revoke the Standards for Lowfat Yogurt and Nonfat Yogurt and To Amend the Standard for Yogurt|publisher=Food and Drug Administration|via=Federal Register|date=June 11, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nmpf.org/yogurt-rule-may-aid-consumer-win-on-fake-milk-if-fda-follows-through/|title=Yogurt Rule May Aid Consumer Win on Fake Milk – If FDA Follows Through|date=July 12, 2021|website=National Milk Producers Federation}}

Proponents of plant-based milk assert that these labeling requirements are infantilizing to consumers{{cite web|url=https://www.motherjones.com/food/2022/05/oat-milk-almond-milk-dairy-lobby-fda-labeling-plant-based/|title=The FDA Is Coming for Your Almond Milk| date=May 19, 2022}} and burdensome and unfair on dairy-alternatives.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/the-fda-may-nix-the-word-milk-from-your-almond-milk-carton/|title=The FDA May Nix the Word 'Milk' From Your Almond Milk Carton|magazine=Wired | date=June 4, 2022|last1=Philpott |first1=Tom }} Critics of the FDA's labeling requirements also asserted that there is often collusion between government officials and the dairy industry in an attempt to maintain dairy dominance in the market.{{cite web|url=https://reason.com/2022/06/06/do-we-really-need-the-federal-government-to-tell-us-what-milk-is/|title=Do We Really Need the Federal Government To Tell Us What Milk Is?| date=June 6, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://reason.com/2017/01/18/senators-against-soy-milk/|title=Senator Pushes a Ridiculous "Milk" Law That Treats Consumers Like Idiots| date=January 18, 2017}} For example, in 2017, Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin introduced the "Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday (DAIRY PRIDE) Act" which would prevent almond milk, coconut milk and cashew milk from being labeled with terms like "milk", "yogurt", and "cheese".{{cite web|url=https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/S.%20130%20DAIRY%20PRIDE%20Act.pdf|title=Dairy Pride Act| date= 2017}} Proponents of plant-based dairy alternatives argued that dairy sales are decreasing faster than plant sales are increasing and that therefore, attacking plant milks as being the chief reason for a decline in dairy consumption is inaccurate. A 2020 USDA study found that the "increase in sales over 2013 to 2017 of plant-based options is one-fifth the size of the decrease in Americans' purchases of cow's milk."{{cite web|url=https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2020/december/plant-based-products-replacing-cow-s-milk-but-the-impact-is-small/|title=Plant-Based Products Replacing Cow's Milk, But the Impact Is Small| date=December 7, 2020}}

Health authorities recommend that plant milks should not be given to infants younger than 12 months unless commercially prepared infant formula is available, such as soy infant formula.Harrison, Meghan; Dewey, Kathryn. (2020). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK561312/ "Feeding Infants and Children from Birth to 24 Months: Summarizing Existing Guidance"]. National Academies Press. {{ISBN|978-0-309-67538-3}} A 2020 clinical review stated that only appropriate commercial infant formulas should be used as alternatives to human milk which contains a substantial source of calcium, vitamin D and protein in the first year of life and that plant milks "do not represent an equivalent source of such nutrients".{{cite journal|vauthors=Merritt RJ, Fleet SE, Fifi A, Jump C, Schwartz S, Sentongo T, Duro D, Rudolph J, Turner J |year=2020|title=NASPGHAN Committee on Nutrition. North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Position Paper: Plant-based Milks|journal=J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr|volume=71|issue=2|pages=276–281|doi=10.1097/MPG.0000000000002799|pmid=32732790|s2cid=220887633 |doi-access=free}}

The Healthy Drinks, Healthy Kids 2023 guidelines state that infants younger than 12 months should not drink plant milks.[https://healthydrinkshealthykids.org/parents/ "Parents and Caregivers"]. Healthy Drinks, Healthy Kids. Retrieved 5 February 2023. They suggest that children between 12 and 24 months may consume fortified soy milk, but not other non-dairy milks such as almond, oat and rice, which are deficient in key nutrients. A 2022 review suggested that the best option for toddlers (1–3 years old) who do not consume cow's milk would be to have at least 250 mL/day of fortified soy milk.{{cite journal|vauthors=Escobar-Sáez D, Montero-Jiménez L, García-Herrera P, Sánchez-Mata MC|year=2022|title=Plant-based drinks for vegetarian or vegan toddlers: Nutritional evaluation of commercial products, and review of health benefits and potential concerns|journal=Food Research International|url=https://docta.ucm.es/bitstreams/aaed26d5-7d89-4566-9b8c-a8059070f5ed/download|volume=160|issue=|pages=111646|doi=10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111646|pmid=36076378|s2cid=250416966 |doi-access=free}}

For vegan infants younger than 12 months who are not breastfed, the New Zealand Ministry of Health recommends soy infant formula and advises against the use of plant milks.[https://www.moh.govt.nz/notebook/nbbooks.nsf/0/1cb71808f8e129afcc2574520008337d/$FILE/0-2-food-and-nutrition-guidelines-may08.pdf "Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Infants and Toddlers (Aged 0–2)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205163506/https://www.moh.govt.nz/notebook/nbbooks.nsf/0/1cb71808f8e129afcc2574520008337d/$FILE/0-2-food-and-nutrition-guidelines-may08.pdf |date=5 February 2023 }}. New Zealand Ministry of Health. Retrieved 5 February 2023. A 2019 Consensus Statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association concluded that plant milks are not recommended for infants younger than 12 months and that for children aged 1–5 years plant milks may be useful for those with allergies or intolerances to cow's milk but should only be consumed after a consultation with a professional health care provider.[https://healthyeatingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/HER-HealthyBeverage-ConsensusStatement.pdf "Healthy Beverage Consumption in Early Childhood: Recommendations from Key National Health and Nutrition Organizations"]. Healthy Eating Research. Retrieved 5 February 2023.

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