oat milk

Soy milk and almond milk predate all other alternative milks, including oat milk, both as cultural and commercial products. Since the early 20th century, soy milk made its way from Asia to European and American grocery stores, initially as a dairy substitute due to lactose intolerance. The increase in consumption of soy milk since its global distribution created a large market for plant-based beverages like oat milk. There are records of oat based beverages that go back to the 18th century, however, one of the first recorded instances of a commercial oat-based plant beverage was in the early 1990s, when Rickard Öste developed oat milk.{{cite news |title=How oat milk could change the way you drink coffee |url=https://time.com/5190977/how-oat-milk-could-change-the-way-you-drink-coffee/ |magazine=Time |access-date=12 September 2019 |date=8 March 2018}}{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_primitive-cookery-or-th_1767_0 |title=Primitive Cookery; or the Kitchen Garden Display'd |date= |publisher=J. Williams |year=1767 |location=London |page=[https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_primitive-cookery-or-th_1767_0/page/n71/mode/1up 68] |language=en |chapter=A cheap drink for ſamilies}} Öste was working as a food scientist at Lund University in Lund, Sweden, researching lactose intolerance and sustainable food systems, when he invented the drink. Soon after, Öste founded Oatly, the first commercial manufacturer of oat milk.

The pioneer in commercial oat milk, Oatly, had its products in 7,000 coffee shops and grocery stores, as of 2019, but was not the only prominent oat milk producer.{{cite news |author=Mallenbaum, Carly |date=10 August 2018 |title=Why oat milk is the new 'it' milk alternative (sorry, soy and almond) |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=10 December 2018 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2018/08/10/oat-milk-so-hot-right-now-and-edging-out-soy-milk-almond-milk/928717002/}} Oat milk is available in many countries under various brands.{{cite journal |last1=Sethi |first1=Swati |last2=Tyagi |first2=S.K. |last3=Anurag |first3=Rahul K. |year=2016 |title=Plant-based milk alternatives an emerging segment of functional beverages: A review |journal=Journal of Food Science and Technology |volume=53 |issue=9 |pages=3408–3423 |doi=10.1007/s13197-016-2328-3 |pmc=5069255 |pmid=27777447}}

In 2018, there were numerous oat milk shortages from unprecedented demand in Europe and North America, highlighting the strong consumer demand for this product.{{cite news |author=Staton, Bethan |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 |publisher=Sky News |date=21 November 2018}} To meet the American demand, Oatly opened a new factory in New Jersey in April 2019, producing {{convert|750000|gal}} per month of oat milk base, and announced plans for a Utah-based factory three times larger to open in early 2020. In 2019, retail sales of oat milk in the United States were $29 million, up from $4.4 million in 2017. 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).

Oat milk ice cream, yogurt-like products, and coffee creamers, were common in 2019, with expanded uses in coffee shops, such as Starbucks, and growth into new markets, such as China.{{cite news |author=Pham, Sherisse |title=This Swedish company made oat milk cool in the US. Now it's eyeing China |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/11/business/oatly-ceo-oat-milk/index.html |access-date=5 February 2020 |publisher=CNN |department=Business |date=12 April 2019}} Growth in the oat milk market is partly attributed to its relatively low environmental impact, low land and water needs, and rising vegan dietary practices in developed countries.

From 2019 to 2020 in the United States, oat milk sales increased 303% to {{US$|213}} million, with refrigerated oat milk having nearly ten times the sales of shelf-stable oat milk. Consumer analysis of the growth in oat milk consumption indicates its market growth derives from the dairy-like taste, health perception, and environmental sustainability, which contrasts with the high water demand of growing almonds. Oat milk foams and mixes in other beverages, like coffee, in ways similar to milk.

Over 2020-21, oat milk sales increased 151%, with it becoming the second-most consumed plant milk after almond milk.{{cite web |author1=Rebecca Cattlan |title=Everything you need to know about the Oatly IPO |url=https://www.forex.com/en-ca/market-analysis/latest-research/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-oatly-ipo/ |publisher=Forex.com |access-date=26 May 2021 |date=14 May 2021}} On 20 May 2021, Oatly {{ndash}} the world's largest oat milk manufacturer {{ndash}} became a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ exchange, having a market value of {{US$}}13 billion on that day.{{cite news |author1=Amelia Lucas |title=Oatly shares soar 18% in company's public market debut on Nasdaq |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/20/oatly-ipo-otly-starts-trading-on-nasdaq.html |access-date=26 May 2021 |work=CNBC |date=20 May 2021}}

The production of oat milk is similar to that of most other plant milks. Unprocessed cereal grains, like oats, are indigestible due to their hard, outer hull; processing is also necessary to change the dry grains into a liquid.{{cite journal |doi=10.1017/s000711451400227x |pmid=25267246 |title=Processing of oats and the impact of processing operations on nutrition and health benefits |journal=British Journal of Nutrition |volume=112 |pages=S58–S64 |year=2014 |last1=Decker |first1=Eric A. |last2=Rose |first2=Devin J. |last3=Stewart |first3=Derek |url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1028&context=nutritionfacpub|doi-access=free }}{{efn|As of 2019, Oatly obtained oats exclusively from Canada to supply its factory in New Jersey.}}

The procedure starts by measuring and milling the oat grains to break apart their outer hull. Then the grains are stirred in warm water and ground into a slurry. The slurry is treated with enzymes and heat to create a thick liquid oat base.

Soaking and subsequently extracting nutrients from the oats have the most direct implications on the final milk product. Increasing the yield in this step may be assisted by chemical catalysts, enzymes, or an increase in temperature, all in order to remove nutrient molecules from the solid byproduct and incorporate them into the liquid. Chemical catalysts increase the pH of the mixture, enzymatic catalysts induce partial hydrolysis of proteins and polysaccharides, and higher temperatures increase reaction rates. Separating the liquid from the solid byproduct is a simple step achieved through decanting, filtration, and spinning in a centrifuge.

Once the liquid product is separated, adding other ingredients, such as fortifying vitamins and minerals, or sweeteners, flavorings, salts, oils, and similar ingredients, forms the final product.{{efn|In the United States, Oatly ships the treated oat base liquid to a subcontractor for processing into the final oat milk product.}} Since unfortified oat milk is lower in calcium, iron, and vitamin A than cow's milk, these nutrients must be added in order for the end product to be a nutritional substitute of cow's milk. Homogenization and heat-treatments such as pasteurization or ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatments are used to extend the product's shelf life.

{{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=}}

{{bar chart |title=Mean greenhouse gas emissions for one glass (200 g) of different milks |float=right |label_type=Milk types|data_type=Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO₂-C_eqv per 200 g) |bar_width=20 |width_units=em |data_max=0.62 |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=}}

Oat milk, like most plant-based milks, is made of disintegrated and hydrolyzed plant materials, resulting in non-uniform particle sizes in comparison to bovine milk.{{cite journal|last1=Mäkinen|first1=Outi E.|last2=Uniacke-Lowe |first2=Thérèse|last3= O'Mahony|first3=James A.|last4=Arendt|first4= Elke K.|date= 2015|title= Physicochemical and acid gelation properties of commercial UHT-treated plant-based milk substitutes and lactose free bovine milk |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814614010693 |journal=Food Chemistry |volume=168 |issue= |pages=630–638 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.07.036 |pmid=25172757 |access-date=}} Decreasing particle size and narrowing the distribution through physical processing like homogenization, and using stabilizers, such as hydrocolloids in combination with other emulsifiers, are common ways to improve product quality.{{cite journal|last1=Patra|first1=Tiffany|last2=Rinnan|first2=Asmund|last3=Olsen|first3=Karsten|date= 2021|title=The physical stability of plant-based drinks and the analysis methods thereof|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268005X21001867|journal=Food Hydrocolloids|volume=118|issue= |page=106770 |doi=10.1016/j.foodhyd.2021.106770|access-date=}}

Another problem posed by the natural composition of oats is their high starch content. The starch content (50–60%) is challenging during ultra-high temperature treatments because of the relatively low gelatinization temperature of starch. To overcome this, producers use an enzymatic hydrolysis of starch by alpha- and beta-amylase, which break down the starch into smaller polysaccharides without the previous gelatinization behavior.

Fortifying oat milk with essential micronutrients may include vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin, and calcium.{{cite web |author=London, Jaclyn |title=Is oat milk healthy? Here's what you need to know, according to a nutritionist |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a27079365/oat-milk-nutrition/ |publisher=Good Housekeeping Institute |access-date=5 February 2020 |date=11 April 2019}}

Since around 2015, interest for plant-based foods, in combination with concerns for animal welfare and low environmental impact, propelled consumption of oat milk. Compared to milk and other plant-based milks, the oat milk manufacturing process produces small amounts of carbon dioxide and no methane (low greenhouse gas emissions), and requires relatively low use of water and land. Oat milk production requires 1/15th the amount of water of milk production and 1/8th the water of almond milk.

Over 2017–2019, oat milk sales in the United States increased tenfold, and Oatly reported a threefold increase in worldwide sales.{{cite news |author1=Shanker, Deena |author2=Rolander, Niclas |title=Oatly's path to alt‑milk world domination starts in New Jersey |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2019-oatly-oat-milk-global-domination/ |access-date=3 November 2019 |work=Bloomberg |date=31 July 2019}} In the third quarter of 2024, Oatly reported sales of 141 million liters of oat milk, a 13% increase over the same period in 2023.{{cite web |last1=Hamlett |first1=Claire |title=Oatly reports strong third quarter in 2024|url=https://plantbasednews.org/news/economics/oatly-strong-third-quarter/ |publisher=Plant-based News |access-date=16 February 2025 |date=11 November 2024}}

As of late 2020, the oat milk market became second-largest among plant milks in the United States, following the leader, almond milk, but exceeding the sales of soy milk.{{cite web |author1=Megan Poinski |title=Oat milk surges to second most popular in plant-based dairy |url=https://www.fooddive.com/news/oat-milk-surges-to-second-most-popular-in-plant-based-dairy/586010/ |publisher=FoodDive |access-date=20 December 2020 |date=30 September 2020}}{{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=FoodNavigator-USA.com, William Reed Business Media, Ltd |access-date=20 December 2020 |date=25 September 2020}} By 2023, the global oat milk market was valued at $3.7 billion, growing at an annual rate of 11.5%.{{cite web |last1=Harfmann |first1=Barbara |title=The competition between dairy milks and plant-based milk heats up |url=https://www.dairyfoods.com/articles/97384-the-competition-between-dairy-milks-and-plant-based-milk-heats-up |publisher=Dairy Foods |access-date=16 February 2025 |date=24 June 2024}}

{{Milk nutrition}}

In comparison to cow's milk, oat milk is similar in total calories per liquid volume (per cup serving, 120 vs 149 calories for cow's milk), has 40% the protein content, 63% of the fat, but only about 10% of the saturated fat content, and about 1.5 times the total carbohydrate (although simple sugars are half that of cow's milk). Cow's milk has no fiber, but oat milk has 2 g dietary fiber per serving. Calcium and potassium contents are comparable, although oat milk – as for all plant-based milks – may be fortified with specific nutrients during manufacturing. It has a glycemic index of 60; cow's milk is 47.{{cite journal |last1=Jeske |first1=Stephanie |title=Evaluation of Physicochemical and Glycaemic Properties of Commercial Plant-Based Milk Substitutes |journal=Plant Foods for Human Nutrition |year=2017 |volume=72 |issue=1 |pages=26–33 |doi=10.1007/s11130-016-0583-0 |pmid=27817089 |pmc=5325842 |s2cid=5874962 }}

Oat milk is used as a substitute for milk in custom coffee preparation, and in fermented products similar to yogurt and kefir.{{cite journal |doi=10.1002/jsfa.947 |title=Formulation of an oat-based fermented product and its comparison with yoghurt |journal=Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture |volume=81 |issue=14 |pages=1314–1321 |year=2001 |last1=Mårtensson |first1=O. |last2=Andersson |first2=C. |last3=Andersson |first3=K. |last4=Öste |first4=R. |last5=Holst |first5=O.|bibcode=2001JSFA...81.1314M }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1006/fstl.2000.0718 |title=Lactic Acid Bacteria in an Oat-based Non-dairy Milk Substitute: Fermentation Characteristics and Exopolysaccharide Formation |journal=LWT - Food Science and Technology |volume=33 |issue=8 |pages=525–530 |year=2000 |last1=Mårtensson |first1=Olof |last2=Öste |first2=Rickard |last3=Holst |first3=Olle}} Baristas claim that oat milk needs less steam than cow milk, froths favorably, is tasteful, rich, and creamy like cow milk, and effectively balances the acidity of espresso coffee.{{cite magazine |title=Plant-based milk alternatives disrupt dairy |url=https://www.economist.com/business/2018/08/02/plant-based-milk-alternatives-disrupt-dairy |magazine=The Economist |access-date=3 November 2019 |date=2 August 2018}} It has growing applications in coffee preparation at major coffee shops.

• Almond milk
• Coconut milk
• Plant milk
• Pea milk
• Soy milk

{{Reflist}}

{{Plant milk}}

{{Oats}}

Category:Cold drinks

Category:Milk substitutes

Category:Non-alcoholic drinks

Category:Oats

Category:Plant milk

Category:Vegan cuisine

Category:Vegetarianism and drinks

Category:Grains