New lactic acid bacteria could improve plant-based yogurt drinks

Plant-based yogurt alternatives could taste and feel more like dairy yogurt if manufacturers use bacteria from plant environments, according to research by Maret Andreson, reported by ERR. Andreson recently defended her doctoral thesis at Tallinn University of Technology.

The market value of fermented plant-based products stood at $39.7 billion in 2025 and could reach $84.7 billion by 2034, Andreson said. She attributed growing demand for plant-based alternatives to milk intolerance and greater awareness of food production’s environmental footprint, as well as interest in the benefits of fermented products for gut health.

In experiments, Andreson fermented oat and pea drinks using bacteria from plants. One oat-based product had a tangy aroma, a good balance of acidity and sweetness, and a slightly creamy texture similar to conventional yogurt.

Some manufacturers do not ferment plant-based products, but instead lower their pH chemically to give them a yogurt-like acidity. Others ferment them using cultures from conventional dairy production. Andreson said those bacteria may struggle to break down compounds found in plants or soften unwanted flavours.

Her research examined the use of autochthonous cultures, meaning bacteria taken from plant environments, rather than allochthonous cultures originating in animal environments. She also used kombucha as a model system to study how bacteria and yeasts interact and adapt, and analysed the microbial and chemical composition and sensory profiles of kombucha products sold in Estonia.