Interest in sustainable food has markedly increased over the last decades. Substitution of animal products with alternative protein sources is a main globally discussed strategy to support a sustainable diet. The present study focused on plant based drinks made from almonds, soy, oat, rice, coconut and cashew nuts available on the Swiss market. In a first step, an online survey was done on attitudes, beliefs and consumption of plant based drinks and selected semi solid foods. The sensory profile of 11 drinks was determined by a descriptive analysis (12 judges, 16 attributes). In a follow up consumer test, participants were asked to indicate their liking of the products. In addition, all drinks were analyzed physico-chemically. Survey results showed that health aspects, reduction of consumption of animal based products as well as diversity seeking were main reasons for choosing plant based products. Main reasons for not consuming these products were a general lack of interest and an insufficient sensory profile. Descriptive analysis of the drinks showed that the majority of the products was perceived as quite sweet most likely due to declared sucrose addition. For several attributes, products within a plant type showed large intensity differences, possibly resulting from differences in raw material concentration and production process. Overall, the majority of pure samples did show relatively low ratings for liking. Improving the overall sensory profile is key to increase the number of people consuming plant based drinks on a regular basis. Moreover, it is important to provide scientifically based data on nutritional aspects of these products in order to objectively evaluate health impacts of plant based drinks compared to milk.
