Lauren Rudolph

Experimental Foods
Lab Project
Section 2, Station 3
Effects of Milk Substitutes on Overall Likeability of Rice Pudding
Abstract
Lactose intolerance is a widespread clinical issue, causing uncomfortable digestive issues in
individuals with the condition when they consume dairy products, specifically those with high
lactose content., like whole milk. Milk substitutes are becoming more popular in recent years and
there are a variety of types on the market. However, these substitutes may have dissimilar
attributes from dairy milk that can affect taste and texture not only of the milk alternative itself,
but of recipes involving milk as an ingredient. Sensory evaluations of 3 different rice pudding
variations using soy milk and lactose free milk as milk alternatives, with whole milk as the
control, were given to 5 participants on a 7-part sensory ballot, as well as 3 objective evaluations
performed on properties of the puddings. Soy milk was rated significantly lower in likeable
appearance qualities compared to whole milk. Lactose free milk was rated significantly higher in
sweetness than whole milk. Objectively, soy milk took the longest time to thicken and the lactose
free milk was the least viscous when hot. In conclusion, there are still differences between the
appearances and activity of milk alternatives in comparison to whole milk in a rice pudding
recipe, but some significant likeability differences were seen, and these alternatives could still be
used by lactose intolerant individuals as recipe substitutes.
Introduction
Those who are lactose intolerant do not produce the enzyme lactase within their body that aids in
digesting lactose, a sugar found in milk. There are variations of lactose intolerance in different
clinical individuals. “Lactose malabsorption is a normal physiologic pattern. The condition
occurs in three main types: primary, secondary, and congenital lactase deficiency. The most
common form of lactase deficiency is primary adult hypolactasia. Secondary or acquired
hypolactasia can follow any gastrointestinal illness that damages the brush border or significantly
decreases transit time in the jejunum mucosa. Lifelong complete absence of lactase (congenital
alactasia) is rare,” (Swagerty, 1846). Lactose intolerant individuals that consume lactose can
experience uncomfortable and negative side effects on their digestive system due to their
condition. “Whenever the lactose ingested exceeds the capacity of the intestinal lactase to split it
into the simple sugars glucose and galactose, which are absorbed directly, it passes undigested to

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the large intestine. There it is fermented by the colonic flora, with short-chain fatty acids and
hydrogen gas as major products. The gas produced can cause abdominal distention and pain and
diarrhea may also result from the fermentation products,” (Scrimshaw, 1). Lactose intolerant
individuals may have to substitute a lot of foods in their diet in order to not cause uncomfortable
digestive issues. Milk and dairy products are typically a staple in the average person’s diet,
which is why it may be difficult for lactose intolerant individuals to cut out these products
completely. This is why so many milk alternatives exist; however, it is important that these
alternatives have similar properties and health benefits to regular milk products in order to
perform just as well on the market and to be a perfect substitute in recipes containing dairy.
These alternatives should also be appealing in taste so that consumers of these products will be
willing to continue buying them. There is also concern that those who are lactose intolerant may
be missing out on essential nutrients that milk contains, such as Calcium, Vitamin D, and
protein. So, it is even more important that these alternatives contain a substantial amount of these
nutrients to not cause nutrient imbalances in lactose intolerant individuals. It should be noted that
those who do not consume milk should not depend specifically on milk alternatives to fill the
nutrient imbalances, as it may be difficult to fortify them with each nutrient that milk contains.
Lactose intolerant individuals need to also refine the rest of their diet around this substitution in
order to receive all the nutrients they need to be in healthy range.
The reason for the interest in this specific topic had to do with mainly the extensive growth of
milk alternatives on the market and how food science has developed in the coming years. There
was also interest in the growing popularity of plant-based milks/milk alternatives in not only
lactose intolerant individuals but just the population in general. “There is therefore considerable
interest in switching to a more plant‐based diet to improve human health, to increase food
sustainability, and to reduce pollution, land use, and water use,” (McClements, 2). Although this
experiment targets the clinical population of lactose intolerance, it does not have to apply only to
this population, but to anyone looking to see the advantages and disadvantages of certain milk
alternatives. The main concern looked at in this experiment was the focus of milk alternatives
effect on the texture of a recipe they are used in, so that these products may still appeal to lactose
intolerant people and so that they can still be enjoyed without regular whole milk. Rice pudding
was the chosen recipe for this experiment as it was easy to isolate the milk variable, and it did
not have any other significant, high sources of lactose in its ingredient list. The recipe also

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depends on the milk greatly for its texture and appearance, so it would be easy to identify
differences in each varied product. Rice pudding was a fairly simple and quickly made recipe,
which adhered to the time constraint of the 3-hour lab period given. While many scientific
journals and websites had the benefits regarding nutritive properties of milk alternatives, there
was little scientific evidence to be found about the alternatives acting in specific recipes as
substitutes for whole milk. This was another reason for the inclination to pursue this certain
experiment. After completion of this experiment, and assessing the objective and sensory results,
it was interesting to see not only what the popular (and unpopular) opinion was on some of these
alternatives, but how they acted objectively as substitutes.
Materials and Methods
For this experiment, there were a number of products used in order to create the finished recipe
for sensory and objective evaluating, as well as specific methods used to get these results. In
Table 1, the ingredients for all recipes performed are listed in their total amounts needed for the
entirety of the experiment. In the methods, the specific amounts and measurements used for each
recipe are explained.
Table 1. Rice Pudding Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Amount Source
Long Grain White Rice 1.5 cups Shoprite, Wakefern Food Corp.,
Keasbey NJ
Whole Milk 16 oz Bowl & Basket, Wakefern Food
Corp., Keasbey NJ
Soy Milk 16 oz Wholesome Pantry, Wakefern
Food Corp., Keasbey NJ
Lactose Free Milk 16 oz Bowl & Basket, Wakefern Food
Corp., Keasbey NJ
Salt ¾ tsp Shoprite, Wakefern Food Corp.,
Keasbey NJ
Vanilla Extract 1 ½ tsp McCormick & Co., Hunt Valley
MD
Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter 3 tbsp Bowl & Basket, Wakefern Food
Corp., Keasbey NJ
White Sugar 1 cup Bowl & Basket, Wakefern Food
Corp., Keasbey NJ
Egg 3 Shoprite, Wakefern Food Corp.,
Keasbey NJ

1. Combine 1.5 cups cooked rice, 1.5 cups milk, and ¼ tsp salt in a saucepan over medium
heat.
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 2. Cook and stir until thick and creamy.
3. Stir remaining ½ cup milk, 1 beaten egg, and 1/3 cup white sugar into the rice mixture.
Stir continually.
4. Continue cooking until egg is set, then remove from heat.
5. Stir in 1 tbsp butter and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
Table 2. Original Recipe
Prior to the lab period the rice was soaked in water for about an hour to soften before cooking. 15
plastic cups were labeled with sharpie with assigned 3-digit numbers, with each variable pudding
having 5 cups each and placed on cardboard plates. Before beginning the experiment, hands were
washed, and the proper attire was put on, including a lab coat, face mask and shield, and gloves.
The lab station was then assessed to ensure cleanliness and that no contaminants were present.
One and a half cups of the soaked, uncooked rice were put into a medium saucepan with 3 cups
of water. The rice was then cooked, covered with a lid, over medium heat on a stove for 20
minutes, until fluffy. Occasionally, the rice was stirred with a metal spoon. Once the rice was
cooked, it was separated into 3 equal parts, each approximately 1.5 cups each. 2 parts of the rice
were placed into separate saucepans on the stove and 1 part of the rice was set aside in a glass
bowl. In one saucepan, 1.5 cups of whole milk, measured in a glass measuring cup, were added.
In the other, 1.5 cups of soy milk measured in a glass measuring cup were added. In both
saucepans, ¼ teaspoon of salt was added using a measuring spoon. The heat was turned on for
both saucepans at medium. At this time, a timer was started in order to determine one objective
evaluation of time to thicken. These puddings were cooked at the same time in order to be the
most efficient with time. While these cooked, 3 eggs were cracked and beaten with a fork
separately in 3 Pyrex cups. The two rice mixtures were occasionally stirred with metal spoons,
for 11-13 minutes, until thickened. Once the mixtures looked thick, the time to thicken was
recorded on a notepad. Then, ½ cup of whole milk, 1 beaten egg, and 1/3 cup of sugar was added
to the whole milk rice and stirred. ½ cup of soy milk, 1 beaten egg, and 1/3 cup of sugar was also
added to the soymilk rice mixture and stirred. After 5 minutes, both rice mixtures were removed
from heat, and both received 1 tbsp of butter, which was cut with a butter knife, and ½ teaspoon
of vanilla extract. These were then both stirred until combined. About 1/4 cup of each mixture
was separated into a Pyrex cup for the percent sag objective evaluation, while another small
amount was placed into 5 plastic sensory evaluation cups each. After these amounts were
sectioned out, the line spread was taken for the whole milk and soymilk mixtures. Using the line

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spread apparatus and a metal ring, one at a time each pudding was poured into the metal ring.
Once filled, the metal ring was lifted, and a timer for 30 seconds was set. After this, the line
spread values for each were taken and the average was calculated using a calculator and
recorded. After each line spread evaluation the apparatus was washed off and cleaned. After both
of these rice mixtures were finally separated out, and objectively evaluated, they were set aside
in glass bowls. The third rice mixture that was set aside in the beginning was put into a saucepan
on the stove, and 1.5 cups of lactose free milk and ¼ teaspoon of salt was added. The stove top
was turned on to medium heat and a timer was set. The rice mixture was stirred occasionally
with a metal spoon. Once the rice mixture was thickened, the time was recorded. After this, ½
cup of lactose free milk, 1 beaten egg, and 1/3 cup of sugar were added. After about 5 minutes,
the rice mixture was removed from heat and 1 tbsp of butter and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
was added and stirred until combined. Once combined, about 1/4 cup of the pudding was placed
into a Pyrex cup, and small amounts were placed into 5 sensory evaluation plastic cups. While
still hot, the mixture was then poured into the metal ring on the line spread apparatus and the line
spread test was performed for 30 seconds, and the average of the numbers was taken. The
mixture was set aside following the line spread test. While the Pyrex cups with the 3 rice
puddings were cooling to around room temperature, labels for the sensory evaluation were filled
out with Section number, station number, and name of product, which was Rice Pudding. The
remaining equipment that was dirtied such as the measuring spoons, cups, and bowls, were
cleaned during this time. After about 15 minutes to cool, the final objective evaluation of percent
sag was taken. This was done by using a metal ruler to measure the height of the molded
puddings in the Pyrex cups. The height was always measured in millimeters. This number was
recorded, and then the molded puddings were flipped upside down onto plates and out of the
Pyrex cups. The height was measured again, this time unmolded. Finally, percent sag was
calculated by taking molded height minus unmolded height, and then taking that number and
dividing it by the unmolded height. Once all objective measures were completed, and all sensory
cups were filled and ready to be presented, all materials were cleaned and put away. Sensory
evaluation took place in a separate room, with 5 participants evaluating each of the 3 varied rice
pudding recipes. A sample of the sensory ballot presented to the 5 participants is seen below.
Participants were also instructed to rinse their mouth with water between each tasting, as well as
ensure that the product was held in their mouth for at least 5 seconds to hit every taste bud. One

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of these pages was filled out for all 3 samples. Once the experiment was complete and sensory
evaluations were completed, the lab was cleaned, and objective and sensory evaluations were
compiled into excel to be examined.

Image: Sample Sensory Evaluation Ballot

Results
This section will include tables and graphs of the results concluded from the experiment. This
includes objective evaluations of time to thicken, line spread, and percent sag. It also includes the
participant data from the sensory ballots. First, the objective evaluations are looked at.

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 Table 1. Time to
Objective Thicken
Evaluation: Time
to ThickenX
Whole Milk 11
Soy Milk 13
Lactose Free Milk 12

In Table 1 and Figure 1, the first objective value of time to thicken is evaluated.
The results of this objective evaluation were soy milk took the longest to thicken, while whole
milk took the least amount of time to thicken.

Time to Thicken
13
Time (minutes)

12
11
10
Whole Soy Milk Lactose
Milk Free Milk

Milk Type

Figure 1. Time to Thicken

Table 2. Line Linespread
Spread
ValuesX
Whole Milk 4.25
Soy Milk 4.5
Lactose Free 5.75
Milk

Table 2 and Figure 2 show the values for the second objective value, which was line spread. Line
spread was the greatest for lactose free milk and the least for whole milk. This objective measure
was taken as the puddings were just finished cooking, so they were still hot. It measures how
viscous a product is, with a greater line spread value meaning a more viscous liquid.

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 Linespread Value average Linespread
6
4
2
0
Whole Milk Soy Milk Lactose
Free Milk

Milk Type

Figure 2. Line Spread

Table 3. % Sag
Percent SagX
Whole Milk 33.3
Soy Milk 29.6
Lactose Free 16
Milk

% Sag Table 3 and Figure 3 show the results of the third and final
Whole Milk 33.3
objective evaluation, percent sag. This objective value measures
Soy Milk 29.6
Lactose Free 16 molded vs. unmolded height to see how well a certain product
Milk can hold its shape. The lesser the % sag, the more viscous the
product, therefore better at holding its shape. In this study the lactose free milk had the lowest
percent sag while whole milk had the highest.

% Sag
Percent Sag Value (%)

30
20
10
0
Whole Milk Soy Milk Lactose Free
Milk

Milk Type

Figure 3. Percent Sag (above)

Table 4. P-Values for Shiny 0.009
AppearanceXT test Soy Milk &
Whole Milk

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 T test Soy milk & Lactose free 0.016
milk
T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.21
Milk

Figure 4 and Table 4 begin the results of the sensory evaluations. The only significant
p-value is shown in Table 4, between soy milk and whole milk. Therefore, there is a significant
difference between these two evaluations. Whole milk had a much higher rated shininess than
soy milk.
Figure 4. Shiny Appearance
Shiny Appearance vs Milk Type
7
6
5
Average Rating

4
3
2
1
0
Soy Milk Whole Milk Lactose Free
Milk

Milk Type

Figure 5. Cream Color Evaluation (below)

Figure 5 shows the results for the average sensory
Cream Colored Appearance vs Milk
Type rating of cream-colored appearance of the rice
8 puddings. Table 5 shows that the only significant
Average Rating

6
4 value was the soy milk and whole milk, which
2
0
Soy Milk Whole Milk Lactose Free Figure 5 shows soy milk had a much lower cream-
Milk
colored appearance rating than whole
Milk Type
milk.

Table 5. P-Values for Cream 0.004

Colored AppearanceXT test Soy
Milk & Whole Milk
T test Soy milk & Lactose free 5.65E-05
milk
T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.587
Milk

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Figure 6. Smooth Texture Evaluation (below)

Smooth Texture vs Milk Type

8 Figure 6 shows the sensory evaluation
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6 results for smooth texture, where Table 6
Average Rating

5
4 shows the significant p-value was soy milk and
3
2
1
whole milk. Soy milk had a significantly lower
0
Soy Milk Whole Milk Lactose Free rating for smooth texture than whole
Milk
milk.
Milk Type

Table 6. P – Values for Smooth 0.016

TextureXT test Soy Milk & Whole
Milk
T test Soy milk & Lactose free 0.098
milk
T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.444
Milk

Table 7. P-Values of Thick 0.208

TextureXT test Soy Milk & Whole
Milk
T test Soy milk & Lactose free milk 0.648
T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.815
Milk

T test Soy Milk & Whole Milk 0.208

T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.815
Milk
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 Thick Texture vs Milk Type
7.1
6.9
Average Rating

6.7
6.5
6.3
6.1
Soy Milk Whole Milk Lactose
Free Milk

Milk Type

Figure 7. Thick Texture Evaluation

Figure 7 shows the ratings for the sensory evaluation of thick texture. As seen in table 7,
there were no significant differences between whole milk and the two substitutes in regard to
thick texture.
Figure 8 shows the sensory evaluation results for
Sweet Taste vs Milk Type
10 sweet taste of the puddings. The only significant
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p-value was between lactose free and whole
Average Rating

6
4 milk, meaning lactose free milk was
2
0 significantly sweeter tasting than whole milk.
Soy Milk Whole Milk Lactose Free
Milk Figure 8. Sweet Taste Evaluation
Milk Type
Table 8. P-Values of Sweet 0.105
TasteXT test Soy Milk & Whole
Milk
T test Soy milk & Lactose free 0.030
milk
T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.016
Milk

Figure 9 shows the sensory evaluation results for

Milky Flavor vs Milk Type
8 milky flavor versus milk type. While neither p-
6 value showed significance, Soy Milk and Whole
Average Rating

4
milk showed close significant difference as seen in
2
0 Table 9.
Soy Milk Whole Milk Lactose Free
Milk

Milk Type

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Figure 9. Milky Flavor Evaluation
Table 9. P-Values for Milky 0.075
TasteXT test Soy Milk & Whole
Milk
T test Soy milk & Lactose free 0.045
milk
T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.099
Milk

Figure 10 shows the sensory evaluation for overall likeability of puddings versus milk type. The
only significant p-value in Table 10 was soy milk and whole milk, and as seen in Figure 10 soy
milk was liked significantly less than whole milk.

Overall Likability vs Milk Type

10
8
Average Rating

6
4
2
0
Soy Milk Whole Milk Lactose Free
Milk

Milk Type

Figure 10. Overall Likeability Evaluation

Table 10. P-Values for Overall 0.030
LikeabilityXT test Soy Milk &
Whole Milk
T test Soy milk & Lactose free 0.028
milk
T test Whole milk & Lactose free 0.099
Milk

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Label 1. Whole Milk Rice Pudding Label 2. Soy Milk Rice Pudding Label 3. Lactose Free Milk Rice Pudding
The three labels above were created with inputting the rice pudding recipe and the
substituted milk for each. Label 1, whole milk, has the greatest number of calories but only by a
difference of 10. It also has 0.5 more grams of total and saturated fat than the other two
puddings. Label 2, Soy Milk, has 1 more milligram of cholesterol per serving, but has 1 less
gram of total sugar. They all have equal or very similar amounts of sodium, carbohydrates,
protein, calcium, and iron. The Soy Milk and Lactose Free Milk have 40 more milligrams per
serving of potassium than the Whole Milk.
Discussion
This experiment was completed in order to assess the possible differences between milk
alternatives in a simple rice pudding recipe. Lactose intolerant individuals have many options for
milk alternatives on the market, but these alternatives may not react the same way or have the
same sensory attributes as regular milk. Rice pudding had an easily changeable recipe in which
the two milk alternatives could be used in place of regular whole milk. Some of the results were
not significant as the p-values in the results section show, and so only some of the results from
the sensory evaluation are considered significantly different from each other and can therefore be

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discussed as plausible. What was found in the results is that soy milk is significantly less shiny,
and cream colored than whole milk. It was also found to be the least smooth in texture, and the
least overall liked as compared to whole milk. These sensory results for soy milk were
interesting, but not necessarily surprising. Another study discussing recipes involving soy milk
also showed that “Soymilk substitution impacted food product color,” (Swanson, 1). This gives
credit to the not so cream-colored appearance of soy milk as compared to whole milk. Because
soy milk is made from soy, it is known to have a darker appearance after being processed and
this could also be why it was rated as less shiny than the whole milk. Lactose free milk rice
pudding was rated as significantly sweeter than the whole milk rice pudding, which was not
surprising to see. Lactose free milk is essentially regular whole milk with the lactase enzyme
added, and so the lactose is already broken down into its simpler, and sweeter, monosaccharide
sugars that it is composed of, galactose and glucose. This contributed to the participants finding
it sweeter tasting than the whole milk.
The objective results were more surprising. While lactose free milk showed to have the
lowest percent sag of the three puddings, making it the best at holding shape and therefore being
most viscous, it also had the greatest line spread value. This means it spread out the furthest over
a 30 second time period, which would mean it was also the least viscous. One source of error
here could be that the line spread was performed directly after removing from heat for all three
variables, while the percent sag was performed once the puddings had time to cool. There could
have also been error in the measurements of the ruler, as some of the pudding got stuck to the
bottom of the Pyrex cup in the other milk puddings which could have led to misconstrued results.
As for time to thicken, this objective evaluation was hard to record. Rice pudding thickening can
be seen and defined in different ways, and so it was difficult to not be subjective. With that being
said, the soy milk took 2 minutes longer to thicken than whole milk. This could be due to it
having a higher water content than regular whole milk, and therefore being thinner to begin with
and needing more time on the heat to thicken.
This experiment helped to conclude that there may be enough similarity between lactose
free milk and whole milk for those with lactose intolerance to enjoy it as an alternative without
sacrificing taste, texture, and overall likability. It was also important to see that while soy milk
may have better nutritive properties, and can be a feasible substitute, it is not entirely similar in
its sensory attributes to that of whole milk. It could be important to note that in these recipes, a

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division of ingredients could be used to get the nutritive benefits of soy milk while not deterring
the appearance or overall likeability of the recipe entirely. One thing that could be changed and
experimented differently is the mixture of lactose free and soymilk substitutions in a recipe, and
to then evaluate those attributes. Some other parts of this experiment that could have been done
differently is having more milk substitutes as variables, or simply performing this experiment
again with two different milk alternatives to see how they react in the rice pudding recipe. There
are so many options out there for alternatives that this study is very small scale in comparison.
This was also evident in that there were only 5 participants in the sensory evaluation, and the
demographic was mainly college age students with a background in nutrition, which is not telling
of an entire lactose intolerant population. One more noted change that could be made is to still
use lactose free milk as a substitute, but instead of soy milk use another plant-based alternative
milk. This is because soy milk had a very off color and was easily seen as the odd one out in
sensory evaluation which could have caused bias.
Milk alternatives as compared to whole milk have their similar and varying properties.
Soy milk was found to be the most different in properties such as appearance and texture,
whereas lactose-free milk saw higher ratings with regard to sweetness. Objective evaluations
showed differing viscosities among the puddings, with soy milk taking longer to thicken but
once it reached that point, showed greater viscosity in the other objective evaluations. Although
small scale, this experiment has shown significant effects of milk substitutes on the properties of
rice pudding and could be beneficial to reproduce in a larger scale with other varied milk
alternatives in the future.

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References

McClements, D.J., Newman, E. and McClements, I.F. (2019), Plant‐based Milks: A Review of
the Science Underpinning Their Design, Fabrication, and Performance. Comprehensive Reviews
in Food Science and Food Safety, 18: 2047-2067. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12505
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1541-4337.12505

Scrimshaw, N S, and E B Murray. “The acceptability of milk and milk products in populations
with a high prevalence of lactose intolerance.” The American journal of clinical nutrition vol.
48,4 Suppl (1988): 1079-159. doi:10.1093/ajcn/48.4.1142
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3140651/

Swagerty, Daniel L. Jr, M.D., M.P.H., Walling, Anne D. M.D., and Klein, Robert M., PH.D.
“Lactose Intolerance.” Am Fam Physician. 2002 May 1;65(9):1845-1851
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0501/p1845.html?ref=Guzels.TV.

Swanson, R.B., McKemie, R.J., Sabrin, M.D. and Milly, P.J. (2012), Soy Milks as a Dairy Milk
Substitute in Prepared Food Products: Effects on Quality and Acceptability. Family and
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