Plant Milks
Oat Milk (Barista) in gelato
Barista-edition oat milk is an enzyme-processed oat drink formulated with added vegetable oil and an acidity regulator so it foams and steams like dairy. In gelato it serves as a plant-based liquid base, supplying water, a little fat and modest sugar in place of cow's milk.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 11.7% |
| Water | 88.3% |
| Sugars | 4% |
| Fat | 3% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 1% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 1.8 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 5.5 |
Typical use: 50-65% of the mix as the base liquid (dairy-milk replacement)
Balance oat milk (barista) in a real recipe
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Use barista oat milk as the primary liquid base of vegan/plant gelato, replacing whole milk. It carries roughly 3% fat and about 12% total solids, so it contributes body but far less than dairy. Its sugars (mainly maltose) are only mildly sweet and give low POD (~1.8) and limited anti-freezing power (PAC ~5.5), so recipes need added sugars and a stabilizer/fibre or extra fat (nuts, cocoa butter, coconut) to reach proper solids and scoopability. The added oil and dipotassium phosphate emulsify well and improve smoothness versus plain oat drink.
Origin & background
Oat drink was invented by food scientist Rickard Oste at Lund University, Sweden, in the early 1990s, and commercialized by Oatly (founded 1994). The 'Barista Edition', reformulated with added rapeseed oil and dipotassium phosphate to steam and foam for coffee, drove oat milk's global surge from around 2018.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- https://www.oatly.com/en-us/products/oatmilk/oatmilk-barista-edition-32-oz
- https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Barista_edition_oatmilk_by_Oatly%2C_Inc._1710053_nutritional_value.html
- https://www.fatsecret.co.uk/calories-nutrition/oatly/oat-drink-barista-edition/100ml
- https://shop.oatside.com/products/barista-blend
- https://www.amano-enzyme.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/enzyme-wave_vol28_en_page7.pdf