# Plant-Based Milks: Alternatives to the Manufactature and Characterization of Ice Cream
## 1 Introduction  
In recent times, there has been a trend towards the development of innovative, readily available, reasonably priced, yet safe foods that offer consumers benefits such as improved health or the prevention of health complications associated with diet beyond basic nutritional functions [1]. It has been found that changes in the eating habits of health-conscious consumers, strongly influenced by the increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases, such as heart disorders and depression, have given rise to new functional foods and products on the market [2]. Ice cream is a very popular and delicious frozen dessert, made from dairy products such as milk, cream, and natural or artificial sweeteners, while in recent years, plant-based milk substitutes have begun to be used [3]. In this sense, dietary ice cream is a new product on the Romanian market and is increasingly preferred, due to a different taste, along with being enriched with various delicious flavors. This dietary ice cream is chosen especially by vegetarians, raw vegans, people with lactose intolerance or those who generally prefer a healthy lifestyle. According to Eurostat [4], ice cream consumption in Romania is the lowest in Europe, respectively 1.6 kg/capita, and ice cream is considered to be a refreshing product, in the hot season as a dessert. Ice cream is a physico-chemical complex characterized by hardness and melting properties, usually contains at least 10% fat, stabilizers, and sweeterers. The use of plant-based milk substitutes from soy (_Glycine_ max), cashew (_Anocardium occidentale_), hazelnut (_Crylus_), coconut (_Cocos nucifera_), hemp (_Cannabis sativa_), or almonds (_Prunus dulcis_) and dietary fiber allow for final products with the texture, hardness, and firmness characteristics of milk ice cream [5]. Plant-based milk isfree of cholesterol and has unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which is why they are considered functional foods and nutraceuticalticals [6]. Almonds (_Prunus dulcis_ [PERSON]) have a high content of fatty acids, lipids, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates (including dietary fiber), vitamins, and minerals which contribute to improving artery health, reducing high blood pressure, has positive effects in improving diabetes and metabolic syndrome [7]. In recent years, almond milk beverage is promoted as a healthy alternative to cow's milk have potential prebiotic properties due to the presence of bioactive compounds such as vitamins, especially vitamin E which cannot be synthesized by the body, flavonoids, and polyphenols [8; 9]. In addition, consumers choose plant-based milk alternatives instead of milk due to its numerous positive health effects on the human body, a desire for a healthy lifestyle, and environmental awareness. The solution to this problem may be to drink almond drink instead of cow's milk, as it contains a vitamin E content of 6.33 mg 100 g\({}^{-1}\), which represents 42% of the recommended daily allowance of 15 mg [6; 10]. The non-drug variety _Cannabis sativa_ subsp. _sativa_, hemp (_Cannabis sativa_ L.) seeds contain approx. 20-25% protein with a biological value similar to chicken egg white, as well as considerable amounts of vitamins, minerals (magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and calcium) and dietary fiber. Hemp milk has a high nutritional value with a low content of saturated fats, a good percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) \(\omega\)-3 and \(\omega\)-6, and low allergenicity [9]  
According to [PERSON] et al. [11], hemp-based milk substitutes provide very low amounts of protein (3.23 g/100 g) and lipids (21.08 g/100 g) and can be an alternative to consumers who seek gluten-free food. The use of hemp seed milk has not yet been widely tested in food production. Hemp milk is unstable with a tendency to flocculate, being an oil-in-water emulsion, which is a challenge in the industry, as it leads to loss of quality and validity. The use of stabilizing substances can increase the cost of production [12].