Due to its low dietary impact and bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, white kidney bean extract is an attractive raw material for fermented drinks. It can be utilized either on its own or blended with cow’s milk, offering a promising solution to help meet dairy product demand during mid-season shortages. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the physicochemical characteristics, sensory properties, and microbiological profile of fermented milk-like drinks made from white kidney bean extract, cow’s milk and their blends during 28 days of storage at 4 °C. Three blends of fermented milk-like drinks (FMLDs) were prepared from different ratios of cow’s milk (CM) and kidney bean extract (BE): FMLD1 (CM 30%:BE 70%); FMLD2 (CM 50%:BE 50%), FMLD3 (CM 70%:BE 30%), along with plain fermented kidney been extract (FBE; CM 0%:BE 100%), and plain fermented cow’s milk (FCM; CM 100%:BE 0%). The mixtures were pasteurized at 92 °C for 25 min and fermented with a probiotic-type starter culture (S. thermophilus, B. bifidum, L. acidophilus) at 43 °C. FBE exhibited the lowest levels of carbohydrates (2.14%), fat (0.11%), and protein (1.45%) compared to fermented cow’s milk and blends. The FBE and the fermented blends with a higher ratio of bean extract had lower viscosity and lactic acid contents, greener hue, more pronounced aftertaste and off-flavors, and received lower overall acceptability scores. Although the FCM had higher counts of S. thermophilus and L. acidophilus, the FBE displayed significantly higher counts of B. bifidum. This study demonstrated the potential of using white kidney bean extract and its blends with cow’s milk to create unique fermented products with a lower dietary impact, highlighting the importance of further optimizing the formulations to enhance sensory qualities and reduce the beany off-flavors in the products with added kidney bean extract.

As consumer interest in plant-based alternatives to traditional dairy products increases, incorporating legumes such as white beans into dairy products presents a promising opportunity for developing nutritious and palatable options. This study investigates the physicochemical and sensory properties of a dairy matrix (DM) created by mixing cow's milk with a milk-like extract of white kidney beans in various ratios. Dried white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) were sourced from a local market in Talas, Kyrgyzstan. The beans were soaked overnight, washed, ground with added water, and filtered to obtain a milk-like extract (BMLE), stored at 4°C. The DM was prepared by mixing BMLE with cow’s milk in five proportions (0%:100%, 30%:70%, 50%:50%, 70%:30%, and 100%:0%) and pasteurizing at 95°C for 25 minutes. Adding 40% CaCl2 at 95°C resulted in protein precipitation, forming a curd-like matrix, which was then self-pressed to a moisture content of 68–79% and stored at 4°C. A spreadable dairy matrix was formed in samples containing up to 50% BMLE. These experimental DMs exhibited significantly higher spreadability than the control (100% cow’s milk). Higher BMLE content correlated with increased water holding capacity (WHC) and spreadability. Samples containing BMLE had higher acidity levels compared to the control. Color analysis revealed that samples with BMLE had a more pronounced reddish hue (a*), whereas the control exhibited stronger yellowish and bluish tones (b*). Sensory analysis indicated distinct taste differences between experimental and control samples, although overall acceptability remained comparable.