Tree nuts are rich in macro and micronutrients, phytochemicals, tocopherols and phenolic compounds. The development of nut spreads would potentially increase the food uses of nuts and introduce consumers with a healthier, non-animal breakfast snack food. Nut spreads are spreadable products made from nuts that are ground into paste. Roasting and milling (particle size reduction) are two important stages for the production of nut spreads that affected the textural, rheological characteristic and overall quality of the nut spread. Textural, color, and flavor properties of nut spreads play a major role in consumer appeal, buying decisions and eventual consumption. Stability of nut spreads is influenced by its particle size. Proper combination of ingredients (nut paste, sweetener, vegetable oil and protein sources) is also required to ensure a stable nut spread product is produced. Most of the nut spreads behaved like a non-Newtonian pseudo-plastic fluid under yield stress which help the producers how to start pumping and stirring of the nut spreads. Similar to other high oil content products, nut spreads are susceptible to autoxidation. Their oxidation can be controlled by application of antioxidants, using processing techniques that minimize tocopherol and other natural antioxidant losses.

In an attempt to develop a new beverage from pistachio nuts, the effect of different methods of making paste, which involved grinding soaked kernels (method 1) and milling roasted kernels (method 2), as well as the blending time (20 or 30 min) and pH (6.5, 7.5 or 8.5) of the slurry on the pistachio milk compositions (protein, fat, total dry matter and total soluble solid), was evaluated. The taste and flavor of the pistachio milk were improved by the addition of sugar, vanillin and salt. The overall acceptability of the products was evaluated by 25 untrained panelists using hedonic test. The best processing conditions were milling the roasted kernels and blending the pistachio paste with water at pH 8.5 for 30 min. The most preferred flavor of pistachio milk is made by the addition of 5.0% sugar, 0.02% vanilla and 0.0% salt. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study describes a process for preparing pistachio milk from small-sized and unsplit pistachio nuts that cannot be used for direct human consumption. This product can be served as a substitute for animal milk.