US dairy alternatives brand Eclipse Foods has launched what it describes as a category-first: a shelf-stable plant-based milk that replicates the molecular structure of milk, available to foodservice partners.

While most plant-based milks aim to imitate traditional dairy milk, Eclipse claims that its whole plant milk product is truly ‘indistinguishable’ thanks to the company’s production process.

Eclipse’s R&D team, led by VP of product development Ben Roche, took isolated proteins from peas and chickpeas to replicate traditional dairy milk’s molecular structure.

According to the company, this allows it to deliver on flavour, stability, sweetness and whiteness – areas that can prove challenging when it comes to developing high-quality plant-based milk alternatives.

The milk foams in hot and cold milk, and can hold its foam as long, ‘if not longer,’ than conventional dairy, the team said. It has also been developed to ensure it does not settle at the bottom of drinks, and offers a neutral flavour.

Thomas Bowman, co-founder and CEO of Eclipse, said: “We are so proud to debut the first ever non-dairy milk that looks, tastes and acts like conventional dairy. It is a saturated market, but we knew we could develop an outstanding product that wasn’t just an imitation of dairy, but a true replacement.”