iarjmsIARJMSIARJMS2708-3594https://doi.org/10.47310/iarjms.2026.v07i01.001The Use of Plant-Based Quinoa Milk in the Manufacture of a Fermented Milky DrinkShaymaaJawadMahmoodUniversity of Mosul College of Agriculture and Forestry, Mosul, IraqThis study evaluated the chemical composition of quinoa grains, focusing on amino acid profiling before and after soaking, and investigated the feasibility of using quinoa milk as a partial or total substitute for skim cow’s milk in yogurt manufacture. Quinoa milk was incorporated at replacement levels of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, and the products were assessed for physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory properties over 14 days of storage. All analyses were performed in triplicate, and results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of volatile and semi-volatile compounds, including organic acids and nitrogen-containing compounds, tentatively identified using mass spectral libraries. Amino acid analysis confirmed the presence of essential and non-essential amino acids. Soaking affected amino acid levels, with lysine increasing from 10.7 to 14.55 mg/g and phenylalanine decreasing from 16.9 to 12.33 mg/g. Increasing quinoa milk substitution reduced viscosity (2840 to 440 cP) and increased whey separation (25% to 72.5%), while pH decreased from 4.3 to 3.86 after 14 days. Microbiological tests indicated that the total bacterial count and lactic acid bacteria were higher with increasing replacement rates during the storage period. The increase in microbial counts could be associated with the availability of nutrients and fermentable substrates in quinoa milk.  Sensory evaluation showed that the control sample had the highest acceptability, followed by 25% substitution, while higher levels negatively affected quality. In conclusion, partial substitution (25–50%) of cow’s milk with quinoa milk is feasible for producing a fermented product with acceptable sensory and functional properties and further studies are recommended to optimize formulation and improve product stability.