A centrifugal separator for separating milk into a cream phase and a skim milk phase is described. The separator includes a centrifuge bowl, a disc stack of conical discs arranged inside the centrifuge bowl. The disc stack includes a first set of discs and a second set of discs, the discs in the disk stack includes distribution openings such that the milk passes the first set of discs before passing the second set of discs. The discs in the first set of discs are separated from each other by a first distance, and the discs in the second set of discs are separated from each other by a second distance which is smaller than the first distance.

Pasta filata cheese products of the Mozzarella type are suggested, obtainable or obtained by: (a) subjecting milk to bactofugation or filtration, obtaining a bactofugate or a bacterial concentrate and a treated milk; (b) sterilising and, optionally, standardising the bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (b); (c) blending the treated milk of step (a) with the sterilised bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate of step (b); (d) coagulating the blended product of step (c) while adding starter cultures and/or rennet; (e) separating the coagulated milk of step (d) into whey and curd; (f) processing the whey with fine curd particles contained therein obtained in step (e) into a stable suspension; (g) subjecting the curd obtained in step (e) to heat treatment, and (h) shaping the heat-treated product of step (g),
wherein the suspension produced in step (f) is either added to the bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (a), or to the sterilised bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (b).

Pasta filata cheese products of the Mozzarella type are suggested, obtainable or obtained by: (a) subjecting milk to bactofugation or filtration, obtaining a bactofugate or a bacterial concentrate and a treated milk; (b) sterilising and, optionally, standardising the bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (b); (c) blending the treated milk of step (a) with the sterilised bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate of step (b); (d) coagulating the blended product of step (c) while adding starter cultures and/or rennet; (e) separating the coagulated milk of step (d) into whey and curd; (f) processing the whey with fine curd particles contained therein obtained in step (e) into a stable suspension; (g) subjecting the curd obtained in step (e) to heat treatment, and (h) shaping the heat-treated product of step (g),
wherein the suspension produced in step (f) is either added to the bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (a), or to the sterilised bactofugate or the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (b).

A process for the production of cheese is suggested, comprising or consisting of the following steps: (i) providing milk; (ii) coagulation of the milk while adding starter cultures and/or rennet material; (iii) separation of the coagulated milk of step (ii) into whey and curd; (iv) processing the whey obtained in step (iii) with fine curd particles contained therein into a stable suspension; and (v) further processing of the curd obtained in step (iii) into cheese, characterised in that (a) before the separation of whey and curd, the process contains a further step, wherein milk is subjected to filtration and/or bactofugation, obtaining a bacterial concentrate and a treated milk; (b) the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (a) is sterilised, and the sterilised bacterial concentrate is re-added to the treated milk; and (c) the suspension produced in step (iv) is either added to the bactofugate obtained in step (a), or is added to the sterilised bacterial concentrate obtained in step (b).

A process for the production of cheese is suggested, comprising or consisting of the following steps: (i) providing milk; (ii) coagulation of the milk while adding starter cultures and/or rennet material; (iii) separation of the coagulated milk of step (ii) into whey and curd; (iv) processing the whey obtained in step (iii) with fine curd particles contained therein into a stable suspension; and (v) further processing of the curd obtained in step (iii) into cheese, characterised in that (a) before the separation of whey and curd, the process contains a further step, wherein milk is subjected to filtration and/or bactofugation, obtaining a bacterial concentrate and a treated milk; (b) the bacterial concentrate obtained in step (a) is sterilised, and the sterilised bacterial concentrate is re-added to the treated milk; and (c) the suspension produced in step (iv) is either added to the bactofugate obtained in step (a), or is added to the sterilised bacterial concentrate obtained in step (b).

The present invention provides a centrifugal separator (14) for separation of at least two components of a fluid mixture which are of different densities. The centrifugal separator (14) comprises a stationary frame (15), a spindle (16) rotatably supported by the frame, a centrifuge rotor 17 mounted to a first end of the spindle to rotate together with the spindle around an axis (X2) of rotation, wherein the centrifuge rotor comprises a rotor casing enclosing a separation space (18) in which a stack (10) of separation discs (1) is arranged to rotate coaxially with the centrifuge rotor, a separator inlet (29) extending into said separation space for supply of the fluid mixture to be separated, a first separator outlet (33) for discharging a first separated phase from said separation space, a second separator outlet (34) for discharging a second separated phase from said separation space. The stack of separation discs comprises a set of axially aligned separation discs having a truncated conical shape with an inner surface and an outer surface and comprising a plurality spot-formed spacing members extending from a base from at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface for providing interspaces between mutually adjacent separation discs. The of separation discs comprises at least 200 separation discs having a diameter of at least 300 mm, and the surface density of said spot-formed spacing members is above 25 spot-formed spacing members/dm.sup.2 throughout the inner and/or outer surface of the separation disc.

The present invention provides a centrifugal separator (14) for separation of at least two components of a fluid mixture which are of different densities. The centrifugal separator (14) comprises a stationary frame (15), a spindle (16) rotatably supported by the frame, a centrifuge rotor 17 mounted to a first end of the spindle to rotate together with the spindle around an axis (X2) of rotation, wherein the centrifuge rotor comprises a rotor casing enclosing a separation space (18) in which a stack (10) of separation discs (1) is arranged to rotate coaxially with the centrifuge rotor, a separator inlet (29) extending into said separation space for supply of the fluid mixture to be separated, a first separator outlet (33) for discharging a first separated phase from said separation space, a second separator outlet (34) for discharging a second separated phase from said separation space. The stack of separation discs comprises a set of axially aligned separation discs having a truncated conical shape with an inner surface and an outer surface and comprising a plurality spot-formed spacing members extending from a base from at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface for providing interspaces between mutually adjacent separation discs. The of separation discs comprises at least 200 separation discs having a diameter of at least 300 mm, and the surface density of said spot-formed spacing members is above 25 spot-formed spacing members/dm.sup.2 throughout the inner and/or outer surface of the separation disc.

The invention relates to a method of separating components from milk, and the apparatus used therefor. The invention also relates to compositions prepared from the separated components. The present invention relates to nutritional milk compositions and products which are designed to include per serving size a specified percentage range of one or more components separated from milk. The compositions of the present invention can optionally include non-essential but nutritionally functional components. The complete nutritional milk compositions of the present invention can be provided as unflavored milks, flavored milks, ice creams and yogurts.

Provided are methods for processing milk using one or more procedures that include at least one high pressure treatment, such as High Pressure Jet Processing at a hydrostatic pressure of at least 400 MPa. Food additives and food products that contain processed milk components are also provided, and may be dairy or non-dairy products.

Durable asymmetric composite membranes consisting of a film of cross-linked poly(ether ether ketone) adhered to a sheet of hydrophilic microporous poly(ethylene) are disclosed. The membranes are suitable for use in the recovery or removal of water from feed streams where repeated clean-in-place protocols are required such as in the processing of dairy products.