A method and system for processing a fermented dairy product, including feeding, in a product feed conduit, fermented dairy product to a separator, separating the fermented dairy product into a heavy phase and a light phase, returning a part of the light phase to the product feed conduit, such that the returned part of the light phase is mixed with fermented dairy product that is fed into the separator, while another part of the light phase is removed from the fermented dairy product, such that the heavy phase forms a concentrated, fermented dairy product.

The present invention provides methods of producing a fermented milk product comprising a step wherein milk is fermented, wherein: (a) the fermentation is initiated by a starter culture, which starter culture comprises lactic acid bacteria capable of metabolizing one or several carbohydrates present in the milk, (b) the fermentation is terminated by a decrease of the concentration of the one or several carbohydrates during fermentation, and (c) the decrease is at least also caused by the metabolic activity of the lactic acid bacteria. The invention further provides respective methods comprising a step, wherein at least part of the whey is separated from the fermented milk product.

A method for preparing a cultured dairy product comprising: blending water, ultra-filtered milk and other ingredients to establish a dairy base, fermenting the dairy base to establish an intermediate yogurt product, adding a fat into the intermediate yogurt product, and blending the fat and intermediate yogurt product to produce a high fat and low carb yogurt. The amount of lactose in the dairy base is minimal, basically just enough to enable fermentation. On the other hand, instead of maintaining a low fat level, the fat, preferably a milk fat from butter, is added to increase the overall fat content to establish an overall high fat, low carbohydrate finished yogurt product.

The invention concerns a sweetened strained fermented dairy product comprising a dairy material, at least one steviol glycoside, at least one additive selected from a polysaccharide of fructose units and a salt. The product may further comprise a lactase enzyme.

The invention concerns a sweetened dairy product comprising a dairy material, at least one steviol glycoside, and a lactase enzyme.

The invention concerns a sweetened dairy product comprising a fermented dairy composition, and a specific steviol glycoside composition comprising Rebaudioside B. The invention also concerns specific steviol glycoside compositions comprising Rebaudioside B. The fermented dairy composition may comprise lactase and may be strained fermented dairy composition.

The invention concerns a sweetened dairy product comprising a dairy material, at least one steviol glycoside, at least one additive selected from a polysaccharide of fructose units and a salt.

A method of producing a beverage base or a component for a beverage or a food, providing Greek yogurt acid whey which has been obtained by separating the whey from Greek yogurt during a manufacturing process for the Greek yogurt; removing from the acid whey particulate material having a particle size of greater than 10 m; filtering the whey, directly or indirectly thus obtained to remove from the whey any bacteria and germinated bacterial spores therein having a molecular mass of at least 10,000 Daltons, the filtering being through a filter having a pore size of no greater than 1 m; and filtering the whey, directly or indirectly thus obtained to remove from the whey any enzymes therein having a molecular mass of at least 1,000 Daltons, the filtering being through a filter having a pore size of no greater than 0.1 m.

The invention describes a system of industrial production of strained yogurt which enables the natural straining by means of separation means, with the optimal use of the raw material, with the least possible stressing of the raw material and with the minimum possible loss of useful ingredients in the whey which is removed after straining and with the optimal stability of the characteristics of the final product, in each production batch. The invention describes the critical conditions of processes upstream of (namely before) the straining process, such as the physiochemical features of the raw milk, conditions of pasteurization and homogenization, conditions of incubation etc and the stacks of suitably selected and positioned membranes that are used for the straining, so that the final strained yogurt has the desired physiochemical features (proteins, fat, total solids) upon its exit from the straining rig. During the straining process, the yogurt is consecutively strained at least twice and the process is complemented by the stages downstream of (namely after) the straining, such as the conditions of cooling, storage before packaging, packaging conditions etc., which also are critical factors in order to realize the final outcome.

The invention relates to methods for making strained acidic, for example fermented, dairy products having reduced carbohydrates, compositions comprising strained acidic, for example fermented, dairy products having reduced carbohydrates, and methods for using such compositions, as well as products generated using strained acidic, for example fermented, dairy products having reduced carbohydrates.