Disclosed are methods for preparing dairy compositions using an ultrafiltration step, a nanofiltration step, and a forward osmosis step.

The present invention concerns a method for concentrating dairy proteins. The method includes producing and using negatively-charged ultrafiltration membranes to achieve high hydraulic permeability with low sieving coefficients. The method thus yields good protein concentration at a fast rate.

A process for manufacturing a demineralized milk protein composition, including a step (ii) of electrodialysis of a milk protein composition on an electrodialyzer, the unit cells of which have three compartments, and configured to substitute at least one cation by at least one hydrogen ion H+ in the milk protein composition to obtain an at least partially demineralized and acidified milk protein composition; a step (iii) of electrodialysis of the milk protein composition obtained in step (ii) on an electrodialyzer, the unit cells of which have three compartments, and configured so as to substitute at least one anion by at least one hydroxyl ion OH− in the milk protein composition.

Dairy products are produced by subjecting a starting dairy material to nanofiltration to remove monovalent ions to produce an ion-depleted dairy permeate; passing the ion-depleted dairy permeate through an ion exchange column and subsequently with a sodium-containing eluting solution to produce sodium phosphate and sodium citrate derived from the starting material; concentrating the sodium phosphate and sodium citrate; and combining the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate with dairy components. The dairy product contains an amount of the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate sufficient to cause fat in the dairy product to be emulsified and protein in the dairy product to be hydrated. In addition or alternatively, a dairy by-product stream may be subjected to ion exchange to remove calcium therefrom; concentrated, and combined with dairy materials naturally containing phosphate and citrate in order to adjust the citrate+phosphate-to-calcium ratio to reach an emulsified dairy product.

The invention relates to a method for producing a milk-based product, comprising the steps of: providing a milk raw material; altering a ratio of casein to total protein of the milk raw material to less than about 0.80; subjecting the milk raw material with the altered ratio of casein to total protein from step b) to a heat treatment at the temperature of at least about 150° C. for a period of at most about 0.3 sec; cooling the heat-treated milk raw material from step c) to provide the milk-based product. The method provides milk-based products with long shelf life and good organoleptic properties.

Disclosed are processes for producing high protein, Greek yogurt products. Such processes can include a step of concentrating a skim milk product to produce a protein-enriched milk fraction, which then can be combined with one or more additional milk fractions to form a yogurt base. The yogurt base is inoculated with a yogurt culture and fermented, and at least a portion of the acid whey is removed from the fermented product using a ceramic ultrafiltration membrane system to form the Greek yogurt product.

Disclosed are methods for preparing dairy compositions using an ultrafiltration step, a nanofiltration step, and a forward osmosis step.

The invention relates to a method for producing a milk-based product, comprising the steps of: providing a milk raw material; altering a ratio of casein to total protein of the milk raw material to less than about 0.80; subjecting the milk raw material with the altered ratio of casein to total protein from step b) to a heat treatment at the temperature of at least about 150° C. for a period of at most about 0.3 sec; cooling the heat-treated milk raw material from step c) to provide the milk-based product. The method provides milk-based products with long shelf life and good organoleptic properties.

A method for highly concentrating aqueous solutions containing thermally sensitive organic constituents and with or without mineral constituents, wherein firstly, a major portion of the water is extracted by membrane filtration from the solution for pre-concentration and is discharged from the process and the solution which is pre-concentrated is then subjected to a freeze concentration procedure, in which, in the form of separated ice crystallisate, further water is extracted from the solution. To promote results, that concentration may be effected in the freeze concentration procedure until a viscosity of the mother solution of at least 0.0002 m.sup.2/s is achieved, and in that the separated ice crystallisate from the freeze concentration with the mother solution adhering thereto as a suspension is returned to the membrane filtration upstream of the membrane filtration or after melting of the ice crystallisate.

The invention relates to a low lactose milk product where the milk protein is hydrolyzed by a protease without negatively affecting the organoleptic properties and appearance of the milk product. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a protein hydrolyzed milk product with a low lactose content.