The present invention discloses a novel probiotic fermented beverage based on whey, comprising whey and a high probiotic microorganism concentration in the range of 10.sup.7-10.sup.8 CFU/mL, and a method for producing said beverage. The probiotic microorganism is a commercial yogurt culture of Streptococcus salivarus subsp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbruecki subsp. bulgaricus and a commercial culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus. The method for producing the probiotic fermented whey based beverage comprises recovering whey by an enzymatic coagulation process, percolation, enriching and pasteurizing whey, fermentation, sweeting and flavoring. The beverage comprises the following physico-chemical characteristics: pH 5.00.00; titratable acidity 68.01.4 mL NaOH 0.1N/100 mL; total solids 12.40.1% w/v; fat 0.80.1% w/v; protein 10.1% w/v; cinder 0.550.02% w/v; Total sugar 10.00.2% w/v; Reducing sugar 4.200.15% w/v; and Energic value 87.20.00 cal/100 g sample. The beverage comprises the following physico-chemical characteristics and probiotics count at 4 C. and 8 C.: 1-21 day shelf-life; pH 4.77-4.85; titratable acidity 72-73 mL NaOH 0.1N/100 mL; and probiotic count of about 3110.sup.7-3910.sup.7 CFU/mL.

Compositions comprising magnesium enriched liquids re provided. Specifically, compositions comprising magnesium enriched milk and/or milk product, wherein a concentration of magnesium ions in said milk and/or milk product ranges from 8 mM to 25 mM, and methods of producing the same, are provided.

The invention pertains to whey-bound fresh cheese such as cream cheese, and the stabilization thereof using granular starch and an amylomaltase-treated starch and/or an emulsifier, and to methods of making such fresh cheeses. Whey-bound fresh cheeses with these additional ingredients display increased stability, which makes them suitable for application in heated food products. In addition, the invention is directed to food products comprising such whey-bound fresh cheeses, as well to methods of making these food products, and to use of a granular starch and amylomaltase-treated starch for the stabilization of a whey-bound fresh cheese.

Disclosed is a method for producing cheese products having the desirable properties of process cheese without the use of all or part of the emulsifying salts normally used to produce a process cheese.

The present application relates to a microcapsule comprising a core comprising one or more hydrophobic agents dispersed in a gel matrix; a proteolytically-cleavable outer polymer shell surrounding said core; and an enzymatically-cleavable lipid layer between said core and said shell. Also described are methods of making and using the microcapsules.

The invention relates to cheese and cheese-like products comprising about 0.2 to about 6% by weight ?.sub.s-casein, ?-casein, or a combination thereof, at least about 5% by weight of one or more hydrocolloids comprising one or more starches, and wherein the cheese or cheese-like product has one or more characteristics of a dairy product, such as flavour, taste, aroma, body, appearance, texture, firmness, handling, density, structure, coagulation, binding, leavening, aeration, foaming, emulsification, elasticity, viscoelasticity, melt, creaminess and mouthfeel.

The present invention relates to a stabilized starch obtained by reacting under alkaline conditions a base starch having a protein content of less than 0.4% w/w with a reactant capable of forming active chlorine, wherein the reactant is used in an amount sufficient to provide between 4000 and 8200 ppm of active chlorine during the stabilization reaction.

This invention discloses packaged nutritional supplements that have nutritional ingredients derived from green leafy vegetation that shall collectively or singly be useful to fulfill the daily need of supplementation from one or more of a nutrient from green leafy vegetation. One embodiment of this invention discloses a novel packaged composition that comprises at least one fraction of a green leafy vegetation and at least one more ingredient to improve its usability and is source of at least one nutritional ingredient selected from the group dietary fiber, beta carotene, iron, calcium, xanthophylls, folic acid and lysine plus methionine and cystine; wherein the fraction comprises a fibrous fraction, a water soluble deproteinized juice fraction and a water insoluble high protein low fiber fraction as fourth primary fraction. In one embodiment of invention, the contribution of at least one nutrient to the nutrient content of the composition from green leafy vegetation or its fraction is a least 15% of at least content of one nutrient of the composition. Also disclosed is a novel packaged composition comprising pulp of whole edible green leafy vegetation and at least one component of flax-seed in the form of a soup or a food bar. The component of flax seed may be one or more selected from the group of whole flax seed, flax seed cake or flax oil,

The present invention relates to an alginate gum, a method for formation of an alginate gum, optionally in particulate form, and methods of use and the use thereof for example in cheese production.

A method for stabilizing cheese proteins includes preparing a cheese mass comprising cheese curds and whey; adding a stabilizing additive to the cheese mass; straining the cheese mass to separate a cheese curd and whey; and forming the cheese curd into a cheese comprising about 18 to about 35% protein. In some embodiments, the method is modified to allow for a gentler cheese manufacturing process. A cheese composition may include cheese; about 18 to about 35% protein comprising about 0.01 to about 25% of intact protein segments by weight of the protein; and about 0.001 to about 5% of a stabilizing additive.