Disclosed are processes for preparing dry or powder dairy compositions having low lactose contents and containing polyphenol compounds. The resultant dry or powder dairy compositions can be used to form reconstituted fluid dairy products, which can have improved organoleptic properties, such as less cooked flavor, sulfur odor, and brown color.

The invention relates to a method of producing a dairy concentrate, comprising the steps of: providing an ingredient composition comprising micellar caseins and whey proteins and having a pH of 6.1-7.1 and a concentration of 3-25 wt. % of proteins, and wherein the ingredient composition has a casein to whey protein ratio of 90/10-60/40, adding 3-25 mM divalent cations to provide a concentration of 3-8 mM free divalent cations in the ingredient composition, homogenising the ingredient composition; and subsequently pasteurising and stirring the ingredient composition at a temperature of 80°-105° C. for a period of 0.5-3 min to form agglomerated proteins comprising caseins and beta-lactoglobulin from the whey proteins, the agglomerates having a size of 3-50 microns as measured by D(4,3) mean diameter. The invention also relates to a method with an ultra-high temperature treatment of the ingredient mix. Furthermore, the invention relates to a dairy concentrate comprising aggregated proteins comprising micellar casein and whey protein aggregates, wherein the product has a pH of 6.0-7.1, a concentration of 6-55 wt. % milk solids, a casein to whey protein ratio of 90/10-60/40, and a concentration of 3-8 mM free divalent cations, and wherein the agglomerates having a size of 3-50 microns mean diameter D(4,3) as measured by laser diffraction.

The invention provides a gas infused milk product, wherein the gas infused milk product comprises a lactose hydrolyzed concentrated milk infused with a soluble gas. The invention also provides methods of making such a product. Such methods include providing milk (skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, whole milk, half and half, cream or other milk product) and concentrating and hydrolyzing the milk with lactase to from a lactose hydrolyzed milk concentrate. The milk can be concentrated in vacuo (in a vacuum) in order to remove the dissolved gasses from the lactose hydrolyzed milk concentrate. Soluble gasses, such as nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide are then introduced into the lactose hydrolyzed milk concentrate to form a gas infused milk concentrate. In one aspect of this invention, the gas infused milk concentrate is then introduced into a stream of carbonated or still water resulting in a gas infused milk beverage.

The invention provides a gas infused milk product, wherein the gas infused milk product comprises a lactose hydrolyzed concentrated milk infused with a soluble gas. The invention also provides methods of making such a product. Such methods include providing milk (skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, whole milk, half and half, cream or other milk product) and concentrating and hydrolyzing the milk with lactase to from a lactose hydrolyzed milk concentrate. The milk can be concentrated in vacuo (in a vacuum) in order to remove the dissolved gasses from the lactose hydrolyzed milk concentrate. Soluble gasses, such as nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide are then introduced into the lactose hydrolyzed milk concentrate to form a gas infused milk concentrate. In one aspect of this invention, the gas infused milk concentrate is then introduced into a stream of carbonated or still water resulting in a gas infused milk beverage.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a liquid dairy concentrate, the method comprising: providing a liquid dairy ingredient having a fat content of at least 35 wt %; concentrating the liquid dairy ingredient by ultrafiltration and/or diafiltration to obtain a concentrated liquid dairy ingredient as the retentate; adding sucrose and/or trisodium citrate to form a modified retentate; blending the modified retentate with one or more further ingredients; and homogenising the blend to form a liquid dairy concentrate, wherein, during the step of blending the modified retentate with said one or more further ingredients, the modified retentate is at a temperature of at least 60 C.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a liquid dairy concentrate, the method comprising: providing a liquid dairy ingredient having a fat content of at least 35 wt %; concentrating the liquid dairy ingredient by ultrafiltration and/or diafiltration to obtain a concentrated liquid dairy ingredient as the retentate; adding sucrose and/or trisodium citrate to form a modified retentate; blending the modified retentate with one or more further ingredients; and homogenising the blend to form a liquid dairy concentrate, wherein, during the step of blending the modified retentate with said one or more further ingredients, the modified retentate is at a temperature of at least 60 C.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the method comprising: forming a dairy composition by: (i) adding a sugar composition to a dairy liquid; or (ii) blending a sugar solution with a dairy liquid, and spray-drying the dairy composition to form a spray-dried dairy powder comprising amorphous sugar, wherein the sugar composition or the sugar solution provides from 10 to 40 wt. % sugar by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder and wherein the sugar is selected from sucrose, lactose and a mixture thereof.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the method comprising: forming a dairy composition by: (i) adding a sugar composition to a dairy liquid; or (ii) blending a sugar solution with a dairy liquid, and spray-drying the dairy composition to form a spray-dried dairy powder comprising amorphous sugar, wherein the sugar composition or the sugar solution provides from 10 to 40 wt. % sugar by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder and wherein the sugar is selected from sucrose, lactose and a mixture thereof.

Disclosed are processes for preparing dry or powder dairy compositions having low lactose contents and containing polyphenol compounds. The resultant dry or powder dairy compositions can be used to form reconstituted fluid dairy products, which can have improved organoleptic properties, such as less cooked flavor, sulfur odor, and brown color.

Disclosed are processes for preparing dry or powder dairy compositions having low lactose contents and containing polyphenol compounds. The resultant dry or powder dairy compositions can be used to form reconstituted fluid dairy products, which can have improved organoleptic properties, such as less cooked flavor, sulfur odor, and brown color.