Food products and systems and methods for their production involve microfiltration (MF) of fluid skim to form a MF retentate, combining the MF retentate with cream and subjecting the combination to ultrafiltration (UF) to form a UF retentate. Prior to UF, the composition is formed of non-acidified components. Following UF, the UF retentate is acidified and forms a food product including a high solids content. The solids content may be further increased using evaporation. The resulting cheese or cheese base contains a lower whey protein ratio in a fat:casein:whey protein ratio compared to systems and methods that do not employ MF.

Method for the production of dextran comprising the following steps: prepare a culture medium containing the appropriated mixture and balance of ingredients, mainly after accurate selection of nature and concentration of carbon and nitrogen sources, with a specific initial pH, inoculate the culture medium with an appropriated quantity of bacteria strain (to standardize the production and avoid as much as possible the variability of the system); carry out the fermentation for a given time and at a given temperature; precipitate the dextran to separate the product from the culture medium; the bacteria strain is a strain of Weissella cibaria.

Dry matter content in curd is adjusted by feeding starting product into a nozzle separator while determining a content of dry matter and/or protein, and measuring mass flow of the starting product. The nozzle separator separates the starting product into whey and curd fractions, which are separately discharged from the separator and the mass flow of the whey fraction is measured. Mass flow rate of supplied starting product is adjust based on the determined content of dry matter or protein of the starting product, measure mass flow of the starting product, and measured mass flow of the whey fraction. A determination of the dry matter content and/or the protein content of the curd fraction is carried out based on the determined mass flow of the starting product and the mass flow of the whey fraction and the determined dry matter content and/or protein content of the starting product.

Dry matter content in curd is adjusted by feeding starting product into a nozzle separator while determining a content of dry matter and/or protein, and measuring mass flow of the starting product. The nozzle separator separates the starting product into whey and curd fractions, which are separately discharged from the separator and the mass flow of the whey fraction is measured. Mass flow rate of supplied starting product is adjust based on the determined content of dry matter or protein of the starting product, measure mass flow of the starting product, and measured mass flow of the whey fraction. A determination of the dry matter content and/or the protein content of the curd fraction is carried out based on the determined mass flow of the starting product and the mass flow of the whey fraction and the determined dry matter content and/or protein content of the starting product.

Disclosed is a method for the manufacturing of pasta filata cheese, wherein skim milk is first supplied to a transport system having a plurality of separate transport containers, wherein curd is produced from the skim milk in the region of a first process section of the transport system, by the addition of acidification cultures; wherein the curd produced is coagulated in the region of a second process section, wherein the coagulated curd is exposed to an acidification process for an acidification period in the region of a third process section; and wherein the acidified curd is removed from the transport system in an outgoing section at the end of the acidification period and is supplied to a subsequent process step in which the acidified curd is divided into portions. The curd remains in the transport system up to the removal of the curd after the end of the acidification process.

The invention relates to a cheese includes angiogenin and/or angiogenin hydrolysate in an amount of 6.5 mg/100 g to 160 mg/100 g, and lactoperoxidase and/or lactoperoxidase hydrolysate in the mass ratio to the angiogenin and/or angiogenin hydrolysate of 0.3 to 33.

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.

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).