The invention relates to a method of preparing a whey-derived composition enriched in whey phospholipids and osteopontin (OPN) by membrane filtration, and preferably also enriched in other membrane components from whey. The invention furthermore relates to the whey-derived composition as such, use of the whey-derived composition for increasing the content of OPN in nutritional products, and to nutritional products comprising the whey-derived composition.

The present invention concerns methods of isolating milk proteins. Methods of the invention include charged ultrafiltration processes that use variations in pH to further separate protein species.

Methods and systems for making a high-purity -lactalbumin composition are described. The composition may be made by providing a whey protein mixture, and adding an alkaline solution to the mixture to make the mixture alkaline and promote the aggregation of -lactoglobulin proteins. The alkaline whey protein mixture is filtered into a -LG aggregate composition and a -LA enriched composition. A final -lactalbumin enriched composition sourced from the -LA enriched composition is dried into the high-purity -lactalbumin composition (a powdered dairy composition) that is at least 70 wt. % -lactalbumin on a protein basis. A protease enzyme may optionally be added to the -LA enriched composition to form an enzymatically treated -LA enriched composition that becomes the source of the final -lactalbumin enriched composition.

Disclosed is a protein mixture and also to a food composition including such a mixture for feeding adult individuals, sportsmen and sportswomen, elderly individuals, or individuals requiring an improvement in their physical condition, such as individuals who are ill, bedridden, in a weak state, undernourished or suffering from sarcopenia. The protein mixture includes a mixture of plant proteins and of milk proteins in a hydrolyzed wheat protein/milk protein weight ratio A of between 55/45 and 20/80, wherein the milk proteins are a mixture of casein and serum proteins in a casein/serum protein weight ratio B of between 70/30 and 20/80.

Methods and systems are provided for separation and/or purification of biomolecule(s) from a solution and for demineralization of a solution containing biomolecule(s) and ion(s). The methods and systems described herein include one or more ion exchange membrane(s), (e.g., ion exchange membrane(s) capable of water splitting), in an electrochemical cell, from which bound biomolecule(s) or ion(s) may be recovered from the membrane and separated from other components present in the solution by reversing the polarity of the electrodes. Using methods and systems described herein, biomolecules (e.g., whey proteins and lactose), and ions (e.g., milk salts), are able to be separated and recovered in their native forms with high biological value as premium food grade products. Methods and systems described herein offer a significant advantage over traditional processes used (e.g., in the food and beverage industry), for cost effective and chemical-free processing/extraction of valuable products from complex solutions such as whey.

Starch-free baked comestible goods and aqueous slurries (batters) for preparation of starch-free baked comestible goods include a combination of three different protein components that are protein concentrates or protein isolates, wherein the protein components differ by solubility in water and/or particle size when suspended in an aqueous medium. The combination of three protein components, particularly in certain weight ratios, enables the preparation of starch-free baked comestible goods including doughnuts, muffins, cakes, and bars as well as other commonly recognized desirable comestible formats. The starch-free baked comestible goods have an improved texture and extended shelf-life as compared to previously developed starch-free baked comestible goods.

Process for the treatment of a sweet whey material (SWM) containing cGMP (caseinoGlycoMacroPeptide), comprising the following steps: Decationising the SWM material so as to obtain a sweet whey SW having a pH value of 1 to 4.5; Treating said SW in a fluidized bed reactor comprising a volume of an anionic resin, at 10 to 18 C., wherein said SW contacts said resin so that the resin absorbs between 0% and 100% of the cGMP present in the SW; and Recovering a protein material; Wherein the treating is such that the resin absorbs 30 to 45 g/L of the cGMP present in the sweet whey. Method for producing a protein material from a SWM cGMP, said protein material having a targeted tryptophan/threonine (Trp/Thr) ratio, comprising the following steps: Implementing the treating process twice, wherein the resins absorbs P1 of the cGMP, obtaining a first protein material having Trp/Thr1 and wherein the resins absorbs a percentage P2 of the cGMP, obtaining a second protein material having Trp/Thr2; Drafting the linear calibration curve in a graph (cGMP %; Trp/Thr) by positioning (Trp/Thr1;P1) and (Trp/Thr2; P2) and drawing a line through these two plots; Determining the specific ratio of cGMP present in the SW that the resin should absorb with respect to the targeted Trp/Thr by the calibration curve; and Implementing the process of the invention on the SWM wherein the resins absorbs the specific ratio of cGMP, so that to obtain the protein material having the targeted Tp/Thr.

The invention relates to a whey protein product having a ratio of whey protein to casein in the range from about 25:75 to about less than 50:50, a total protein content of at least 20% on dry matter basis, and a protein content of about 2.5 to about 8% by weight, based on the weight of the product. The product has a favourable amino acid composition and is especially suitable for athletes. The invention also relates to a method for producing a whey protein product, using microfiltration and ultrafiltration. The whey protein product is composed of the ultrafiltration retentate and a casein-containing material at a ratio of whey protein to casein of about 20:80 to about less than 50:50 and a total protein content of at least about 20% on dry matter basis.

A process for the coupled production of sweet whey and lactic acid from acid whey is suggested, comprising the following steps: (a) providing acid whey having a lactic acid content of about 0.1 to about 1% by weight; (b) nanofiltration of the acid whey, obtaining a first permeate P1 and a first retentate R1; (c) optionally, redilution of the first retentate R1 with water to reconstitute the initial dry matter content, and preparation of the second nanofiltration step; (d) nanofiltration or nano-diafiltration of the retentate R1, obtaining a second permeate P2 and sweet whey as a second retentate R2; (e) combining the two permeates P1 and P2 and subjecting the mixture to reverse osmosis, obtaining a third permeate P3 which, substantially, only contains water, and a concentrate of lactic acid as a third retentate R3.

Disclosed is a method for producing a fermented whey protein product with improved stability, which can be incorporated into liquids such as beverages, or foods such as solid or semi-solid foods. In foods such as protein bars, the fermented whey protein product can decrease hardening over time and improve shelf-life. Also disclosed is a method for producing hydrolyzed whey protein with improved flavor.