The present invention provides methods of producing a fermented milk product comprising a step wherein milk is fermented, wherein: (a) the fermentation is initiated by a starter culture, which starter culture comprises lactic acid bacteria capable of metabolizing one or several carbohydrates present in the milk, (b) the fermentation is terminated by a decrease of the concentration of the one or several carbohydrates during fermentation, and (c) the decrease is at least also caused by the metabolic activity of the lactic acid bacteria. The invention further provides respective methods comprising a step, wherein at least part of the whey is separated from the fermented milk product.

A low-mineral quark matrix is suggested, which is obtainable by (a) subjecting raw milk to heat treatment, separating the cream, (b) subjecting the skimmed milk such obtained to an ultrafiltration step and/or a reverse osmosis step, producing a retentate R1, which represents a dairy protein concentrate, and a permeate P1, (c) subjecting the permeate P1 to an electrodialysis step, producing a salt-depleted diluate D1, (d) combining the diluate D1 with the retentate R1, (e) subjecting the combination product such obtained to heat treatment until denaturation sets in, (f) fermenting the denaturation product such obtained by the addition of starter cultures and rennet, and (g) adjusting or standardising the fermentation product such obtained to defined dry matter and protein contents.

A quark matrix having improved taste characteristics is suggested, which is obtainable by (a) subjecting raw milk to heat treatment, separating the cream, (b) subjecting the skimmed milk such obtained to a microfiltration step, obtaining a first retentate R1, which represents a first dairy protein concentrate, and a first permeate P1, (c) subjecting the permeate P1 to an ultrafiltration step and/or a reverse osmosis step, obtaining a second retentate R2, which represents a second dairy protein concentrate, and a second permeate P2, (d) subjecting the permeate P2 to an electrodialysis step, obtaining a salt-depleted diluate D1, (e) combining the diluate D1 with the retentate R1, (f) subjecting the combination product such obtained to heat treatment until denaturation sets in, (g) fermenting the denaturation product such obtained by adding starter cultures and rennet, and (h) adjusting the fermentation product such obtained to defined dry matter and protein contents.

The present disclosure relates to a method of producing lactic acid bacteria dual-coated with protein and polysaccharide by using a protein hydrolysate, and lactic acid bacteria having a dual coating, produced by the method. The lactic acid bacteria having a dual coating of protein and polysaccharide, produced according to the present disclosure, have very excellent dry-freezing viability, acid resistance and bile resistance. Accordingly, the lactic acid bacteria having a dual coating of protein and polysaccharide according to the present disclosure will be very useful for the production of fermented milk, processed milk, fermented soy products, processed foods, functional beverages, functional foods, common foods, etc.

The present invention provides a method for producing a fermented food, comprising: a fermentation step of fermenting a raw material milk-containing milk preparation solution added with Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophilus carrying a prtS gene.

The invention relates to a dry compositions for lactic acid bacteria and in particular to a dry composition comprising from 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.13 cfu/g of the composition of lactic acid bacteria cells, wherein the composition is characterized by that it also comprises following amounts of protective agents (all amounts of protective agents below are given relative to 1 g of lactic acid bacteria cells in the composition): from 6 to 9 g of trehalose, from 0.1 to 1 g of inulin and from 0.5 to 3 g of hydrolyzed casein, and by that it does not comprise a salt of alginic acid. The composition has an improved storage stability of the cell of interest. Comparison experiments have been made between compositions with and without alginate and it has been found that there is substantially no difference between compositions with or without alginate with regard to stability. Further, the invention relates to a method for preparing a dry lactic acid bacteria composition.

The invention relates to the use of a Streptococcus thermophilus strain with a deficiency in glucose metabolism for improving growth of a Lactobacillus strain in a process for producing a fermented milk product.

A novel co-fermented food product formed from oats and dairy is described herein. The co-fermented food product includes a grain ingredient, a dairy ingredient, and a bacterial culture. The novel co-fermented food product includes a set of metabolites derived from the co-fermentation of the oat ingredient and the dairy ingredient by the bacterial culture.

The present disclosure relates to non-dairy fermented food products and methods of making non-dairy fermented food products. In particular, methods are disclosed for making non-dairy fermented food products using pea protein and having a desired texture without the use of added stabilizers.

Processes for producing a nutritional supplement that contains sulforaphane, and supplements formed thereby. Such a process includes combining a cruciferous vegetable, for example, broccoli sprouts, with strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus to form a mixture, causing the mixture to undergo lactic acid fermentation, transform a glucosinolate within the cruciferous vegetable to sulforaphane, and yield a fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane, and then producing from the fermented mixture a supplement that can be ingested by an individual.