The invention concerns a sweetened dairy product comprising a dairy material, at least one steviol glycoside, and a lactase enzyme.

The present invention relates to a method of producing an ideal whey protein concentrate. The present invention relates also to an ideal whey protein concentrate and its uses in in reducing the total milk protein content and/or in increasing the whey protein content of a spoonable acidified milk product. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of producing a spoonable acidified milk product having high whey protein content but a reduced total milk protein content. The present invention relates also to a spoonable acidified milk product having high whey protein content but a reduced total milk protein content.

The invention relates to improved acid whey compositions, having an improve lactose content and stability. The invention also relates to processes of making such compositions.

The present invention pertains to a new type of food ingredient containing a combina-tion of insoluble whey protein particles having a particle size in the range of 1-10 micron (referred to as type A particles) and acid-gellable whey protein aggregates (referred to as type B particles). The invention furthermore pertains to whey protein-based, yo-ghurt-like products containing the combination of type A and type B particles and to methods of producing the food ingredient and the whey protein-based, yoghurt-like products.

The invention concerns a sweetened strained fermented dairy product comprising a dairy material, at least one steviol glycoside, at least one additive selected from a polysaccharide of fructose units and a salt. The product may further comprise a lactase enzyme.

Novel cheese products and methods of producing such cheese products that include a biogenerated exopolysaccharide (EPS) formed in-situ and separate from the main cream cheese fermentation. In some approaches, the methods and cheese products herein build a unique texture and/or microstructure that permits the cheese to utilize a simplified ingredient line while still mimicking the desired organoleptic characteristics of more-conventional, full-ingredient cheese.

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 5.0±0.00; titratable acidity 68.0±1.4 mL NaOH 0.1N/100 mL; total solids 12.4±0.1% w/v; fat 0.8±0.1% w/v; protein 1±0.1% w/v; cinder 0.55±0.02% w/v; Total sugar 10.0±0.2% w/v; Reducing sugar 4.20±0.15% w/v; and Energic value 87.2±0.00 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 31×10.sup.7-39×10.sup.7 CFU/mL.

The application is directed to a method to manufacture pasta-filata cheese based on cultures comprising or consisting of either 1) at least a galactose-positive Streptococcus thermophilus strain as defined herein or 2) at least a Streptococcus thermophilus strain and a Lactococcus lactis strain, and to a stretched curd or cheese produced by this method. The application is also directed to a culture or kit-of-part comprising or consisting of a) a galactose-positive Streptococcus thermophilus strain as defined herein, and b) Lactococcus strain(s) and/or Lactobacillus helveticus strain(s).

The invention concerns a sweetened dairy product comprising a dairy material, at least one steviol glycoside, and a lactase enzyme.

Fermented milk bases and methods of making fermented milk bases are disclosed. Such fermented milk bases are solid and contain little or no non-dairy stabilizers and non-dairy thickeners. Also disclosed are packaged food products including the disclosed fermented milk bases.