A process for treating milk including the steps of: a homogenization step wherein the milk is maintained at a temperature of below about 60° C.; and, a high pressure processing step, wherein the milk is subjected to an elevated pressure above about 350 MPa wherein the elevated pressure of the high pressure processing step does not induce an increase in the temperature of the milk in excess of a limiting temperature of about 60° C. during the high pressure processing step.

A solid food has a solid form obtained by compression molding a powder. Where a dissolution process from the solid food starting to dissolve until completely dissolving is measured over time on the basis of electric conductivity, times at which a dissolution ratio where electric conductivity at the time of finish of dissolution is 100%, reaches 20%, 63%, and 95% are t.sub.20, t.sub.63, and t.sub.95, and times (sec) at which the dissolution ratio of a reference solid food, formed under conditions in which a difference in weight with the solid food is within ±0.3%, a difference in surface area is within ±2%, a difference in hardness is within ±4%, and a humidification treatment temperature is 100° C. or lower, reaches 20%, 63%, and 95% are t.sub.20ref, t.sub.63ref, and t.sub.95ref, a solubility index (I.sub.d) represented by the following Formula (1) is less than 1.

I.sub.d=(t.sub.20/t.sub.20ref+t.sub.63/t.sub.63ref+t.sub.95/t.sub.95ref)/3  (1)

A concentration method and equipment. The concentration method includes the step of performing reverse osmosis concentration processing on raw milk by using a reverse osmosis membrane. The reverse osmosis concentration processing includes low-pressure reverse osmosis membrane concentration processing and high-pressure reverse osmosis membrane concentration processing, wherein in the low-pressure reverse osmosis membrane concentration processing, reverse osmosis concentration processing is performed on feeding materials by using a first predetermined pressure, and in the high-pressure reverse osmosis membrane concentration processing, the reverse osmosis concentration processing is performed on the feeding materials by using a second predetermined pressure, the first predetermined pressure being lower than the second predetermined pressure. The concentration equipment includes a temporary storage unit, a homogenizing unit, and a particular concentration unit.

The present invention relates to high pressure processing (HPP) methods of and containers for preparation of food products such as solid or semi-solid foods, beverages and food supplements containing high-pressure sensitive probiotics and other high-pressure sensitive substances, which maintain their viability, biological activity and other beneficial properties in the prepared food product. The present invention also relates to pasteurized food products containing biologically active high-pressure sensitive probiotics, other high-pressure sensitive substances, or their combinations.

The method of the invention is characterized in that in the first phase the device installation is filled with processed liquid product, yielding a low pressure zone and then the processed liquid product is introduced under high pressure into the cavitation process, where moving at a rate of not less than 3 m/s and under pressure of not less than 20 bar is introduced to the cavitation and rotation location of the separated streams of the processed liquid product, which rotating in the further part, in the longitudinal axis of the cavitator, move in the opposite directions, resulting in differential pressure leading to cavitation process with effects characteristic for sterilization and homogenization with heterogeneous parameters, wherein in the next phase a separation takes place into a liquid product, which has a particle size larger than 600 nm and a liquid product which has a particle size smaller than 600 nm, wherein the liquid product of larger particle size is directed to cooling and complementary cavitation reprocessing, and the liquid product of smaller particle size is subjected to particle size analysis control, by which the liquid product, which meets the preset parameters, is directed to the finished product acceptance, and the liquid product which does not meet the acceptance criteria is sent to the next reprocessing. The device of the invention is characterized in that it comprises a low pressure pump (2), which is used to fill the device installation with processed liquid product, wherein in a subsequent operation the particle size analyzer (7) switches the high pressure pump (1) on, introducing at a pressure not less than 20 bar the processed liquid product into the cavitator (3), where the cavitation process takes place, the resulting liquid product having a heterogeneous structure is introduced into the separator centrifuge (4), in which takes place, depending on parameters, the separation of the flow into the heat exchanger (5) and the cavitation reprocessing, and the flow through the valve (6) to the particle size analyzer (7), which directs the liquid product to the reception point.

A high temperature food heating device includes a high temperature heating tank composed of three tanks, which are a main tank, a front reserve tank and a reserve tank, each of the front and rear reserve tanks has a first storage part having an opening at the upper part and a second storage part communicating with the first storage part at the lower part of the first storage part and having an opening at the upper part. In the high temperature food heating device, a communication chamber for communicating between a water surface of each of the second storage parts of the front reserve tank and the rear reserve tank and a water surface of the main tank and storing a liquid or a gas inside is provided, and a high pressure gas or a pressurized liquid is supplied from a high pressure fluid supply section into the communication chamber.

Food compositions comprising a milk ingredient and oats are described. Food compositions described provide a convenient alternative to overnight oats. Food products containing food compositions that include a milk ingredient and oats, as well as methods of making and using such food compositions and food products are also described.

Provided are methods for processing milk using one or more procedures that include at least one high pressure treatment, such as High Pressure Jet Processing at a hydrostatic pressure of at least 400 MPs. Food additives and food products that contain processed milk components are also provided, and may be dairy or non-dairy products.

The present invention relates to high pressure processing (HPP) methods of and containers for preparation of food products such as solid or semi-solid foods, beverages and food supplements containing high-pressure sensitive probiotics and other high-pressure sensitive substances, which maintain their viability, biological activity and other beneficial properties in the prepared food product. The present invention also relates to pasteurized food products containing biologically active high-pressure sensitive probiotics, other high-pressure sensitive substances, or their combinations.

An HPP system uses large polymer based bags (20) to increase the amount of food product or other flowable product that can fit into a HPP carrier (22). Each bag 20 has a filling fitment (24), to which a flow valve (26) can be attached. The bag (20) is inserted into the carrier (22) and then the fitment (24) is manually or automatically connected to a flow valve (26). Next, the product is pumped into the bag (20) through a hose or pipe (30) which is attached to the flow valve. Thereafter, the flow valve (26) is removed and the fitment closed, and then carrier (22) together with the bag is inserted into the HPP press for high pressure processing of the product. After the HPP process, the flow valve is used to un-fill the treated product from the bag (20).