The present invention pertains to a method of producing beta-casein-containing compositions and products obtainable by such methods. More particularly, the invention pertains to a method of producing beta-casein compositions using controlled microfiltration first at a temperature higher than 20 degrees C., followed by cooling of the retentate to 0-15 degrees C. and a second microfiltration of the cooled composition resulting in beta-casein containing permeate.

A process for preparing lactose-free skimmed, partially skimmed and whole milk is proposed in which: (1) the milk is pasteurized and skimmed; (2) the skimmed milk is hydrolyzed enzymatically by a lactase; (3) the hydrolyzed skimmed milk is microfiltrated to obtain an ultrafiltration retentate (RMF) and a microfiltration permeate (PMF); (4) the PMF is ultrafiltrated and an ultrafiltration retentate (RUF) and an ultrafiltration permeate (PUF) are obtained, 5) the PUF is nanofiltrated and a first nanofiltration retentate (RNF1) and a first nanofiltration permeate (PNF1) are obtained, 6) the PNF1 is nanofiltrated to obtain a second nanofiltration retentate (RNF2) and a second nanofiltration permeate (PNF2), and 7) final step: lactose-free milk is obtained by mixing one or more of the fractions deriving from one or more of the previous steps.

The invention concerns native whey protein for use in the treatment and/or prevention of intestinal infection or inflammation, in particular necrotizing enterocolitis. The inventors found that native whey protein provides a beneficial effect on intestinal infection or inflammation.

The invention concerns an infant formula product comprising intact and native whey protein for use in reducing or preventing allergic response. The infant formula product comprises whey protein having a nativity value of at least 90% and/or which is obtainable by a process comprising: (a) processing defatted milk into a casein stream, a whey protein stream and a lactose stream, by: (i) subjecting the defatted milk to microfiltration over a membrane capable of retaining bacteria and permeating milk proteins or to a pasteurization step, to provide a debacterialized milk; (ii) subjecting the permeate originating from step (i) to microfiltration over a membrane capable of retaining casein and permeating whey proteins, to provide a casein stream as retentate and a permeate comprising whey protein; (iii) fractionating the permeate originating from step (ii) into a whey protein stream and a lactose stream; (b) combining at least part of the casein stream, at least part of the whey protein stream originating from step (a) and a lactose source to obtain a recombined stream; (c) optionally pasteurization of the recombined stream from step (b), (d) using the recombined stream originating from step (b) or (c) in the manufacture of the infant formula product.

Dairy products are produced by subjecting a starting dairy material to nanofiltration to remove monovalent ions to produce an ion-depleted dairy permeate; passing the ion-depleted dairy permeate through an ion exchange column and subsequently with a sodium-containing eluting solution to produce sodium phosphate and sodium citrate derived from the starting material; concentrating the sodium phosphate and sodium citrate; and combining the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate with dairy components. The dairy product contains an amount of the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate sufficient to cause fat in the dairy product to be emulsified and protein in the dairy product to be hydrated. In addition or alternatively, a dairy by-product stream may be subjected to ion exchange to remove calcium therefrom; concentrated, and combined with dairy materials naturally containing phosphate and citrate in order to adjust the citrate+phosphate-to-calcium ratio to reach an emulsified dairy product.

The invention concerns native whey protein for use in (a) improving intestinal maturation; and/or (b) reducing and/or preventing intestinal permeability. The inventors found that native whey protein provides a beneficial effect on intestinal maturation and permeability.

A process for producing pure lactic acid from a whey by-product rich in lactose and minerals, for example delactosed why permeate or concentrated whey permeate, is described. The method comprises upstream steps of neutralising the whey by-product with a basic metal hydroxide to form a precipitate comprising calcium and phosphate, and separating the precipitate from the whey by-product to provide a clarified whey by-product. The clarified whey by-product is fermentated by a bacterium capable of bioconversion of lactose to lactic acid to provide a fermentation broth containing a lactic acid salt. In the downstream steps, the fermentation broth is acidified to release lactic acid from the lactic acid salt, precipitate from the broth produced by acidification is removed, and the acidified fermentation broth is treated to recover pure lactic acid by removal of residual salts, and water, and optionally protein. The process of the invention produces lactic acid having a purity of 80-98% and an isomeric purity of >98% L-lactic acid using a process that employs upstream removal of divalent salts by chemical precipitation, bacterial fermentation of the demineralised substrate, and minimum downstream processing of the fermentation broth. The methods of the invention may also be employed with milk permeates.

Dairy products are produced by subjecting a starting dairy material to nanofiltration to remove monovalent ions to produce an ion-depleted dairy permeate; passing the ion-depleted dairy permeate through an ion exchange column and subsequently with a sodium-containing eluting solution to produce sodium phosphate and sodium citrate derived from the starting material; concentrating the sodium phosphate and sodium citrate; and combining the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate with dairy components. The dairy product contains an amount of the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate sufficient to cause fat in the dairy product to be emulsified and protein in the dairy product to be hydrated. In addition or alternatively, a dairy by-product stream may be subjected to ion exchange to remove calcium therefrom; concentrated, and combined with dairy materials naturally containing phosphate and citrate in order to adjust the citrate+phosphate-to-calcium ratio to reach an emulsified dairy product.

The invention pertains to a process for simultaneous producing an infant formula product and an acidic dairy product from defatted animal milk, comprising (a) processing the milk into a casein stream, a whey protein stream and a lactose stream, by: (i) subjecting the defatted animal milk to a filtration step over a microfiltration membrane capable of retaining bacteria and permeating milk proteins, to provide a debacterialized milk as permeate; (ii) subjecting the permeate originating from step (i) to a filtration step over a microfiltration membrane capable of retaining casein and permeating whey proteins, to provide a casein stream as retentate and a permeate comprising whey protein; (iii) fractionating the permeate originating from step (ii) into a whey protein stream and a lactose stream; (b) combining part of the casein stream, at least part of the whey protein stream originating from step (a) and a lactose source to obtain a recombined stream, wherein the lactose source comprises acid whey; (c) using the recombined stream originating from step (b) in the manufacture of the infant formula product; (d) using part of the casein stream originating from step (a) in the manufacture of the acidic dairy product. The invention further concerns the infant formula product obtainable by step (c) of the process according to the invention, and to the acidic dairy product obtainable by step (d) of the process according to the invention.

The invention pertains to a process for simultaneous producing an infant formula product and a dairy product from defatted animal milk, comprising (a) processing the milk into a casein stream, a whey protein stream and a lactose stream by a combination of microfiltration and ultrafiltration, wherein the casein stream originates from the microfiltration as retentate, the whey protein stream originates from the ultrafiltration as retentate and the lactose stream originates from the ultrafiltration as permeate; (b) combining at least part of the whey protein stream originating from step (a) and a lactose source to obtain are combined stream; (c) using the recombined stream originating from step (b) in the manufacture of the infant formula product; and (d) using at least part of the casein stream originating from step (a) and defatted animal milk in the manufacture of the dairy product. The invention further concerns the infant formula product obtainable by step (c) of the process according to the invention, and to the dairy product obtainable by step (d) of the process according to the invention.