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

The invention relates to methods for reducing off-flavour in milk-related products, said methods comprising the step of oxidizing lactose in a milk-related product to lactobionic acid. The invention further relates to methods of producing packaged, milk-related products, as well as milk-related products produced by the said methods.

The invention relates to the field of food technology and fermented dairy products, more specifically to a novel drinking yoghurt and processes for the manufacture thereof. Provided is method to provide a stabilized drinking yoghurt, comprising the steps of: (i) dissolving powdered amylomaltase-treated starch (ATS) in an aqueous composition under heating to a temperature in the range of 50-80? C., preferably 60-75? C., more preferably 70-75? C., followed by (ii) cooling the solution to a temperature in the range of 2-45? C., preferably 4-25? C., more preferably 4-8? C., to induce the formation of an ATS gel; (iii) preparing a gelled yoghurt by either adding the ATS gel as pre-gel to a conventionally prepared fermented yoghurt, or wherein the ATS gel is formed in situ during the fermentation of a milk product into a yoghurt; and (iv) shearing the gelled yoghurt.

The invention provides protein-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles comprising magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to which a lactose-binding protein or enzyme has been immobilized. The protein-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles are particularly suitable for separating lactose from a lactose-containing solution, such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, flavored milk or the like. The protein-functionalized MNPs can be added to the lactose-containing solution and be allowed to bind to the lactose in the solution. The MNPs, to which the lactose is bound, can then be magnetically removed from the solution, e.g. by applying an external magnetic field.

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.

This invention describes a composition for clotting milk wherein the composition contributes simultaneously to the increase of yield of cheese curd and to the maintenance of adequate proteolysis values which are responsible for the proper development of texture and flavor in specific types of cheese.