Directly heating a protein-enriched milk product occurs by introducing steam, the direct heating taking the form of an infusion or injection method. The described technique significantly extends service time, ensuring a content of non-denatured whey proteins in the treated protein-enriched milk product greater than that obtained in the prior art. The milk product, which is preheated and kept at temperature is indirectly cooled before direct heating by a recuperative cooling step from the preheating temperature to a cool-down temperature with a temperature difference ranging from 5 K to 10 K. The direct heating from the cool-down temperature to the high pasteurization temperature is controlled by direct heating setting parameters which are known per se. Finally, the milk product is cooled by flash cooling from the high pasteurization temperature to a necessarily required exit temperature.

The present invention relates to a method (200) for producing a heat-treated concentrated dairy product (cdp). The method (200) comprising the steps of passing (210) the dairy product (dp) under a pre-determined pressure through a reverse osmosis, RO, filter (110) at a first temperature, the pre-determined pressure being sufficient to allow reverse osmosis, thereby concentrating the dairy product (dp). Preheating (230) the concentrated dairy product (dp) at a second temperature for a second period of time to stabilize the concentrated dairy product (dp). Homogenizing (240) the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp) to reduce a size of particles in the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp). Heating (250) the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp) at a third temperature for a third period of time to reduce microorganisms in the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp), thereby forming the heat-treated concentrated dairy product (cdp).

Filling line for heat-treating and filling a liquid into containers (e.g., bottles), comprising a pre-heater for pre-heating the liquid, a heater for heating the liquid after pre-heating, a cooler for cooling down the liquid after heating, and a filling unit for filling the liquid into the containers, where the filling line is suitable for hot filling and cold filling, where the liquid path from the pre-heater to the filling unit for hot filling differs from the liquid path from the pre-heater to the filling unit for cold filling, and the filling line comprises a switching option for switching between the two liquid paths; and a method for heat-treating and filling containers with a liquid in which such a filling line is used.

A heat exchanger apparatus has a heating stage with a product side and a hot water side and a cooling stage with a product side and a coolant side, and also regeneration stages with treated and un-treated product sides. There are valves including a cooling stage outlet valve, and pressure sensors, and pumps for pumping process liquid through the product sides. A PLC controller is programmed to operate the pumps with outlet valves closed to pressurize the product sides of the stages at a pressure dynamically maintained by control of the pumps in response to sensed pressure. The valves are controlled to firstly vent the heating and cooling sides of the heating and cooling stages with the product sides pressurized, and then in a second phase to vent the downstream (treated) product sides of regeneration stages. Also, an in-line holding time test is performed by monitoring time for step rises in temperature to reach a temperature sensor and the outlet end of a holding tube.

A heat exchanger apparatus has a heating stage with a product side and a hot water side and a cooling stage with a product side and a coolant side, and also regeneration stages with treated and un-treated product sides. There are valves including a cooling stage outlet valve, and pressure sensors, and pumps for pumping process liquid through the product sides. A PLC controller is programmed to operate the pumps with outlet valves closed to pressurize the product sides of the stages at a pressure dynamically maintained by control of the pumps in response to sensed pressure. The valves are controlled to firstly vent the heating and cooling sides of the heating and cooling stages with the product sides pressurized, and then in a second phase to vent the downstream (treated) product sides of regeneration stages. Also, an in-line holding time test is performed by monitoring time for step rises in temperature to reach a temperature sensor and the outlet end of a holding tube.

Filling line for heat-treating and filling a liquid, comprising a pre-heater (1) for pre-heating the liquid, a heater (2) for heating the liquid after pre-heating, a cooler (3) for cooling down the liquid after heating, an a filling unit (4) for filling the liquid, where the filling line is suitable for hot filling and cold filling, where the liquid path from the pre-heater to the filling unit for hot filling differs from the liquid path from the pre-heater to the filling unit for cold filling, and the filling line comprises a switching option (5) for switching between the two liquid paths; and a method for heat-treating and filling a liquid in which such a filling line is used.

A method for aseptic heating of a liquid product in a heat exchanger unit in a UHT system is described. The heat exchanger unit is a tubular heat exchanger, in which an indirect heat exchange on a wall takes place between the liquid product and a heating medium by a single heating medium flow with a heating medium inlet temperature flowing in a heat-releasing heating medium chamber between a heating medium inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger unit running countercurrent to a flowing single product flow guided in a heat-absorbing product chamber between a product input and output of the heat exchanger unit. A total heat exchanger path is formed between the product input and output, in which the product flow is heated from a product input temperature to a product output temperature. At least the product output temperature and the heating medium inlet temperature are monitored and regulated.

Directly heating a protein-enriched milk product occurs by introducing steam, the direct heating taking the form of an infusion or injection method. The described technique significantly extends service time, ensuring a content of non-denatured whey proteins in the treated protein-enriched milk product greater than that obtained in the prior art. The milk product, which is preheated and kept at temperature is indirectly cooled before direct heating by a recuperative cooling step from the preheating temperature to a cool-down temperature with a temperature difference ranging from 5 K to 10 K. The direct heating from the cool-down temperature to the high pasteurization temperature is controlled by direct heating setting parameters which are known per se. Finally, the milk product is cooled by flash cooling from the high pasteurization temperature to a necessarily required exit temperature.

The present invention relates to a method (200) for producing a heat-treated concentrated dairy product (cdp). The method (200) comprising the steps of passing (210) the dairy product (dp) under a pre-determined pressure through a reverse osmosis, RO, filter (110) at a first temperature, the pre-determined pressure being sufficient to allow reverse osmosis, thereby concentrating the dairy product (dp). Preheating (230) the concentrated dairy product (dp) at a second temperature for a second period of time to stabilize the concentrated dairy product (dp). Homogenizing (240) the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp) to reduce a size of particles in the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp). Heating (250) the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp) at a third temperature for a third period of time to reduce microorganisms in the stabilized concentrated dairy product (dp), thereby forming the heat-treated concentrated dairy product (cdp).