Freeze-dried, aerated dairy or dairy-substitute compositions and methods of making thereof

A method of providing a freeze-dried aerated yogurt product packaged for sale to a consumer, wherein the freeze-dried aerated yogurt composition comprises at least one probiotic and is readily dissolvable to reduce the risk of choking hazards for consumers with restricted or under-developed oral motor skills or digestive functions, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• adding a dry emulsifier directly to one or more dairy or dairy substitute ingredients via high shear blending to form a mixture, wherein the dry emulsifier consists of lactylated monoglycerides and/or lactylated diglycerides;
• pasteurizing the mixture;
• adding a yogurt culture and at least one probiotic to the pasteurized mixture;
• fermenting the pasteurized mixture containing the yogurt culture and the at least one probiotic to provide a fermented mixture;
• aerating the fermented mixture to provide an overrun from about 35% to about 45% prior to freeze-drying;
• freeze-drying the aerated mixture to form the product;
• and
• packaging the product for sale to a consumer, wherein the dairy or dairy substitute ingredient(s) is present in an amount of from about 70% to about 85% by weight of the product, and the dry emulsifier is present in an amount of from about 0.001% to about 1% of the freeze-dried, aerated yogurt product, and wherein the product is readily dissolvable to reduce the risk of choking hazards for consumers with restricted or under-developed oral motor skills or digestive functions and has a hardness value in a range of from about 0.5 to about 8 pounds force peak load, a dissolvability in a range of from about 0.1 to about 8 pounds force peak load, and a viscosity in a range of from about 1000 to about 400,000 cp at a 5 RPM speed of the spindle 6 in a Brookfield Viscometer.

A method of providing a freeze-dried aerated yogurt product packaged for sale to a consumer, wherein the freeze-dried aerated yogurt composition comprises at least one probiotic and is readily dissolvable to reduce the risk of choking hazards for consumers with restricted or under-developed oral motor skills or digestive functions, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• adding a dry emulsifier directly to one or more dairy or dairy substitute ingredients and at least one additional ingredient and mixing via high shear blending to form a mixture, wherein the dry emulsifier consists of lactic acid esters of monoglycerides (LACTEM), and wherein the at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a prebiotic, a starch, a sugar, a sweetener, a stabilizer, a fiber, a fortificant, a gelatin, and combinations thereof;
• pasteurizing the mixture by heating at a temperature in a range of from 170° F. to 210° F. for 1 to 10 minutes;
• adding a yogurt culture, at least one probiotic, and at least one additional ingredient to the pasteurized mixture, wherein the at least one additional ingredient is selected from the group consisting of a fruit puree, a vegetable puree, a flavor, a color, and combinations thereof;
• fermenting the pasteurized mixture containing the yogurt culture and the at least one probiotic at a temperature in a range of from 104° F. to 107° F. for 4 to 6 hours to provide a fermented mixture;
• aerating the fermented mixture to provide an overrun from about 35% to about 45% prior to freeze-drying;
• freeze-drying the aerated mixture to form the product, wherein the product is shaped in a chocolate chip shape having a diameter of from 13 mm to 22 mm, a height of from 7 mm to 12 mm, and a weight of from about 0.8 to about 1.3 g;
• and
• packaging the product for sale to a consumer, wherein the dairy or dairy substitute ingredient(s) is present in an amount of from about 70% to about 85% by weight of the product, and the dry emulsifier is present in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 0.4% of the freeze-dried, aerated yogurt product, and wherein the product is readily dissolvable to reduce the risk of choking hazards for consumers with restricted or under-developed oral motor skills or digestive functions and has a hardness value in a range of from about 0.5 to about 8 pounds force peak load, a dissolvability in a range of from about 0.1 to about 8 pounds force peak load, and a viscosity in a range of from about 1000 to about 400,000 cp at a 5 RPM speed of the spindle 6 in a Brookfield Viscometer.