# US 11,076,624 B2 · Method for producing a milk-based product

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- Number: US 11,076,624 B2
- Document ID: US11076624B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/550,588
- Filed: 2016-02-11
- Published: 2018-02-01
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-12
- Assignees: Valio Ltd.
- Applicants: Valio Ltd
- Inventors: Harri Kallioinen; Saara Lähtevänoja
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076624B2

## CPC

- A23L 33/40: {Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula}
- A23B 11/12: by heating (by irradiation, e.g. by microwaves A23B11/16)
- A23C 9/1206: {Lactose hydrolysing enzymes, e.g. lactase, beta-galactosidase}
- A23C 9/1422: {by ultrafiltration, microfiltration or diafiltration of milk, e.g. for separating protein and lactose; Treatment of the UF permeate}
- A23C 9/1425: {by ultrafiltration, microfiltration or diafiltration of whey, e.g. treatment of the UF permeate}
- A23C 9/206: {Colostrum; Human milk}
- A23L 33/19: Dairy proteins
- A23C 2210/20: Treatment using membranes, including sterile filtration
- A23C 2210/25: Separating and blending
- A23C 2210/252: Separating a milk product in at least two fractions followed by treatment of at least one of the fractions and remixing at least part of the two fractions
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- A23C: DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B11/00)
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a milk-based product, comprising the steps of: providing a milk raw material; altering a ratio of casein to total protein of the milk raw material to less than about 0.80; subjecting the milk raw material with the altered ratio of casein to total protein from step b) to a heat treatment at the temperature of at least about 150° C. for a period of at most about 0.3 sec; cooling the heat-treated milk raw material from step c) to provide the milk-based product. The method provides milk-based products with long shelf life and good organoleptic properties.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a milk-based product, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a milk raw material;
b) altering a ratio of casein to total protein of the milk raw material to less than about 0.80;
c) subjecting the milk raw material with the altered ratio of casein to total protein from step b) to a heat treatment at the temperature of at least 150° C. for a period of at most 0.3 sec to inactivate plasmin enzyme in the raw milk material;
d) cooling the heat-treated milk raw material from step c) to provide the milk-based product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the heat treatment is performed for a period of at most 0.2 sec.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the milk raw material is selected from a group consisting of full-fat milk, cream, low-fat milk, skim milk, ultrafiltered milk, diafiltered milk, microfiltered milk, lactose-free or low-lactose milk, protease treated milk, recombined milk from milk powder, whey and combination thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the milk raw material of step a) is subjected to pasteurization at 72° C. for 15 sec.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the milk raw material with the altered ratio of casein to total protein is selected from the group consisting of a whey protein concentrate, skim milk, cream, a milk protein concentrate, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein milk protein concentrate is in the form of an ultrafiltration retentate obtained from ultrafiltration of milk.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the whey protein concentrate is obtained by a method comprising the steps:
i) subjecting milk to microfiltration (MF) to provide a MF permeate and a MF retentate;
ii) subjecting the MF permeate to ultrafiltration (UF) to provide a UF permeate and the whey protein concentrate as a UF retentate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein a pore size of the microfiltration membrane is about 0.08 μm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein microfiltration and/or ultrafiltration are/is performed by using diafiltration.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a protein content of the milk-based product is at least of 0.9%.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the milk-based product has a ratio of casein to total protein of less than 0.80.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the milk-based product has an increased protein content up to about 20% and an altered casein/total protein ratio of about 0.70.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the milk-based product has a protein content of about 3% of normal milk and altered casein/total protein ratio of about 0.70.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the milk-based product has a reduced protein content down to about 0.9% and an altered casein/total protein ratio of about 0.40.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 for preparing an infant formula.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the protein content of the infant formula in the range of about 1% to about 1.5%.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the casein content of the infant formula is less than 50% of total protein.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising a lactose hydrolysis step.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the lactose hydrolysis step is performed prior to step c) and/or after step c).

### Claim 20

A method for producing a milk-based product, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a milk raw material;
b) subjecting the milk raw material to microfiltration (MF) to provide a MF permeate and a casein concentrate as a MF retentate;
c) subjecting the MF permeate to ultrafiltration (UF) to provide a UF permeate and a whey protein concentrate as a UF retentate;
d) combining the casein concentrate with the whey protein concentrate, skim milk, milk minerals and water to provide a milk mixture with a ratio of casein to total protein of less than 0.80,
e) subjecting the milk mixture to a heat treatment at the temperature of at least 150° C. for a period of at most 0.3 sec to inactivate plasmin enzyme in the raw milk material;
f) cooling the milk mixture after the heat treatment to provide a milk-based product with no plasmin activity.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the heat treatment is carried out at 157° C. for 0.1 sec.

### Claim 22

A method for producing a milk-based product, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a milk raw material;
b) subjecting the milk raw material to microfiltration (MF) to provide a MF permeate and a casein concentrate as a MF retentate;
c) subjecting the MF permeate to ultrafiltration (UF) to provide a UF permeate and a whey protein concentrate as a UF retentate;
d) combining the whey protein concentrate with skim milk, cream, a lactose concentrate and water to provide a milk mixture with a ratio of casein to total protein of less than 0.80,
e) subjecting the milk mixture to a heat treatment at the temperature of at least 150° C. for a period of at most 0.3 sec to inactivate plasmin enzyme in the raw milk material;
f) cooling the milk mixture after the heat treatment to provide the milk-based product with no plasmin activity.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the heat treatment is carried out at 157° C. for 0.1 sec.