# US 11,992,024 B2 · Method of producing a low-lactose milk protein isolate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,024 B2 - Document ID: US11992024B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/846,600 - Filed: 2022-06-22 - Published: 2023-12-28 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-22 - Assignees: The Provost, Fellows, Scholars and Other Members of Board of Trinity College Dublin - Applicants: The Provost, Fellows, Scholars and Other Members of Board of Trinity College Dublin - Inventors: Ramesh Babu Padamati; Mukesh Prabhakar Pednekar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992024B2 ## CPC - A23C 9/1512: {containing isolated milk or whey proteins, caseinates or cheese; Enrichment of milk products with milk proteins in isolated or concentrated form, e.g. ultrafiltration retentate} - A23C 9/1422: {by ultrafiltration, microfiltration or diafiltration of milk, e.g. for separating protein and lactose; Treatment of the UF permeate} - A23C 9/16: Agglomerating or granulating milk powder; Making instant milk powder; Products obtained thereby (A23C9/18 takes precedence) - A23J 1/20: from milk, e.g. casein (curds or cheese A23C); from whey - A23C: DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B11/00) - A23J: PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; WORKING-UP PROTEINS FOR FOODSTUFFS; PHOSPHATIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS ## Abstract A method of producing a low-lactose milk protein concentrate comprising the steps of providing a starting liquid milk protein concentrate, pre-treating the milk protein concentration by ultra-sonication, and treating the pre-treated milk protein concentration by diafiltration to provide a calcium depleted low-lactose milk protein concentrate. The process of the invention provides a milk protein concentrate with high levels of protein, less than 1% lactose, and a calcium level that is depleted by at least 20% compared with an untreated milk protein concentrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing a low-lactose milk protein isolate comprising the steps of: providing a starting liquid milk protein concentrate; pre-treating the starting liquid milk protein concentrate by ultra-sonication to provide a pre-treated milk protein concentrate; and treating the pre-treated milk protein concentrate by diafiltration to provide a calcium depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, in which the starting liquid milk protein concentrate comprises as a % of dry matter 70-95% protein, at least 1% lactose, and at least 2% calcium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, in which the starting liquid milk protein concentrate comprises as a % of dry matter 70-87% protein, 1-6% lactose, and 2.3-4% calcium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, in which the calcium-depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate has at least 20% less calcium that the starting liquid milk protein concentrate as a % of dry matter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, in which the calcium-depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate comprises less than 0.55% lactose as a % of dry matter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, in which the calcium-depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate comprises less than 2% calcium as a % of dry matter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, in which the calcium depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate is a milk protein isolate comprising as a % of dry matter less than 0.55% lactose and less than 2% calcium. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, in which the pre-treated milk protein concentrate is treated by diafiltration to a degree of filtration of at least 80% DF. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, in which the diafiltration step employs soft water or a dilute salt solution as a diafiltration media. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, in which the dilute salt solution has a salt concentration of 0.075-0.150M. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of drying the calcium-depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate to a powder. ### Claim 12 A method of producing a low-lactose milk protein isolate comprising the steps of: providing a starting liquid milk protein concentrate; pre-treating the starting liquid milk protein concentrate by ultra-sonication to provide a pre-treated milk protein concentrate; and treating the pre-treated milk protein concentrate by diafiltration to provide a calcium depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate, in which the calcium depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate comprises more than 90% protein as a % of dry matter. ### Claim 13 A method of producing a low-lactose milk protein isolate comprising the steps of: providing a starting liquid milk protein concentrate comprising as a % of dry matter 70-90% protein, 3-6% lactose and 2.3-4.0% calcium; pre-treating the starting liquid milk protein concentrate by ultra-sonication to provide a pre-treated milk protein concentrate; and treating the pre-treated milk protein concentrate by diafiltration to provide a calcium depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate, in which the calcium depleted low-lactose milk protein isolate comprises as a % of dry matter less than 0.55% lactose and less than 2.0% calcium.