# US 2013/0156889 A1 · Greek yogurt dips and spreads and production thereof

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- Number: US 2013/0156889 A1
- Document ID: US20130156889A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/325,962
- Filed: 2011-12-14
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14
- Assignees: Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
- Inventors: Craig J. Schroeder; Joshua Paul Busby
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156889A1

## CPC

- A23C 9/137: Thickening substances
- A23C 9/1307: {Milk products or derivatives; Fruit or vegetable juices; Sugars, sugar alcohols, sweeteners; Oligosaccharides; Organic acids or salts thereof or acidifying agents; Flavours, dyes or pigments; Inert or aerosol gases; Carbonation methods}
- A23C: DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B11/00)

## Abstract

High-viscosity Greek yogurt products are provided in the form of a homogeneous mass including from about 20-35% by weight total solids and water, where from about 85-97% by weight of the solids fraction is in the form of dairy solids. The products have a viscosity of from about 60,000-90,000 cP, and are produced by forming a solids-water mixture, heating and homogenizing the mixture, and then culturing the heating and homogenized mixture with a yogurt culture to a break pH of from about 3.5-5. The products can be mixed with any suitable flavoring agent before or during packaging, as desired. The products may be used as spreads or dips, for example.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A Greek yogurt product comprising a homogeneous mass including solids at a level of from about 20-35% by weight mixed with water, from about 85-97% by weight of said solids being dairy solids, said product having a viscosity of from about 60,000-120,000 cP at 100° F., said mass produced by heating and homogenizing a mixture of said solids and said water, followed by culturing the heated and homogenized mixture with a yogurt culture to a pH of from about 3.5-5.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said homogeneous mass having a water content of from about 65-80% by weight.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said solids being present at a level of from about 23-28% by weight.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The product of claim 3, said homogeneous mass having a water content of from about 72-77% by weight.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, from about 88-95% by weight of said solids being dairy solids.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said dairy solids selected from the group consisting of whole milk solids, skim milk solids, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, cream, butter, clarified butter oil, anhydrous milk fat, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said viscosity being from about 68,000-75,000 cP.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said pH being from about 3.9-4.5.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said product having from about 5-15% by weight protein.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The product of claim 9, said product having from about 7-12% by weight protein.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said product having a fat content of from about 2-10% by weight.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The product of claim 11, said product having a fat content of from about 4-8% by weight.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said solids including a water-binding agent.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The product of claim 13, said water-binding agent being selected from the group consisting of hydrocolloids, carbohydrates, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The product of claim 13, said water-binding agent selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan, gelatin, pectin, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, starch, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said mixture being heated to a temperature of from about 150-175° F. for a period of from about 30-90 minutes.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said mixture being homogenized in a single-stage homogenizer at a pressure of from about 800-1500 psi.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, said heated and homogenized mixture being cultured for a period of from about 5-12 hours.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The product of claim 1, including a quantity of flavoring mixed with said homogeneous mass.

### Claim 20

A method of producing a Greek yogurt product comprising the steps of:
forming a mixture of from about 20-35% by weight solids in with water, from about 85-97% by weight of said solids being dairy solids;
heating said mixture;
homogenizing the heated mixture; and
culturing the heated and homogenized mixture with a yogurt culture to a pH of from about 3.5-5 to yield a substantially homogeneous mass, said mass having a viscosity of from about 60,000-120,000 cP at 100° F.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said homogeneous mass having a water content of from about 65-80% by weight.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said solids being present at a level of from about 23-28% by weight.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, said homogeneous mass having a water content of from about 72-77% by weight.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, from about 88-95% by weight of said solids being dairy solids.

### Claim 25 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said dairy solids selected from the group consisting of whole milk solids, skim milk solids, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, cream, butter, clarified butter oil, anhydrous milk fat, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 26 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said viscosity being from about 68,000-75,000 cP.

### Claim 27 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said pH being from about 3.9-4.5.

### Claim 28 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said product having from about 5-15% by weight protein.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, said product having from about 7-12% by weight protein.

### Claim 30 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said product having a fat content of from about 2-10% by weight.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, said product having a fat content of from about 4-8% by weight.

### Claim 32 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said solids including a water-binding agent.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, said water-binding agent being selected from the group consisting of hydrocolloids, carbohydrates, and mixtures thereof

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, said water-binding agent selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan, gelatin, pectin, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, starch, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 35 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said mixture being heated to a temperature of from about 150-175° F. for a period of from about 30-90 minutes.

### Claim 36 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said mixture being homogenized in a single-stage homogenizer at a pressure of from about 800-1500 psi.

### Claim 37 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, said heated and homogenized mixture being cultured for a period of from about 5-12 hours.

### Claim 38 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, including a quantity of flavoring mixed with said homogeneous mass.