Yogurt for Dogs

A method for manufacturing a yogurt product by:

• a. mixing together the following dry and wet ingredients, comprising:
• (A) 0% to 88% by weight water;
• (B) 0.2% to 25% by weight of a no-fat protein component comprising material selected from a group consisting of skim milk and cultured skim milk;
• (C) 0.001% to about 6% by weight of a sugar component comprising:
• (C1) 0.001% to 6% polydextrose, and (C2) 0.001% to 6% Glycoses and Galactoses;
• (D) 2% to 8% by weight milk derived solids;
• and (E) 0.2% to 2.5% by weight stabilizers and emulsifiers to form a milk slurry;
• b. heating the milk slurry in a commercial sanitary kettle to about 65° C. (149° F.);
• c. homogenizing the milk slurry at a temperature between 60-75° C. (140-167° F.) and at a pressure ranging from 190 bar to 210 bar (19-21 MPa or 2756-3046 psi) until fat droplets are emulsified and a cream forms that does not separate;
• d. pasteurizing the milk slurry until it is partially sterilized;
• e. passing the milk slurry through a small orifice, so that a shearing effect reduces the diameter of fat globules that form to less than 2 μm to prevent larger fat globules;
• f. heat-treating the milk slurry to between 85° C. (185° F.) and 90° C. (194° F.) for 10 to 30 minutes;
• g. while stirring slowly, waiting for the milk slurry to cool to a fermentation temperature between 43° C. to 46° C. (109° F. to 115° F.);
• h. while stirring slowly, adding lactase enzymes to the milk slurry to hydrolyze lactose into glucose and galactose;
• i. while stirring slowly, adding to the milk slurry eight (8) probiotic cultures, comprising Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii lactis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium animalis lactis, and Staphylococcus Thermophilus Lactis;
• j. adding 0.02% culture to the milk slurry;
• k. pouring the inoculated milk slurry into cups;
• l. applying the code date and lot numbers to the cups;
• m. incubating the cups at about 43° C. (109° F.) for 4-6 hours until the pH reaches 4.4-4.8;
• n. removing the cups from the heat source;
• o. waiting until the cooled final product pH is between 3.8 and 4.4;
• p. cooling the cups rapidly in a refrigerator at about 4° C. (39° F.);
• q. placing the cups in shipping cases;
• r. applying a pallet pattern, and
• s. applying a pallet wrapping and labeling.