Low-sugar dairy beverages

3:

• A ready to drink aseptic beverage consisting essentially of:
• 0.3-2 wt % of milk fat;
• 0.1-2 wt % of a cocoa component;
• up to about 4.5 wt. % of added sugar;
• and
• a stabilizing system consisting essentially of a first stabilizing component and a second stabilizing component,
• the first stabilizing component is (1) microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC);
• and (2) carrageenan from 0.005 wt. % to 0.015 wt. % of the beverage,
• the second stabilizing component is hydroxypropyl starch in an amount from 0.05 wt. % to 0.75 wt. % of the ready to drink aseptic beverage, the stabilizing system is present in an amount that maintains the ready to drink aseptic beverage in a homogenous state for at least three months in ambient storage;
• and
• skim milk.

4:

• A ready to drink beverage comprising:
• 0.3-2 wt % of milk fat;
• 0.1-2 wt % of a cocoa component;
• 0-4.5 wt. % of added sugar;
• skim milk;
• and
• a stabilizing system consisting essentially of:
• 0.02-0.3 wt. % of cellulose;
• 0.005-0.015 wt. % of carrageenan;
• 0.01-0.075 wt. % of high acyl gellan;
• and
• 0.05-0.75 wt. % of hydroxypropyl starch.

6:

• The ready to drink beverage of claim 1, wherein the ready to drink beverage consists essentially of the milk fat;
• the cocoa component;
• the stabilizing system;
• the added sugar;
• and the skim milk.

7:

• The ready to drink aseptic beverage of claim 3, wherein the ready to drink aseptic beverage consists essentially of the milk fat;
• the cocoa component;
• the stabilizing system;
• the added sugar;
• and the skim milk.

8:

• The ready to drink beverage of claim 4, wherein the ready to drink beverage consists essentially of the milk fat;
• the cocoa component;
• the added sugar;
• the skim milk;
• and the stabilizing system.