US 5,672,373 AGranted

Method of producing anhydrous whole milk power having full fat recovery for further use

OwnerVan Millerinventor

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Abstract

Anhydrous milk powder is prepared to have substantially the same constituent ingredients as dry whole milk powder that is manufactured using conventional processes, except that 100% of the fat constituent is available as fat. Whole milk is first separated into skim milk and anhydrous butter fat; the skim milk is dried by removing all of the available free water therefrom; and the resultant anhydrous skim milk powder solids are combined in a selected amount together with a further selected amount of the separated anhydrous butter fat constituent in a ribbon blender. The resultant blended product has the same constituent make-up as ordinary dry whole milk, but all of the fat constituent is recoverable as fat. The anhydrous milk powder of the present invention is intended primarily for use by the chocolate industry, in the manufacture of milk chocolate, but may also be utilized for other purposes such as the manufacture of dry baking mixes, or other prepared foods, where the dry whole milk powder is not to be rehydrated.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method for production of dry milk powder having a fat content equivalent to that of dry whole milk, wherein substantially all of the fat content is recoverable as fat when said dry milk powder is blended as dry whole milk powder into milk chocolate or dry baking mixes;

said method comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining unhomogenized whole milk having butter fat, water, lactose, and protein constituents;
(b) extracting the butter fat as anhydrous fat from the whole milk so as to leave said water, lactose, and protein constituents thereof as skim milk;
(c) storing said extracted butter fat at temperatures below 40.degree. C.;
(d) drying said skim milk by removing all the available free water therefrom, thereby leaving anhydrous skim milk powder solids comprising said lactose and protein constituents, and any bound water remaining in said lactose and protein constituents;
(e) placing a selected mount of said anhydrous skim milk powder solids into a ribbon blender;
(f) heating a selected amount of said extracted butter fat to a temperature above 40.degree. C. so as to render said extracted butter fat into a liquid oil;
(g) adding said selected amount of heated liquid oil into said ribbon blender, over time, while slowly agitating said anhydrous skim milk powder and said heated oil as it is added thereto;
(h) continuing to agitate said selected amount of anhydrous skim milk powder and said selected amount of liquid oil until they are a thoroughly blended mixture while permitting said blended oil and skim milk powder mixture to cool;
(i) removing said blended mixture from said ribbon blender;
and
(j) setting aside said blended mixture for use as dry whole milk powder from which substantially all of said fat content in said dry whole milk powder is recoverable as fat.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.