Non-gelling milk concentrates

A process for producing concentrated milk comprising:

• (1) providing an initial dairy liquid;
• (2) adding a calcium-binding buffer to the initial dairy liquid to form a first dairy substrate;
• (3) concentrating the first dairy substrate using ultrafiltration to form a partially concentrated milk;
• (4) diluting the partially concentrated milk with a low-calcium diluent to form a second dairy substrate;
• and
• (5) concentrating the second dairy substrate using diafiltration to form the concentrated milk;
• wherein the concentrated milk has reduced calcium levels and macromolecular milk components at about a 3.5 times or greater concentration as compared to the initial dairy liquid, wherein the concentrated milk is in an ungelled state, and wherein the concentrated milk does not gel on extended refrigerated storage.

A process for producing concentrated milk comprising:

• (1) providing an initial dairy liquid;
• (2) concentrating the initial dairy substrate to form a partially concentrated milk a first dairy substrate;
• (3) adding a calcium-binding buffer to the partially concentrated milk to form a first dairy substrate;
• (4) diluting the first dairy substrate with a low-calcium diluent to form a second dairy substrate;
• and
• (5) concentrating the second dairy substrate to form the concentrated milk;
• wherein concentrated milk has reduced calcium levels and macromolecular milk components at about a 3.5 times or greater concentration as compared to the initial dairy liquid, wherein the concentrated milk is in an ungelled state, and wherein the concentrated milk does not gel on extended refrigerated storage.

A process for producing concentrated milk comprising:

• (1) providing an initial dairy liquid;
• (2) concentrating the initial dairy liquid using microfiltration to form a partially concentrated milk;
• (3) adding a calcium-binding buffer to the partially concentrated milk to form a first dairy substrate;
• (4) diluting the first dairy substrate with a low-calcium diluent to form a second dairy substrate;
• and
• (5) concentrating the second dairy substrate using ultrafiltration and diafiltration to form the concentrated milk;
• wherein concentrated milk has reduced calcium levels and macromolecular milk components at about a 3.5 times or greater concentration as compared to the initial dairy liquid, wherein the concentrated milk is in an ungellded state, and wherein the concentrated milk does not gel on extended refrigerated storage.