Protein beverage and method of making the same

A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:

• admixing in water a juice to achieve a percent by weight of about 0% to about 98% juice, a protein, wherein said protein is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 2% to about 15%, and an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 3.4, thereby obtaining an admixture;
• heating said admixture to a temperature ranging from about 140° F. to about 188° F. for a time period ranging from about 60 seconds to about 10 seconds;
• cooling said admixture to a temperature of about 40° F. or less over a time period ranging from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes;
• and
• wherein said protein beverage is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose;
• and
• packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage.

A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:

• about 0% by weight to about 98% by weight juice;
• about 2% by weight to about 15% by weight protein, wherein said protein is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose;
• about 0% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume;
• and
• wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 3.4 and is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose, wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and wherein said protein beverage is essentially free of pathogenic microbes known to be harmful to human health, both at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and for a time period of at least one year after packaging.

A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:

• admixing in water a juice to achieve a percent by weight of about 0% to about 98% juice, a protein, wherein said protein is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 2% to about 15%, an alcohol to achieve a percent by weight of alcohol in the admixture of about 0% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume, and an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 3.4, thereby obtaining an admixture;
• heating said admixture to a temperature ranging from about 140° F. to about 188° F. for a time period ranging from about 60 seconds to about 10 seconds;
• cooling said admixture to a temperature of about 40° F. or less over a time period ranging from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes;
• and
• wherein said protein beverage is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose;
• and
• packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage.

A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:

• about 0% by weight to about 100% by weight juice;
• about 0.01% by weight to about 15% by weight protein wherein said protein is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose;
• and
• wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 14 and is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose, wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and wherein said protein beverage is essentially free of pathogenic microbes known to be harmful to human health, both at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and for a time period of at least one year after packaging.

A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:

• admixing in water a juice to achieve a percent by weight of about 0% to about 100% juice, a protein, wherein said protein is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 0.01% to about 15%, and an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 3.4, thereby obtaining an admixture;
• heating said admixture to a temperature ranging from about 140° F. to about 188° F. for a time period ranging from about 60 seconds to about 10 seconds;
• cooling said admixture to a temperature of about 40° F. or less over a time period ranging from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes;
• and
• wherein said protein beverage is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose;
• and
• packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage.

A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:

• about 0% by weight to about 100% by weight juice;
• about 0.01% by weight to about 15% by weight protein, wherein said protein is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose;
• about 0% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume;
• and
• wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 3.4 and is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose, wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and wherein said protein beverage is essentially free of pathogenic microbes known to be harmful to human health, both at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and for a time period of at least one year after packaging.

A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:

• admixing in water a juice to achieve a percent by weight of about 0% to about 100% juice, a protein, wherein said protein is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 0.01% to about 15%, an alcohol to achieve a percent by weight of alcohol in the admixture of about 0% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume, and an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 3.4, thereby obtaining an admixture;
• heating said admixture to a temperature ranging from about 140° F. to about 188° F. for a time period ranging from about 60 seconds to about 10 seconds;
• cooling said admixture to a temperature of about 40° F. or less over a time period ranging from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes;
• and
• wherein said protein beverage is essentially free of lactose and hydrolyzed lactose;
• and
• packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage.