# US 9,872,888 B2 · Use of a nucleotide for improving the heat stability of an aqueous micellar casein composition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,888 B2 - Document ID: US9872888B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/232,240 - Filed: 2012-07-16 - Published: 2014-05-15 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-18 - Assignees: N.V. Nutricia - Applicants: Esther Jacqueline Petra De Kort; Marcel Minor - Inventors: Esther Jacqueline Petra De Kort; Marcel Minor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872888B2 ## CPC - A61K 38/1709: {from mammals} - A23L 33/13: Nucleic acids or derivatives thereof (A23L33/145 takes precedence) - A23L 33/19: Dairy proteins - A23L 33/40: {Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula} - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - A61K 38/00: Medicinal preparations containing peptides (peptides containing beta-lactam rings A61K31/00; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, A61K31/00; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type A61K31/48; containing macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units A61K31/74; medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00; medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients, e.g. peptides as drug carriers, A61K47/00) - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract The invention relates to the use of one or more nucleotides for improving the heat stability of an aqueous micellar casein composition comprising 6 to 20 g per 100 ml of micellar casein, and having a pH of about 6 to 8. The invention also relates to heat-treated liquid nutritional compositions comprising 6 to 20 g, preferably 9-20 g, of protein per 100 ml of the composition and having a pH of about 6 to 8, in which all or a major part of said protein comprises micellar casein, further comprising one or more nucleotides. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for improving the heat stability of an aqueous micellar casein composition having a pH of about 6 to 8 and comprising (a) 11 to 20 g of protein per 100 ml of the composition, in which at least 80 wt % of the protein comprises micellar casein, and wherein 0-15 weight % of the protein present in the nutritional composition comprises whey, the method comprising adding (b) 45 to 120 mEq.L−1 of one or more nucleotides to the composition, wherein the composition has a heat coagulation time (HCT) value which is at least 10% higher than the HCT value for a reference composition not including the one or more nucleotides. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the nucleotides are selected from the group consisting of uridine monophosphate (UMP), cytidine monophosphate (CMP), thymidine monophosphate (TMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and inosine monophosphate (IMP). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the monophosphate is a sodium phosphate, a potassium phosphate, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the nucleotide monophosphate is disodium uridine monophosphate or disodium cytidine monophosphate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein 45 to 100 mEq.L−1 of the one or more nucleotides is added to the composition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein 45 to 60 mEq.L−1 of the one or more nucleotides is added to the composition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least 80 wt % of the proteins of the composition is micellar casein proteins of the composition are micellar casein. ### Claim 8 A liquid nutritional composition having a pH of about 6 to 8 and comprising: (a) 11 to 20 g of protein per 100 ml of the composition, in which at least 80 wt % of the protein comprises micellar casein, and wherein 0-15 weight % of the protein present in the nutritional composition comprises whey, and (b) 45 to 120 mEq.L−1 of one or more nucleotides, wherein the composition has a heat coagulation time (HCT) value which is at least 10% higher than the HCT value for a reference composition not including the one or more nucleotides. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The composition according to claim 8, wherein the nucleotides are selected from the group consisting of uridine monophosphate (UMP), cytidine monophosphate (CMP), thymidine monophosphate (TMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and inosine monophosphate (IMP). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The composition according to claim 9, wherein the monophosphate is a sodium phosphate, a potassium phosphate, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The composition according to claim 10, wherein the nucleotide monophosphate is disodium uridine monophosphate or disodium cytidine monophosphate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The composition according to claim 8, wherein the composition comprises 45 to 100 mEq.L−1 of the one or more nucleotides. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The composition according to claim 12, wherein the composition comprises 45 to 60 mEq.L−1 of the one or more nucleotides. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The composition according to claim 8, wherein at least 90 wt % of the protein comprises micellar casein. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The composition according to claim 8, further comprising one or more of fat, digestible and non-digestible carbohydrates. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The composition according to claim 8, wherein the composition is pasteurized or sterilized. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The composition according to claim 8, wherein the composition is subjected to a temperature of at least 60° C. for at least a time t (in seconds)=(500/(T−59))−4, in which temperature T is expressed in ° C. and t is at least 0.1 sec. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The composition according to claim 8, wherein the composition has a sterilizing value or Fzero value of at least 2.8 minutes. ### Claim 19 A process for the heat treatment of an aqueous micellar casein composition having a pH of about 6 to 8 and comprising (a) 11 to 20 g of protein per 100 ml of the composition, in which at least 80 wt % of the protein comprises micellar casein, and wherein 0-15 weight % of the total protein present in the composition comprises whey, the process comprising adding (b) 45 to 120 mEq.L−1 of one or more nucleotides to the composition prior to the heat treatment, wherein the composition has a heat coagulation time (HCT) value which is at least 10% higher than the HCT value for a reference composition not including the one or more nucleotides. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, wherein 45 to 100 mEq.L−1 of the nucleotide(s) is added to the composition. ### Claim 21 (depends on 8) A method of providing nutrition to a person in need thereof, comprising administering to said person the nutritional composition according to claim 8, wherein the person is an elderly person, a person who is in a disease state, a person who is recovering from a disease state, a person who is malnourished, or a healthy person. ### Claim 22 A liquid nutritional composition having a pH of about 6 to 8 and comprising: (a) 11 to 20 g of protein per 100 ml of the composition, in which at least 80 wt % of the protein comprises micellar casein, and wherein 0-15 weight % of the protein present in the nutritional composition comprises whey, and (b) 45 to 120 mEq.L−1 of one or more nucleotides, wherein the composition does not show coagulation after heating for 90 minutes in a Klarograph using a 126° C. oil bath. ### Claim 23 (depends on 8) The liquid nutritional composition according to claim 8, wherein the composition has an energy density of at least 1.0 kcal/ml.