Concentrate derived from a milk product enriched in naturally occurring sialyllactose and a process for preparation thereof

Abstract

A concentrate derived from milk or a milk product comprising sialyllactose in amounts higher than the normal amounts found in the milk or milk product and a process for preparation of such a concentrate by ultrafiltration and diafiltration using a thin film polyamide based membrane. The concentrate is suited for use in nutritional products.

1 . A concentrate derived from a milk product enriched in the naturally occurring sialyllactose in the milk product, so that the content of sialyllactose is from 0.32 to 25% by weight, based on dry matter.  
   
   
       2 . A concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein the content of sialyllactose is from 0.4 to 25% by weight, based on dry matter.  
   
   
       3 . A concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein the content of sialyllactose is from 1 to 25% by weight, based on dry matter.  
   
   
       4 . A concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein the content of sialyllactose is from 5 to 20% by weight, based on dry matter.  
   
   
       5 . A concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein the content of sialyllactose is from 10 to 15% of the weight, based on dry matter.  
   
   
       6 . A concentrate according to  claim 1 , wherein the milk product is a whey product.  
   
   
       7 . A concentrate according to  claim 1 , wherein the milk product is a whey retentate.  
   
   
       8 . A concentrate according to  claim 1 , wherein the milk product is a whey permeate.  
   
   
       9 . A composition containing a concentrate according to  claim 1 , which is dried alone or together with one or more carriers.  
   
   
       10 . A composition containing a concentrate according to  claim 1 , which is dried together with one or more carriers chosen from the group consisting of oils and fats, whey, demineralised whey, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, other whey fractions, whey or milk permeate or concentrate, skimmed milk, whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, milk fractions, maltodextrins, sucrose, lactose, native and pregelatinised starches, glucose syrups, casein and casein fractions.  
   
   
       11 . A nutritional composition chosen from the group comprising infant nutrition, protein bars, sports nutrition, drinks, health supplements, food for medical purposes and clinical nutrition, containing a concentrate according to  claim 1  or a composition according to  claim 9 .  
   
   
       12 . A composition according to  claim 11  chosen from the group consisting of an infant formula, follow-on formula, infant cereal product or growing-up milk.  
   
   
       13 . A process for the preparation of a concentrate according to  claim 1  comprising ultrafiltration of a milk product containing naturally occurring sialyllactose followed by diafiltration of the ultrafiltration retentate using the same ultrafiltration membrane, optionally followed by reverse osmosis and or/drying, wherein the membrane is a thin film polyamide based membrane.  
   
   
       14 . A process of  claim 13 , wherein the molecular weight cut off (MWCO) value is 0.5-4 k Dalton.  
   
   
       15 . A Process of  claim 14 , wherein the molecular weight cut off (MWCO) value is 2.5 kD.  
   
   
       16 . A process according to  claim 13 , wherein the ultrafiltration and diafiltration is run at a temperature between 2° C. and 50° C. and a feed pressure between 1 and 50 bar.  
   
   
       17 . A process according to  claim 13 , wherein the ultrafiltration and diafiltration is run at a temperature between 4° C. and 15° C. and a feed pressure between 5 and 20 bar.  
   
   
       18 . A process according to  claim 13 , wherein the ultrafiltration and diafiltration is run at a temperature of about 10° C. and a feed pressure of about 5-7 bar.  
   
   
       19 . A process according to  claim 13 , wherein the composition is further treated by reverse osmosis, crystallisation, chromatography, drying or a combination thereof or drying together with one or more carriers.  
   
   
       20 . A process of  claim 13 , wherein the milk product is a whey product.  
   
   
       21 . A process of  claim 13 , wherein the milk product is a product chosen from the group consisting of whey permeate, whey retentate, fractionated milk retentate or milk permeate.  
   
   
       22 . A process of  claim 13 , wherein the milk product is mother liquid from lactose production.  
   
   
       23 . A concentrate obtainable by the process of  claim 13.