Exopolysaccharide-Enriched Yoghurt and Other Fermented Milk Products

Abstract

Exopolysaccharide-Enriched Yoghurt and Other Fermented Milk Products The present invention relates to exopolysaccharide-enriched yoghurt and other milk products, and a method for the production of yoghurt or other fermented milk products, comprising the following steps: Inoculation of a starter medium with a starter culture, said starter culture comprising an exopolysaccharide-producing micro-organism, An exopolysaccharide production step wherein the pH of said starter medium is kept stable at a predetermined pH value at a suitable temperature, and An acidification step to allow clotting of the starter medium.

1 . A method for obtaining yoghurt or other fermented milk products, comprising: 
 inoculating a starter medium with a starter culture comprising an exopolysaccharide producing microorganism;    maintaining a constant pH for at least one hour while culturing the exopolysaccharide producing microorganism in the starter medium at a suitable temperature for producing exopolysaccharide from the starter medium; wherein the culturing increases the exopolysaccharide content of the yoghurt or other fermented milk products as compared to the exopolysaccharide content of the starter medium;    clotting the starter medium by lowering the pH, thereby obtaining yoghurt or other fermented milk products.    
     
     
         2 . A yoghurt or fermented milk product, wherein the product has an exopolysaccharide content of at least 150 mg per liter.  
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein the product has an exopolysaccharide content of at least 175 mg per liter.  
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein the product has a viscosity of at least 300 mPa.s.  
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein the product was prepared from a starter medium of supplemented milk.  
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein said product comprises  S. thermophilus  LMG P-19262.  
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 6 , wherein said product comprises a micro-organism selected from the group consisting of any exopolysaccharide producing  S. thermophilus , Lb.  delbrueckii  subsp.  bulgaricus , thermophilic lactic acid bacterium,  Lactococcus lactis , or mesophilic lactic acid bacterium strain or any combination or mutant or recombinant thereof.  
     
     
         8 . A yoghurt or fermented milk product obtainable by the method of 
 inoculating a starter medium with a starter culture comprising an exopolysaccharide producing microorganism;    maintaining a constant pH for at least one hour while culturing the exopolysaccharide producing microorganism in the starter medium at a suitable temperature for producing exopolysaccharide from the starter medium; wherein the culturing increases the exopolysaccharide content of the yoghurt or other fermented milk products as compared to the exopolysaccharide content of the starter medium; and    clotting the starter medium by lowering the pH, thereby obtaining yoghurt or other fermented milk product;    wherein the product has an exopolysaccharide content greater than the content of the starter medium.    
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the product has an exopolysaccharide content of at least 150 mg per liter.  
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the product has an exopolysaccharide content of at least 175 mg per liter.  
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the product is prepared from a starter medium of supplemented milk and the product has a viscosity of at least 300 mPa.s.  
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the viscosity of the product is at least 2.5 times the viscosity of the starter medium.  
     
     
         13 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein said product comprises  S. thermophilus  LMG P-19262.  
     
     
         14 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein said product comprises a micro-organism selected from the group consisting of any exopolysaccharide producing  S. thermophilus , Lb.  delbrueckii  subsp.  bulgaricus , thermophilic lactic acid bacterium,  Lactococcus lactis , or mesophilic lactic acid bacterium strain or any combination or mutant or recombinant thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein said starter medium is milk.  
     
     
         16 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein said constant pH value lies between 5.5 and 6.9 and said suitable temperature lies between 37 and 44° C.  
     
     
         17 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the constant pH value is 6.2 and the suitable temperature is 42° C.  
     
     
         18 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the starter medium is cultured at a constant pH until 25 to 50% of lactose of the starter medium is consumed.  
     
     
         19 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the starter medium is cultured at a constant pH until 50% of lactose in the starter medium is consumed.  
     
     
         20 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the constant pH is maintained by one or more additions of a food-grade base.  
     
     
         21 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the product is clotted by termination of the pH control, followed by a spontaneous acidification by addition of food grade acid.  
     
     
         22 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the product is clotted by ceasing maintenance of constant pH and continuing to culture the exopolysaccharide producing microorganism.