Yoghurt Product and Process

Abstract

A yoghurt produced without the need for bacterial fermentation and methods for producing the yoghurt. Milk is mixed with coagulation control ingredients and subjected to a coagulation step. The coagulation control agents may include a mineral salt and an acidulating agent.

1 . A method for making yoghurt from milk comprising:
 combining the milk with at least one salt of a non-toxic divalent cation and   at least one non-toxic acidulating agent; and   coagulating the milk to produce a yoghurt.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of adding nuts to the mixture. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising placing a lid on the container and delivering the container to a store for sale. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the salt of a divalent cation is a chelated mineral. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the salt of a divalent cation is selected from the group consisting of a calcium salt, magnesium salt, an alkaline and an alkaline earth metal. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the salt of a divalent cation is selected from the group consisting of calcium lactate, calcium acetate, calcium carbonate, calcium borogluconate, calcium gluconate, calcium chloride, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, calcium succinate, calcium ascorbate, calcium folate, calcium stearate, calcium glucobionate calcium palmitate and magnesium gluconate. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the acidulating agent is selected from the group consisting of: lactic acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, malic acid, folic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, glucono-gamma-lactone, oxalic acid, and glucobionic acid 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein coagulation includes heating the milk for less than about ten minutes. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the acidulating agent acts to reduce the pH to less than 7. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of adding an artificial sweetener to the mixture. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the coagulation process is accomplished by heating. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the milk is combined with the cation and the acidulating agent in a first step, sealed in a package in a second step, and coagulated in a third step. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the heating is sufficient to substantially reduce the bacterial count. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the heating is performed at about 60° C. for not more than about 60 minutes. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the heating is performed at greater that 60° C. for not more than about 10 minutes. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the package is moved continuously through a heated area, each package residing in the heated area for a time sufficient to cause coagulation. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein batches of packages are placed into a heated area for a time sufficient to cause coagulation and then removed. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the coagulation is performed at more than about 85° C. 
     
     
         19 . A packaged curdled milk product comprising:
 milk curdled without the use of live bacterial cultures;   nuts mixed in with the curdled milk; and   a container for holding the mixture of curdled milk and nuts.   
     
     
         20 . A packaged curdled milk product comprising:
 milk curdled without the use of live bacterial cultures;   a sweetening ingredient mixed in with the curdled milk; and   a container for holding the artificially sweetened curdled milk.   
     
     
         21 . A curdled milk product according to  claim 20 , wherein the sweetening ingredient comprises an artificial sweetener. 
     
     
         22 . A curdled milk product according to  claim 20 , wherein the sweetening ingredient comprises fruit. 
     
     
         23 . A curdled milk product made according to the method of  claim 1  wherein the milk is curdled without the use of live bacterial cultures; and bacteria is added after curdling.