Process for making a shelf-stable milk based beverage concentrate

Abstract

A concentrate, system and low-temperature process for preparing a shelf-stable milk concentrate that does not require ultra-high temperature thermal processing for control of the microbiology of the product is disclosed herein. The method preferably incorporates aseptic technology and the enzymatic reduction of lactose to control water activity. The method preferably includes the enzymatic conversion of the lactose in the milk to its component sugars glucose and galactose, which preferably changes the colligative properties of the concentrate, decreases the amount of free water, and reduces the osmolarity.

1 . A method for preparing a shelf-stable milk concentrate, the method comprising:
 heating a milk concentrate at 72-125° C. for 0.0001 to 5 minutes; and   adding a lactase enzyme to a milk concentrate to hydrolyze the milk concentrate into a hydrolyzed milk concentrate comprising glucose and galactose whereby the final product is a hydrolyzed, heat-treated milk concentrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 further concentrating the hydrolyzed, heat-treated milk concentrate by low temperature vacuum evaporation, addition of non-fat dry milk solids, or a combination thereof to create a concentrated milk product with a water activity of 0.80-0.90; and 
 aseptically packaging the concentrated milk product. 
 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 adding anhydrous sugar in an amount ranging from 1 to 50 weight percent of the hydrolyzed milk concentrate. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 adding at least one of stabilizers, salt and flavoring. 
 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the flavoring comprises at least one of chocolate, vanilla, and cocoa powder. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5  further comprising:
 homogenizing the hydrolyzed milk concentrate in an aseptic homogenizer. 
 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein the raw milk is heated to a temperature of 100° C. for a time period ranging from 1 second to five minutes to inactivate a plurality of microorganisms and a plurality of enzymes. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 27  further comprising reconstituting the hydrolyzed milk concentrate into a fresh-tasting product. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein thermal exposure of a milk concentrate to ultra-high temperatures (UHTs) is avoided. 
     
     
         13 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the milk concentrate is produced by concentrating a milk product using low temperature, vacuum evaporation. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the milk product is milk of 0.2-3.25% fat or raw milk. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the milk concentrate is conventional condensed milk formulated with stabilizer. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the milk concentrate is heated at 72-79° C. for 30-160 seconds. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the concentrated milk product has greater than 42% solids. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the anhydrous sugar is sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the stabilizers comprise at least one of gums, carboxymethyl cellulose, and emulsifiers. 
     
     
         28 . A method for preparing a shelf-stable milk concentrate, the method comprising:
 heating a milk concentrate at 72-125° C. for 0.0001 to 5 minutes;   adding a lactase enzyme to a milk concentrate to hydrolyze the milk concentrate into a hydrolyzed milk concentrate comprising glucose and galactose, whereby the final product is a hydrolyzed, heat-treated milk concentrate;   adding anhydrous sugar in an amount ranging from 1 to 50 weight percent of the hydrolyzed milk concentrate;   adding at least one of stabilizers, salt, and flavorings;   further concentrating the hydrolyzed, heat-treated milk concentrate by low temperature vacuum evaporation, addition of non-fat dry milk solids, or a combination thereof to create a concentrated milk product with a water activity of 0.80-0.90, wherein thermal exposure of a milk concentrate to ultra-high temperatures (UHTs) is avoided;   and packaging the concentrated milk product in an aseptic container using an aseptic filling machine, wherein the concentrated milk product is a liquid.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the milk concentrate is heated at 72-79° C. for 30-160 seconds