Bioactive Dairy Products and Processes for Their Manufacture

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid or semi-liquid bioactive dairy composition formed from a bioactive powder containing a colostrum powder and/or milk powder and immunoglobulin G (IgG), water and a food grade acid; the composition having a pH between 2.5-4.0. The bioactive dairy composition can be used in the preparation of a range of ready-to-drink and ready-to-eat food products having bioactive properties. Processes for the preparation of the bioactive dairy composition and the associated food and beverage products is also described.

1 . A ready-to-eat (RTE) or ready-to-drink (RTD) food product including a heat-treated liquid or semi-liquid bioactive dairy composition having a pH of 2.5-4.0, the bioactive dairy composition including;
 a bioactive powder, the powder including a colostrum powder and/or milk powder, and immunoglobulin G (IgG), water and a food grade acid;   wherein the bioactive dairy composition has been heated-treated to 60-150° C.; and   wherein the RTE or RTD food product including the bioactive dairy composition has a retained bioactive IgG level of 20-90% following heating.   
     
     
         2 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition further includes an emulsifier. 
     
     
         3 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition further includes one or more ingredients selected from milk protein concentrate (MPC), whey powder, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, lecithin, butter milk powder, beta serum powder, bovine serum IgG or IgG supplements. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The food product of  claim 2 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition includes 0.08-10% w/w phospholipids. 
     
     
         6 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition has a pH between 3.2-3.9. 
     
     
         12 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition contains 1-45% w/w IgG. 
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition includes 12-90% w/w protein. 
     
     
         18 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition includes a sweetening agent. 
     
     
         21 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The RTD or RTE food product of  claim 1 , wherein the food product is selected from an acidified dairy beverage, UHT acidified dairy beverage, UHT drinking yoghurt, drinking yogurt with live organisms, UHT juice milk drink, acidified milk spread, carbonated drink or beverage including coffee, tea or hot chocolate. 
     
     
         28 . The RTE or RTD food product of  claim 27 , wherein the UHT acidified dairy beverage, UHT drinking yoghurt, UHT juice milk drink, acidified milk spread or carbonated drink has a shelf life at ambient temperature of 3-5 months when packed aseptically. 
     
     
         29 . The RTE or RTD food product of  claim 28 , wherein the food product has retained IgG bioactivity of 70-90% following 3-5 months of storage. 
     
     
         30 . The RTE food product of  claim 1 , wherein the food product is selected from set yoghurt or stirred yoghurt, or the food product is selected from frozen yoghurt, sorbet or sherbet, wherein the frozen yoghurt, sorbet or sherbet have a retained active IgG level of 20-85%. 
     
     
         31 . A process for the preparation of a bioactive dairy composition containing 20-90% retained bioactive IgG, for use as an ingredient in a ready-to-eat (RTE) or ready-to-drink (RTD) food product, the process including;
 a) combining a bioactive powder containing a colostrum powder and/or milk powder, and IgG, with a sweetening agent;   b) adding the bioactive powder and sweetening agent to water having a temperature of 20°-40° C. to form a mix and stirring;   c) following stirring, standardizing to the required percent total solids with water;   d) hydrating the mix of step c) for 25-35 minutes;   e) following hydration, cooling the mix to 2-25° C.; and   f) acidifying the cooled mix of step e) by addition of a solution of food grade acid and stirring to achieve a pH of 3-4;   g) heating the mix produced by step f) to 60-150° C./1-1800 sec;   h) cooling the mix of step g) to 2-25° C.   
     
     
         32 . A process for the preparation of a ready-to-eat (RTE) or ready-to-drink (RTD) food product containing 20-90% retained bioactive IgG, the process including producing a bioactive dairy composition using the process of  claim 31  and incorporating the bioactive dairy composition as an ingredient in the (RTE) or ready-to-drink (RTD) food product. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the mix is aged following step e) for 3-5 hr after cooling. 
     
     
         35 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the process includes the further step of adding an emulsifier to the bioactive dairy composition. 
     
     
         40 - 69 . (canceled) 
     
     
         70 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition containing 20-90% retained bioactive IgG is used as an ingredient in an acidified dairy beverage, UHT acidified dairy beverage, UHT drinking yoghurt, drinking yogurt with live organisms, UHT juice milk drink, acidified milk spread or carbonated drink, set yoghurt, stirred yoghurt, frozen yoghurt, sorbet, tea, coffee or hot chocolate. 
     
     
         71 . A bioactive powder, including a colostrum powder and/or milk powder and immunoglobulins, buffering salts or buffering salts and any one or more of the ingredients selected from  claim 3  as an ingredient for bioactive IgG for use in prepared beverages including coffee, tea and hot chocolate. 
     
     
         72 . A heat-treated, liquid or semi-liquid bioactive dairy composition having a pH of 2.5-4.0, the bioactive dairy composition including;
 a bioactive powder, the powder including a colostrum powder and/or milk powder, and immunoglobulin G (IgG), water and a food grade acid;   wherein the bioactive dairy composition has been heated-treated to 60-150° C.; and   wherein the bioactive dairy composition has a retained bioactive IgG level of 20-90% following said heating.   
     
     
         73 . The bioactive dairy composition of  claim 72 , wherein the bioactive dairy composition further includes buffering salts, or buffering salts and any one or more ingredients selected from an emulsifier, milk protein concentrate (MPC), whey powder, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, lecithin, butter milk powder, beta serum powder, bovine serum IgG or IgG supplements. 
     
     
         74 . The bioactive dairy composition of  claim 73 , for use as an ingredient for prepared beverages including coffee, tea and hot chocolate.