SOURED MILK PRODUCT

Abstract: A compact soured milk product which can be turned out of its container and has an excellent flavour and a fine consist­ ency, which is retained, is described. It is manufactured by fermentation of a mixture of milk and acidforming bacteria in the presence of a hydrocolloid mixture, for exemple, a starch­ containing binder and a starch-free gelling agent. The latter preferably consists of a mixture of pectins and gelatine in a weight ratio of 3 : 2.

Description: Soured milk product The present invention relates to a soured milk product which can be turned out of its container. Known soured milk products, in particular yogurt, sour milk and sour cream are admittedly obtainable in a compact form, but they can only very rarely be turned out of their container and, in particular, they do not retain their consistency. On the contrary, after only a short period, they exhibit signs of syneresis, that is to say they absorb water and the structure disintegrates. There has, however, for a long time been a demand for a spoonable product which can be turned out of its on tainer and which does not have these disadvantages. The present invention relates to a soured milk product which can be turned out of its container and, having been turned out, remains compact for at least 2 to 3 hours and which has Åa pH between 4.2 and the isoelectric point of the product. The product can be in the form of a natural product, but it can also contain various flavouring agents, such as, for example, salt, sweetening agents, agents producing a bitter taste, mocha coffee, caramel, chocolate cream, chocolate, matt products, vanilla, rum aroma, constituents of fruit or vegetables in the form of pieces, purees or juices, aromas and other flavouring agents which are natural, identical to natural agents or artificial. However, the natural product can also have a sauce underneath it, for example a sweet highly viscous mocha coffee, caramel, chocolate or fruit sauce known as a "topping", which on turning out then runs down over the solid milk product, as is known, for example, for caramel toppings. The desired retention of consistency of the product is achieved according to the invention by the use of a hydrocolloid mixture having a particular composition. Thus the present invention further relates to a process for the manufacture of- a soured milk product which can be turned out of its container, of the type defined above, which is characterised in that milk, preferably a milk which has had the dry matter increased, is mixed with a hydrocolloid mixture, which contains at least one starchcontaining binder and at least one starch-free gelling agent, and which preferably, in a 1X aqueous solution at 200C, exhibits a pH of 4.1 to 4.4 and a viscosity of about 25 cps, measured with a Brookfield RVT viscometer, spindle No. 2, 100 rpm, the mixture is homogenised, optionally mixed with flavourings and/or constituents of fruit and/or vegetables, and is fermented in the presence of acid-forming, in particular yogurt-forming, bacteria, the fermentation being terminated at a pH which provides the desired final pH between 4.2 and the isoelectric point of the product. The milk is used in a liquid form, an enriched fresh milk preferably being used. However, a concentrate or a product reconstituted from milk powder can also be used. The hydrocolloid mixture is advantageously used in an amount of about 0.5 per cent by weight relative to the total weight. It preferably contains starch in the form of the starch products customarily used in foodstuffs, such as wheat, maize, rice, tapioca or potato starch in an unmodified or modified form and the like as binder and a mixture of pectin and gelatine, preferably in the weight ratio of 3 : 2, as the gelling agent. The ratio of weights of starch to starch-free gelling agent is generally 1 : 1. If required, stabilisers of known types, for example maltodextrin, can be added to the mixture before fermentation, for example to keep pieces of fruit, vegetables, nuts and the Like in suspension. Furthermore, whole egg or egg yolk in a fresh or dried form, for example in an amount of about 1 to 2 per cent by weight of dry matter relative to the total weight, can be added to the mixture to improve the shine and to refine the flavour. For the production of the soured milk product, in general all micro-organisms known to the specialist can be used, and these do not need to be specified here in more detail, since the relevant data can be taken from any reference book on dairy science, in which all details of fermentation can also be found. Reference may be made, for exampLe, to the work by J.L. Rasic and J.A. Kurmann, "Fermented Milk Products" (published by Techn. Dairy Publish. House, Copenhagen, 1978). Yogurt-forming bacteria are preferably used and the invention is described in the following text in relation to bacteria of this type for purposes of simplicity. Customarily, about 2 to 4 per cent by weight of inoculating bacteria, advantageously a mixture of rod-shaped bacilli and streptococci, are inoculated. Then the mass is filled into containers of the desired size (portion containers or bulk packs). The fermentation is customarily carried out at 42 to 44 C within 3 to 3 1/2 hours. It is terminated, advantageously by cooling, as soon as that pH is achieved which provides the desired final pH. In this context, account should be taken of the fact that a certain degree of after-souring occurs, since the souring action generally cannot be terminated instantaneously. The suitable pH range for the termination of fermentation can, however, be easily determined by a few trials. For example, it is 4.9 to 5 in order to obtain a final pH of about 4.5. When the product is to be sold together with a top- ping or a sauce, compartmented containers can be used, one compartment of which is filled with sauce before closure. A particularly attractive product is obtained when containers, in particular portion containers, are used which are initially provided with a layer of the desired sauce, which advantageously contains about 0.1 to 0.5 per cent by weight of carrageenate, or are optionally provided with caramelised sugar, and then the milk mixture is filled in and subjected to fermentation. The product according to the invention has a very fine and pleasant consistency and exhibits a slight acid flavour, which is very compatible with the flavour of all fruits and vegetables, but, in particular, has a much less disturbing effect on non-acidic types 9f flavour, such as coffee, chocolate, vanilla and the like than was hitherto the case for the conventional soured milk products. The products have the customary stability on storage. In the following examples all percentage data are given as per cent by weight relative to the total weight of the product. In all these examples, the milk components were initially mixed with the hydrocolloid mixture and, if appropriate, the egg and the stabiliser, then the suspension was heated to about 600C, homogenised at 150 to 200 bar and subsequently pasteurised up to 930C. After maintaining this temperature for about 6 minutes, it was pos sibte to add lavourings, such as sugar, salt, constituents of fruit or vegetables and other aroma substances and the mixture was cooled to about 46 to 470C. Then at this temperature, about 3X of a culture of yogurt microbes was inoculated. The product was then filled into tubs which were then sealed Where appropriate, a sauce was initially filled into the tubs. Fermentation was carried out at 42 to 440C for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. At pH 4.9 to 5, it was terminated by cooling. The final product had a pH of about 4.5, could be turned out of its container easily, was compact and had an excellent flavour. The following examples contain the recipes which have been worked out in accordance with the above general process. However, it is emphasised that the above process conditions can be varied in a known manner and that other acid-forming micro-organisms known to the specialist can also be used, for example, Streptococcus cremoris, Streptococcus lactis, Lactobacillus helveticus and others. Example 1 Full-cream milk (3.7X fat) 400.000 kg 83.475X Sugar 49.000 kg 10.200X Skimmed milk powder 13.500 kg 2.800X Maize starch 1.000 kg 0.205X Apple pectin 0.650 kg 0.135Z Gelatine 0.400 kg 0.085X Yogurt culture (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus in a ratio of 6: :4) 15.000 kg 3.100% 479.650 kg 100.000% Example 2 Water 320.000 kg 61.520Z Skimmed milk powder 50.000 kg 9.600% Cream (35X fat) 50.000 kg 9.600X Glucose (dextrose) 35.000 kg 6.700X Potato starch 1.000 kg 0.200% Pectin 0.650 kg 0.120% Gelatine 0.400 kg 0.080% Chicken egg (whole egg) 2.500 kg 0.480% Strawberry fruit base (600 Brix) 26.000 kg 5.0 Fructose 20.000 kg 3.800X Yogurt culture 15.000 kg 2.900% 520.550 kg 100.000X Example 3 Skimmed milk concentrate 150.000 kg 29.850X Water 248.000 kg 49.325% Maltodextrin 45.000 kg 8.950X Butterfat 15.000 3 3.000% Liquid egg yolk 1.500 kg 0.300 Wheat starch 1.000 kg 0.200t Pectin 0.650 kg 0.130% Gelatine 0.400 kg O.O8OX Cyclamate 0.200 kg <RTI ID=7.4> 0.040X Saccharin 0.025 kg 0.005% Yogurt culture 15.000 kg 3.000X 476.775 kg Topping sauce Alsa chocolate sauce 17.000 kg 3.400% Water 7.500 kg 1.500X Stabiliser (maize starch, carrageenate) 1.100 kg 0.200X 502.375 kg 100.000% Example 4 kg % Skimmed milk 335,000 67,70 Glucose sirup (60% dry matter) 85,000 17,17 Sunflower-/peanutoil 15,500 3,13 Maltodextrin 15,000 3,03 Tapioca starch 1,000 0,20 Pectin 0,750 0,15 Gelatine 0,400 0,08 Emulsifier (GMS) Glyceromonostearate 1,350 0,27 Culture (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacterium bifidum in a ratio of 1 : 1) 16,000 3,23 Topping sauce Raspberry pulp 12,000 2,42 Sugar 12,000 2,42 Stabiliser (potato starch, xanthan, carrageenate) 1,000 0,20 495,000 100,00 Example 5 kg % Soybeanmilk* (12% dry matter) 410,000 82, 82 Cane sugar, brown 50,000 10,10 Rice starch 1,000 0,20 Citric pectin 0,750 0,15 Gelatine 0,450 0,09 Whole eggpowder 1,050 0,21 Cherry concentrate (6O0Brix) 16,750 3,38 Culture (mixture of Streptococcus cremoris and Lactobacillus xylosus) 15,000 3,05 495,000 100,00 *Manufactured according to: "Soybeans: Chemistry and Technology" Volume 1 Edited by Allan K. Smith, PH.D. 1977 AVI Publishing Company, Inc. Westport, Connecticut, USA

Claims: Patent Claims 1. Soured milk product, characterised in that it can be turned out of its container, and having been turned out, remains compact for at least 2 to 3 hours and has a pH between 4.2 and the isoelectric point of the product. 2. Milk product according to Patent Claim 1, characterised in that it contains a starch-containing binder and a starch-free gelling agent and, if appropriate, one or more of the following components: egg, salt, sweetening agents, agents for producing a bitter taste, flavouring agents which are natural, identical to natural agents or artificial, constituents of fruit or vegetables and stabitisers. 3. Milk product according to Patent Claim 2, characterised in that it contains, as the starch-containing binder, starch in an unmodified or modified form and, as the starch-free gelling agent, pectins and gelatine in a weight ratio of 3 : 2, the ratio of weights of binder to gelling agent preferably being 1 : 1. 4. Milk product according to one of Patent Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it is contained in a portion container, at the bottom of which there is a sauce. 5. Process for manufacturing a milk product according to Patent Claim 1, characterised in that milk is mixed with a hydrocolloid mixture, which contains at least one starch containing binder and at least one starch-free gelling agent, and which preferably has, in 1% strength aqueous solution at 20 C, a pH of 4.1 to 4.4 and a viscosity of about 25 cps, measured with a Brookfield RVT viscometer, spindle No. 2, 100 rpm, the mixture is homogenised and fermented in the presence of acid-forming, for example yogurt-forming bacteria, the fermentation being terminated at a pH which provides the desired final pH between 4.2 and the isoelectric point of the product. 6. Process according to Patent Claim 5, characterised in that the hydrocolloid mixture consists of 1 part by weight of starch in an unmodified or modified form and 1 part by weight of a mixture of pectins and gelatine in a weight ratio of 3 : 2, and the hydrocolloid mixture is preferably added in an amount of 0.5 per cent by weight relative to the total weight of the product. 7. Process according to Patent Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that after homogenisation of the mixture, flavouring agents which are natural, identical to natural agents or artificial, or mixtures thereof and/or constituents of fruit and/or vegetables are added thereto. 8. Process according to one of Patent Claims 5 to 7, characterised in that before stabilisation of the mixture, whole egg or egg yolk in a fresh or dried state and, if appropriate, stabilisers are added thereto. 9. Process according to one of Patent Claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the fermentation is terminated by cooling, for example at a pH in the range from 4.9 to 5.0. 10. Process according to one of Patent Claims.5 to 9, characterised in that before fermentation the mixture is filled into containers which optionally contain a layer of a sauce or of caramelised sugar.

Inventors: MULLER, GUNTER, VOLLEY, WERNER, ZUMSTEIN, ERNST, Müller, Günter 
Applicants: CPC INTERNATIONAL INC., KNORR NAEHRMITTEL AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A23C9
IPC codes: A23C9, A23L1, A23C11