Patent EA-004447-B1 (EA)
Title: Sterile, stable milk and method for the production thereof
Inventor: LINDQIST ANDERS
IPC: A23C3/033
Filed: 2001-11-09
Abstract: 1. A process for forming a stable, sterile milk fraction for storage under ambient conditions comprising: filtering a raw milk portion to form a permeate; sterilizing the permeate at a temperature of from about 72 degree C to about 121 degree C to form a sterile permeate. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein said sterilizing occurs for a period of time of about 1 minute or less. 3. The process of claim 1, wherein said sterilizing is by direct heating or indirect heating. 4. The process of claim 3, wherein said sterilizing is by indirect heating. 5. The process of claim 4, wherein said stabilizing occurs during said sterilizing. 6. The process of claim 1, wherein said stabilizing occurs for a period of time of from about 1 second to about 15 minutes. 7. The process of claim 1, wherein said stabilizing occurs at the same temperature as said sterilizing. 8. The process of claim 1, wherein said stabilizing and said deactivating enzymes occur at the same temperature as one step. 9. The process of claim 1, wherein said deactivating enzymes occurs for a period of time of from about 1 second to about 15 minutes. 10. The process of claim 1, wherein said deactivating enzymes occurs at a lower temperature than said stabilizing. 11. The process of claim 1, wherein said filtering comprises passing the raw milk portion through at least one filter having an effective pore size of about 0.5 mum or less. 12. The process of claim 11, wherein there is more than one filter in parallel and the permeate of each filter is combined for said sterilizing. 13. The process of claim 11, wherein there is more than one filter aligned in serial, and wherein a first serial filter has an effective pore size of about 0.5 mum or less and a subsequent serial filter has the same or smaller effective pore size than the first serial filter, and wherein the permeate of the first serial filter is passed through the subsequent serial filter to form a second permeate, and the second permeate is subjected to said sterilizing. 14. The process of claim 13, wherein the subsequent serial filter has an effective pore size of about 0.3 mum or less. 15. The process of claim 11, wherein said sterilizing the permeate occurs at a temperature of from about 90 degree C to about 105 degree C. 16. The process of claim 11, wherein the permeate is free of all heat resistant bacteria. 17. The process of claim 1, wherein said filtering comprises passing the raw milk portion through at least one filter having an effective pore size of about 0.3 mum or less. 18. The process of claim 17, wherein there is more than one filter in parallel and the permeate of each filter is combined for said sterilizing. 19. The process of claim 17, wherein there is more than one filter aligned in serial, and wherein a first serial filter has an effective pore size of about 0.3 mum or less and a subsequent serial filter has the same or smaller effective pore size than the first serial filter, and wherein the permeate of the first serial filter is passed through the subsequent serial filter to form a second permeate, and the second permeate is subjected to said sterilizing. 20. The process of claim 19, wherein the subsequent serial filter has an effective pore size smaller than that of the first serial filter. 21. The process of claim 17, wherein said sterilizing the permeate occurs at a temperature of from about 78 degree C to about 98 degree C. 22. The process of claim 17, wherein the permeate is free of all heat resistant and thermoduric bacteria. 23. The process of claim 1, wherein said filtering reduces the number of microorganisms in the permeate as compared to the raw milk portion by a factor of at least about log 6. 24. The process of claim 1, wherein said filtering reduces the number of microorganisms in the permeate as compared to the raw milk portion by a factor of at least about log 8. 25. A stable, sterile milk fraction made by the process of claim 1. 26. The stable, sterile milk fraction of claim 25, having a shelf life of at least about two months under ambient conditions. 27. The stable, sterile milk fraction of claim 25, having a shelf life of at least about three months under ambient conditions. 28. The stable, sterile milk fraction of claim 25, having a shelf life of at least about one year when stored at from about 4 degree C to about 8 degree C. 29. The stable, sterile milk fraction of claim 25, having an amino-N content after a specified storage period of about 30 mg/L or less. 30. A stable, sterile milk product comprising the milk fraction of claim 25. 31. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 30, wherein the stable, sterile milk product is a consumer beverage with a fat content of at least about 0.05%. 32. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 30, having a shelf life of at least about 2 months under ambient conditions. 33. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 30, having a shelf life of at least about 3 months under ambient conditions. 34. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 30, having a shelf life of at least about one year when stored at from about 4 degree C to about 8 degree C. 35. A process for forming a stable, sterile milk product comprising: separating raw milk into a cream fraction and a raw milk portion; heating the cream fraction at a temperature of at least about 121 degree C to form a sterile cream fraction; filtering the raw milk portion to form a permeate; sterilizing the permeate at a temperature of from about 72 degree C to about 121 degree C to form a sterile permeate; stabilizing the sterile permeate at a temperature of from about 50 degree C to about 121 degree C to form a sterile, stable permeate; deactivating enzymes in the sterile, stable permeate at a temperature of from about 50 degree C to about 78 degree C to form a milk fraction; wherein the milk fraction or milk fraction after combination with the sterile cream fraction is the stable, sterile milk product. 36. The process of claim 35, wherein the milk product is further homogenized. 37. The process of claim 35, wherein said filtering uses one or more filter having an effective pore size of about 0.5 mum or less. 38. The process of claim 37, wherein said filtering removes all heat resistant bacteria. 39. The process of claim 37, wherein said sterilizing the permeate is at a temperature of from about 90 degree C to about 105 degree C. 40. The process of claim 35, wherein said filtering uses one or more filter having an effective pore size of about 0.3 mum or less. 41. The process of claim 40, wherein said filtering removes all heat resistant and thermoduric bacteria. 42. The process of claim 39, wherein said sterilizing the permeate is at a temperature of from about 72 degree C to about 98 degree C. 43. The process of claim 35, wherein the number of microorganisms in the permeate are reduced when compared to the number of microorganisms in the raw milk portion by a factor of at least about log 6. 44. The process of claim 35, wherein the number of microorganisms in the permeate are reduced when compared to the number of microorganisms in the raw milk portion by a factor of at least about log 8. 45. The process of claim 35, wherein the sterile cream fraction is combined with the milk fraction. 46. A stable, sterile milk product made by the process of claim 35. 47. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 46, having a shelf life of at least about two months under ambient conditions. 48. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 46, having a shelf life of at least about three months under ambient conditions. 49. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 46, having a shelf life of at least about one year when stored at from about 4 degree C to about 8 degree C. 50. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 46, having an amino-N content after a specified storage period of about 30 mg/L or less. 51. A stable, sterile milk fraction free of heat resistant bacteria. 52. The stable, sterile milk fraction of claim 51, free of thermoduric bacteria. 53. The stable, sterile milk fraction of claim 51, having a shelf life of at least about 2 months under ambient conditions. 54. A stable, sterile milk product comprising the milk fraction of claim 51. 55. The stable, sterile milk product of claim 54, wherein the milk product has a shelf life of at least about 2 months under ambient conditions.