Patent Description:
The traditional yogurt manufacturing process involves heating of milk at temperatures of <NUM>-<NUM> for <NUM>-<NUM>, and then cooling the heated milk to warm temperatures (<NUM>-<NUM>). Safe and harmless lactic acid bacterial cultures are then added to the warm milk. The culture/warm milk mixtures are then filled into cups or transferred to fermentation tanks. The warm milk/culture mixtures are then incubated at warm temperatures for <NUM>-<NUM> hours until a coagulum is obtained, or a pH of <NUM> of the milk is obtained. The yogurt set in cups is then cooled to below <NUM>. The yogurt set in fermentation tanks is stirred and cooled to below <NUM>, and then filled into cups as drinkable yogurt or stirred yogurt. The whey in yogurt set in fermentation tanks can be strained by passing over filters, or spinning by centrifugal devices resulting in concentrated/strained or Greek yogurt. Flavors or sweeteners can be added before heating the milk or post-fermentation, while fruits are often added post-fermentation. These resultant yogurt products are stored at refrigeration temperatures during distribution, display, and in homes.

At present, the available shelf-stable yogurts and other cultured dairy products are manufactured by sterilizing in a post-fermentation step, which kills the live beneficial bacteria. <CIT> discloses a process for the production of a fermented milk having a long preservation time. It would be beneficial to produce cultured dairy products, such as yogurt, kefir, and sour cream, which could be distributed and stored under ambient or non-refrigerated conditions without diminishing the shelf-life and beneficial qualities of the cultured dairy products. Accordingly, it is to these ends that the present invention is directed.

A process for producing a yogurt product (e.g., a shelf-stable yogurt) is disclosed herein.

A process to produce a yogurt product containing from <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g to <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g of live bacteria or live active cultures is provided. The process comprises the steps of: (i) providing a sterilized reduced sugar milk base comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar; (ii) contacting the sterilized reduced sugar milk base with from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % of a lactic acid bacteria culture and aseptically packaging in a container, wherein the lactic acid bacteria culture comprises Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophillus, or a combination thereof; and (iii) storing under conditions sufficient to reduce the pH of the contents in the container to within a range from <NUM> to <NUM> to produce the yogurt product.

Unexpectedly, and beneficially, the process according to the present invention results in a shelf-stable yogurt product, in particular, a yogurt product that is shelf-stable without refrigeration for up to six months or more. Additionally, the shelf-stable yogurt product has live lactic acid bacteria or live active cultures (i.e., beneficial bacteria).

According to one embodiment, step (i) comprises the steps of: (a) subjecting a milk product comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization to form a sterilized milk product; and (b) cooling the sterilized milk product to a temperature less than or equal to <NUM> to form the sterilized reduced sugar milk base.

According to another embodiment, the milk base comprises from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar; or from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar.

According to yet another embodiment, the milk base comprises from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % protein; or from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % protein; or from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

According to a further embodiment, the milk base comprises from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % fat; or from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % fat; or from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % fat; or from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

According to another embodiment, the sterilized milk product is cooled in step (b) to a temperature in a range from <NUM> to <NUM>; or from <NUM> to <NUM>; or from <NUM> to <NUM>; or from <NUM> to <NUM>; or from <NUM> to <NUM>.

According to yet another embodiment, the amount of the lactic acid bacteria culture in step (ii), based on the milk base, is from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

According to a further embodiment, the milk base is contacted with the lactic acid bacteria culture and an ingredient comprising a sweetener, a flavorant, a preservative, a stabilizer, an emulsifier, a prebiotic substance, a special probiotic bacteria, a vitamin, a mineral, an omega <NUM> fatty acid, a phyto-sterol, an antioxidant, a colorant, or any combinations thereof.

According to another embodiment, the pH is reduced in step (iii) to a range from <NUM> to <NUM>.

According to yet another embodiment, storing under conditions sufficient comprises: from <NUM> to <NUM> for at least <NUM> hours; or from <NUM> to <NUM> for from <NUM> hour to <NUM> weeks; or from <NUM> to <NUM> for from <NUM> hours to <NUM> weeks; or from <NUM> to <NUM> for from <NUM> hours to <NUM> week.

According to a further embodiment, the milk base in (i) or the milk product in step (a) is produced by a membrane filtration process; or a process comprising mixing milk powder, protein powder, lactose powder, and water.

According to another embodiment, step (ii) comprises combining the milk base with the lactic acid bacteria culture to form a mixture, filling the mixture into the container, and sealing the container; or separately filling the container with the milk base and the lactic acid bacteria culture, and sealing the container.

According to yet another embodiment, the yogurt product is shelf-stable without refrigeration at a temperature from <NUM> to <NUM> for from <NUM> to <NUM> days; or a temperature from <NUM> to <NUM> for from <NUM> to <NUM> days; or a temperature from <NUM> to <NUM> for from <NUM> to <NUM> days.

While compositions and processes are described herein in terms of "comprising" various components or steps, the compositions and methods can also "consist essentially of" or "consist of" the various components or steps, unless stated otherwise.

The terms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include plural alternatives, e.g., at least one, unless otherwise specified. For instance, the disclosure of "a lactic acid bacteria culture" is meant to encompass one, or mixtures or combinations of more than one, lactic acid bacteria culture, unless otherwise specified.

The terms "contact product," "contacting," and the like, are used herein to describe compositions and processes wherein the components are contacted together in any order, in any manner, and for any length of time, unless otherwise specified. For example, the components can be contacted by blending or mixing. Further, unless otherwise specified, the contacting of any component can occur in the presence or absence of any other component of the compositions and methods described herein. Combining additional materials or components can be done by any suitable method. Further, the term "contact product" includes mixtures, blends, solutions, slurries, reaction products, and the like, or combinations thereof. Although "contact product" can, and often does, include reaction products, it is not required for the respective components to react with one another. Similarly, the term "contacting" is used herein to refer to materials which can be blended, mixed, slurried, dissolved, reacted, treated, or otherwise contacted or combined in some other manner or by any suitable technique. Hence, "contacting" two or more components can result in a mixture, a reaction product, a reaction mixture, etc..

Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the typical methods and materials are herein described.

Several types of ranges are disclosed in the present invention. When a range of any type is disclosed or claimed, the intent is to disclose or claim individually each possible number that such a range could reasonably encompass, including end points of the range as well as any sub-ranges and combinations of sub-ranges encompassed therein. As a representative example, the protein content of the milk product and the milk base can be in certain ranges in the aspect and various embodiments of this invention. By a disclosure that the protein content can be in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. %, the intent is to recite that the protein content can be any protein content within the range and, for example, can be equal to about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, about <NUM>, or about <NUM> wt. Additionally, the protein content can be within any range from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % (for example, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. %), and this also includes any combination of ranges between about <NUM> and about <NUM> wt. % (for example, the protein content can be in a range from <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % or from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. Likewise, all other ranges disclosed herein should be interpreted in a manner similar to this example.

A process for producing a yogurt product is disclosed and described herein. The process can be used to produce a yogurt that is shelf-stable without refrigeration for relatively long periods of time. This results in benefits in terms of transportation (non-refrigerated trucks), warehousing and display, and overall cost.

According to one aspect, a process to produce a yogurt product containing from <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g to <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g of live bacteria or live active cultures is provided. The process comprises (i) providing a sterilized reduced sugar milk base comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar, (ii) contacting the sterilized reduced milk base with from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % of a lactic acid bacteria culture and aseptically packaging in a container, wherein the lactic acid bacteria culture comprises Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophillus, or a combination thereof; and (iii) storing under conditions sufficient to reduce the pH of the contents in the container to within a range from <NUM> to <NUM> to produce the yogurt product. Step (i) may comprise the steps of (a) subjecting a milk product comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization to form a sterilized milk product, and (b) cooling the sterilized milk product to a temperature less than or equal to <NUM> to form the sterilized reduced sugar milk base. As would be recognized by those of skill in the art, a sterilized milk product (or milk base) also may be referred to as a pasteurized milk product (or milk base), and UHT sterilization also may be referred to as UHT pasteurization.

Generally, the features of the process (e.g., further characteristics of the milk product or milk base, the conditions of UHT sterilization, the conditions under which the contents of the containers are stored, among others) are independently described herein and these features can be combined in any combination to further describe the disclosed processes. Moreover, other process steps can be conducted before, during, and/or after any of the steps listed in the disclosed processes, unless stated otherwise. Additionally, the resultant yogurt products (e.g., shelf-stable yogurt products, ready for consumption) produced in accordance with any of the disclosed embodiments are within the scope of this disclosure and are encompassed herein.

The milk product and sterilized reduced sugar milk base independently has from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar. The milk product and sterilized reduced sugar milk base independently can have from <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. %, from <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. %, or from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % milk sugar. Other appropriate ranges for the amount of milk sugar in the milk product and/or in the sterilized reduced sugar milk base are readily apparent from this disclosure. Moreover, the "milk sugar" can be in any form, for instance, hydrolyzed, un-hydrolyzed, isomerized, and the like. Moreover, "milk sugar" is also meant to encompass glucose/galactose, such as can be produced by the treatment of lactose with lactase enzyme, as would be recognized by one of skill in the art.

The milk product or the sterilized reduced sugar milk base can have any suitable amounts of protein and fat.

Generally, the protein content of the milk product and the sterilized reduced sugar milk base is not particularly limited. The milk product and sterilized reduced sugar milk base independently can have from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % protein, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % protein, or from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. The milk product and sterilized reduced sugar milk base independently can have from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % protein, or from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. The milk product and sterilized reduced sugar milk base independently can have from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % protein, or from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. Other appropriate ranges for the amount of protein in the milk product and/or in the sterilized reduced sugar milk base are readily apparent from this disclosure.

The fat content of the milk product and the sterilized reduced sugar milk base often can range from "fat-free" (less than about <NUM> wt. %, and often less than about <NUM> wt. %) to about <NUM>-<NUM> wt. Typical ranges for the fat content of the milk product and sterilized reduced sugar milk base independently can include, but are not limited to, from <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % fat, from <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % fat, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % fat, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % fat, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % fat, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % fat, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. % fat, or from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. Other appropriate ranges for the amount of fat in the milk product and/or in the sterilized reduced sugar milk base are readily apparent from this disclosure.

The sterilized reduced sugar milk base comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar (or the milk product comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar) can be produced by any technique known to one of skill in the art. For example, and not to be limited thereto, the milk base or milk product having <NUM>-<NUM> wt. % milk sugar can be produced by a membrane filtration process to achieve the desired milk sugar content (and protein and fat contents), or alternatively, by a process comprising mixing milk powder, protein powder, lactose powder, and water, to achieve the desired milk sugar content (and protein and fat contents). <FIG> illustrates a representative flow diagram of a membrane filtration process that can be used to fractionate raw milk and produce a milk base comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar (or a milk product comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar). The fractionated components shown in <FIG> can then be mixed together to obtain a milk base or a milk product having, for example, a fat content of <NUM>-<NUM> wt. %, a protein content of <NUM>-<NUM> wt. %, a mineral content of <NUM>-<NUM> wt. %, and a milk sugar content of <NUM>-<NUM> wt.

Consistent with this invention, the sterilized reduced sugar milk base contacting step in the process disclosed herein can be conducted at any suitable conditions, for instance, any suitable aseptic conditions (i.e., sterile conditions). A tetra flexidose system or other in-line aseptic filler system can be used. The milk base and the lactic acid bacteria culture can be contacted and aseptically packaged in a container (filled and sealed) by mixing the milk base and the lactic acid bacteria culture, and then filling the container and sealing under aseptic conditions. Alternatively, the milk base can be fed to the container, followed by the lactic acid bacteria culture, and then sealed under aseptic conditions. Other suitable techniques for contacting the milk base with the lactic acid bacteria culture and aseptically packaging in a container can be utilized, as would be recognized by those of skill in the art.

Any suitable container can be used, such as might be used for the distribution and/or sale of yogurt products in a retail outlet. Illustrative and non-limiting examples of typical containers include a cup, a bottle, a bag, or a pouch, and the like. The container can be made from any suitable material, such as glass, metal, plastics, and the like, as well as combinations thereof.

The amount of the lactic acid bacteria culture ranges from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. %, such as from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. %, such as from <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. %, or such as from about <NUM> to about <NUM> wt. %, based on the weight of the sterilized reduced milk base. Other appropriate ranges for the amount of the lactic acid bacteria culture added to the sterilized reduced sugar milk base are readily apparent from this disclosure.

The form of the lactic acid bacteria culture is not particularly limited; the lactic acid bacteria culture can be bulk, freeze dried, or frozen, and mixtures or combinations can be used as well. The lactic acid bacteria culture comprises Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophillus, or a combination thereof. Typical lactic acid bacteria cultures that can additionally be used include, but are not limited to, Lactobacillus casei, Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Latobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium, Leuconostoc, and the like, as well as any combination thereof.

In further embodiments of this invention, any of the contacting steps disclosed herein can include contacting the milk base, the lactic acid bacteria culture, and a suitable ingredient and aseptically packaging in the container. Non-limiting examples of such ingredients often used in producing the final yogurt product can include a sweetener, a flavorant, a preservative (e.g., to prevent yeast or mold growth), a stabilizer, an emulsifier, a prebiotic substance, a special probiotic bacteria, a vitamin, a mineral, an omega <NUM> fatty acid, a phyto-sterol, an antioxidant, or a colorant, and the like, as well as any mixture or combination thereof.

After the "contacting" step, the process disclosed herein includes a step of storing under conditions sufficient to reduce the pH of the contents in the container to within a range from <NUM> to <NUM> to produce the yogurt product. The yogurt product is then suitable for consumption. The pH can be less than about <NUM>, or less than about <NUM>. For example, the pH can be in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or from about <NUM> to about <NUM>. Other appropriate ranges for the pH of the cultured dairy product are readily apparent from this disclosure.

The "storing" step comprises storing under conditions sufficient to reduce the pH of the contents in the container to within a range from <NUM> to <NUM> to produce the yogurt product. Storing under conditions sufficient comprises any suitable temperature and time conditions, for example, to allow the pH of the cultured dairy to decrease and reach a final pH value within a range from <NUM> to <NUM>. Such conditions can include, but are not limited to, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for at least about <NUM> hours, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for from about <NUM> hour to about <NUM> weeks, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for from about <NUM> hours to about <NUM> week (or <NUM> weeks), and the like. These time periods do not include the time when the product is in distribution (which can last for weeks or months), rather, these time periods are for the time for the pH to fall within a range from <NUM> to <NUM> or any of the ranges disclosed herein and to equilibrate at a pH value.

The viscosity of the yogurt product can vary depending upon the type of cultured dairy product that is desired, e.g., drinkable yogurt versus non-drinkable yogurt. Thus, a wide range of suitable viscosities (at <NUM>, centipoise) can be expected. For instance, the cultured dairy product can have a viscosity in a range from about <NUM> Pa·s (<NUM> cP) to about <NUM>,<NUM> Pa·s (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cP); alternatively, from about <NUM> Pa·s (<NUM> cP) to about <NUM> Pa·s (<NUM>,<NUM> cP); alternatively, from about <NUM> Pa·s (<NUM> cP) to about <NUM> Pa·s (<NUM>,<NUM> cP); or alternatively, from about <NUM> Pa·s (<NUM> cP) to about <NUM> Pa·s (<NUM>,<NUM> cP). Other appropriate ranges for the viscosity of the yogurt product are readily apparent from this disclosure.

The yogurt product produced herein and in accordance with the disclosed process can be subjected to long term storage under ambient or non-refrigerated conditions, and the yogurt product can still be of acceptable quality, without spoiling. Unexpectedly, and beneficially, the yogurt product can be shelf-stable without refrigeration over a wide range of temperature and time conditions, such as from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for from about <NUM> to about <NUM> days, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for from about <NUM> to about <NUM> days, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for from about <NUM> to about <NUM> days, or from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for at least about <NUM> days, and the like. Other appropriate storage time and temperature conditions under which the yogurt product is shelf-stable are readily apparent from this disclosure.

The yogurt product can be produced by a process wherein step (i) comprises (a) subjecting a milk product comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization to form a sterilized milk product; and (b) cooling the sterilized milk product to a temperature less than or equal to <NUM> to form a sterilized reduced sugar milk base. In step (a), the milk product can be subjected to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization (also referred to in the art as UHT pasteurization), which refers to the generally high temperature treatment of the milk product for a relatively short time period. UHT sterilization can be conducted at a variety of suitable temperature and time conditions, as would be recognized by those of skill in the art. Representative and non-limiting examples of UHT conditions include a temperature in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for a time period of from about <NUM> to about <NUM> sec, a temperature in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for a time period of from about <NUM> to about <NUM> sec, a temperature in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for a time period of from about <NUM> to about <NUM> sec, or a temperature in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for a time period of from about <NUM> to about <NUM> sec, and the like. Other appropriate UHT sterilization temperature and time conditions are readily apparent from this disclosure.

This invention is not limited by the method or equipment used for performing the UHT sterilization process. Any suitable UHT sterilization technique can be employed, such as indirect steam injection, direct steam injection, direct steam infusion, indirect heating, direct heating, a hybrid of direct and indirect heating, and the like. The sterilization process also can be a batch sterilization process, such as at <NUM> for <NUM>-<NUM> minutes, or an equivalent. Moreover, combinations of these techniques can be employed, if desired. Any suitable sterilization system can be used, such as filter sterilization by microfiltration or by ultraviolet irradiation, high pressure or by ohmic heating, cavitation or by ultra-sonification, and the like.

After the UHT sterilization step, the sterilized milk product is cooled to a temperature less than or equal to <NUM> in step (b) to form the sterilized reduced sugar milk base. In some embodiments, the sterilized milk product is cooled in step (b) to a temperature of less than or equal to about <NUM>, or less than or equal to about <NUM>. In other embodiments, the sterilized milk product is cooled in step (b) to a temperature in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or in a range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, and the like. Other appropriate cooling temperatures are readily apparent from this disclosure.

An illustrative and non-limiting example of a suitable process for producing a yogurt product, consistent with this invention is shown in <FIG>. First, a lactose standardized milk product having a desired amount of milk sugar is subjected to UHT sterilization, for example, at <NUM>-<NUM> for <NUM>-<NUM> seconds, and the sterilized milk product is then cooled to <NUM>. The resulting milk base is then aseptically contacted with the bacteria or culture, and filled and sealed in a suitable container, such as a bottle, cup, or bag. The container and its contents are then stored at ambient or non-refrigerated conditions, such as above <NUM>, and the pH decreases during storage to a pH value within a range from <NUM> to <NUM>. In <FIG>, the yogurt product is ready for consumption when the pH has dropped to <NUM>, or less.

Consistent with this invention, the lactic acid bacteria acts on the milk sugar, converting it into lactic acid, which results in a decrease in the pH of the milk base. When the pH of the milk reaches approximately <NUM>, the isoelectric point of the most abundant protein occurring in milk (casein). At the isoelectric point, net charges on caseins become zero, and they coagulate and result in formation of curd or coagulum under quiescent conditions.

In accordance with this invention, the substrate or nutrient for the growth of lactic acid bacteria is limited. The milk sugar, nutrient for lactic acid bacteria, in the milk intended for yogurt manufacture is standardized in a specific range by mixing the components of milk as shown in <FIG>, or other suitable technique. The milk sugar level is selected in such a way that it supports growth of bacteria to produce enough lactic acid (e.g., to result in a pH within a range from <NUM> to <NUM>) as required for the yogurt product formation, but not for over acidification (e.g., where the pH is too low).

Again, while not wishing to be bound by theory, the activity of lactic acid bacteria is controlled to obtain a uniform quality of the yogurt product in terms of acidity and number of bacteria. The resultant yogurt product can be stored at ambient temperature, as no more significant fermentation occurs due to limited nutrients for the culture/bacteria to act on. The acidity present in the cultured dairy product can act as a preservative to give a long shelf-life to the cultured dairy product at ambient temperature conditions.

Thus, an advantage of the present invention is that there is no need to have incubation rooms at temperatures of <NUM>-<NUM>, or maintaining <NUM>-<NUM> temperatures of milk in fermentation tanks. Moreover, there is no need to cool the cultured dairy product from <NUM>-<NUM> to refrigeration conditions of <NUM>-<NUM> or less. The elimination of incubation room and warm temperature tanks, which is followed by subsequent cooling, can result in considerable energy and cost savings.

Further, the yogurt product contains live lactic acid bacteria or live active cultures, ranging in an amount from <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g to <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g. The yogurt product can contain from about <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g to about <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g, of live bacteria or live active cultures.

Table I summarizes certain characteristics of two aseptic drinkable yogurt products (Examples <NUM>-<NUM>) with live and active cultures that were produced. The target yogurt product for Example <NUM> after storage/aging was a pH of <NUM>, <NUM> wt. % solids, <NUM> wt. % fat, and <NUM> wt. % protein, from a starting milk product having approximately <NUM> wt. % milk sugar and <NUM> wt. % minerals. The milk product was prepared from milk components to result in the component amounts shown in Table I. The milk product was subjected to UHT sterilization at a preheat temperature of <NUM>, a final temperature of <NUM> for <NUM> seconds, and at a pressure of <NUM> MPa. After cooling the sterilized milk product to <NUM>, the sterilized milk base was inoculated with freeze dried lactic acid bacteria culture (a mixture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophiles, and Lactobacillus acidophilus) at <NUM> of culture per liter of milk base, and aseptically packaged in pre-sterilized Nalgene containers. The containers were stored at <NUM>-<NUM>. The pH of the yogurt product was monitored for <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> days after the addition of the yogurt culture to the milk base and aseptic packaging. As shown in Table I, the pH of the yogurt product of Example <NUM> decreased to <NUM> at <NUM> days, and equilibrated at <NUM> at <NUM> days. Example <NUM> was produced similarly to that of Example <NUM>, except for the target yogurt characteristics and the starting milk product components, including a starting milk sugar content of approximately <NUM> wt. As shown in Table I, the pH of the yogurt product of Example <NUM> decreased to <NUM> at <NUM> days, and equilibrated at <NUM> at <NUM> days.

The yogurt products of Examples <NUM>-<NUM> after <NUM> days were taste tested by five individuals, all of whom agreed that the yogurt products had a clean, fresh yogurt flavor. The amounts of live bacteria in the yogurt products of Examples <NUM>-<NUM> after <NUM> days at <NUM> were <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g and <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g, respectively.

Table II summarizes certain characteristics of a yogurt product (Example <NUM>) with live and active cultures that was produced. The starting milk product before UHT sterilization was prepared from milk components to result in the component amounts shown in Table II. Pectin (a stabilizer) was added to the milk product, which was then subjected to UHT sterilization using direct heating (pre-heat <NUM>, final heat at <NUM> for <NUM> seconds) and a pressure of <NUM> MPa. After UHT, the sterilized milk base was cooled to <NUM>, and then aseptically fed into <NUM>-liter pre-sterilized Nalgene bottles. Next, the freeze dried culture (<NUM> culture per <NUM> grams of milk base) was added under sterile conditions to the contents in the bottles, and the bottles were sealed/capped under sterile conditions. The lactic acid bacteria culture was in freeze dried form, and was a mixture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophiles, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. The bottles containing the yogurt product were stored at <NUM>.

The pH of the yogurt product of Example <NUM> and certain component amounts (e.g., fat, milk sugar) were monitored for <NUM> and <NUM> days after the addition of the yogurt culture to the milk base and aseptic packaging. As shown in Table II, the pH of the yogurt product of Example <NUM> decreased to <NUM> at <NUM> days, and equilibrated at <NUM> at <NUM> days. The viscosity of the yogurt product of Example <NUM> was <NUM> cP at <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A process to produce a yogurt product containing from <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g to <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> cfu/g of live bacteria or live active cultures, the process comprising:
(i) providing a sterilized reduced sugar milk base comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % milk sugar;
(ii) contacting the sterilized reduced sugar milk base with from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % of a lactic acid bacteria culture and aseptically packaging in a container, wherein the lactic acid bacteria culture comprises Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophillus, or a combination thereof; and
(iii) storing under conditions sufficient to reduce the pH of the contents in the container to within a range from <NUM> to <NUM> to produce the yogurt product.