Ferment activator based on lactic acid bacteria and method for preparing a dairy product using same

1. A method for the activation of a ferment based on lactic acid bacteria, prior to or during direct inoculation into a milk medium, comprising bringing said ferment into contact with an activator for said ferment which comprises at least:

a nitrogenous substance,

a buffer system capable of maintaining the pH for activity of the lactic acid bacteria with which said activator has to be combined at a value between 5 and 7,

and which comprises at the most 15% by weight of sugars which can be metabolized by said lactic acid bacteria, the activator thus delaying or limiting cell multiplication, while allowing the ferment to resume its metabolic activity.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said activator is brought into contact with the ferment based on lactic acid bacteria in a liquid medium.

3. A method for preparing a milk product comprising:

(i) bringing a ferment comprising at least lactic acid bacteria into contact witch an activator for said ferment which comprises at least:

a nitrogenous substance,

a buffer system capable of maintaining the pH for activity of the lactic acid bacteria with which said activator has to be combined at a value between 5 and 7,

and which comprises at the most 15% by weight of sugars which can be metabolized by said lactic acid bacteria, the activator thus delaying or limiting cell multiplication, while allowing the ferment to resume its metabolic activity, so as to obtain the ferment in an activated form,

(ii) inoculating the milk medium to be treated with said ferment in an activated form, and

(iii) incubating said milk medium under conditions favorable to the metabolic activity of said lactic acid bacteria so as to obtain the expected milk product.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the method may be carried out by means of an inoculation device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the inoculation device is provided in the form of a sealed reservoir.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the sealed reservoir may be provided in the form of a disposable reservoir and/or attached to a mobile station.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the sealed reservoir may be provided in the form of a pouch provided with an internal stirring system and inlet and outlet means.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein one of the inlet means alilows the arrival of the aqueous medium in the sealed reservoir in order to carry out step (i).

9. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the temperature of the aqueous medium on its arrival in the sealed reservoir is between 50° C. and 150° C.

10. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein one of the other inlet means allows the arrival of gas into the sealed reservoir.

11. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the injected gas is a chemically and biologically inert gas.

12. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the gas pressure in the sealed reservoir is less than 5 bar.

13. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the injection of gas is carried out between 0.5 minute and 60 minutes.

14. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein step (ii) may be carried out according to several variants, either in batches, or in multi-batches, or continuously or batchwise.

15. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein step (ii) is carried out at a flow rate of between 10 ml/mm and 1,000 ml/mm.

16. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein step (ii) is carried out at a temperature of between 50° C. and 40° C.

17. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein step (ii) is carried out over a period extending up to 72 hours.

18. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the ferment based on lactic acid bacteria is brought into contact with said activator in a liquid medium.