Processes for making cheese products utilizing denatured acid whey proteins

1. A process, comprising:

providing a dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition having a pH being equal to or less than about 5.1 and containing acid whey proteins;

filtering the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition, forming a concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition containing acid whey proteins;

combining together the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition and an edible caustic composition in suitable proportions to increase the pH to a substantially neutral pH being within a range of between about 6.5 and about 7.5;

heating the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition having the substantially neutral pH to an elevated temperature to denature the acid whey proteins, forming a concentrated aqueous liquid denatured acid whey protein composition;

providing a milk composition containing butterfat and substantial concentrations of native casein and whey proteins;

combining together the milk composition and the concentrated aqueous liquid denatured acid whey protein composition, forming a dairy mix containing butterfat and a protein composition including native casein and whey proteins and denatured acid whey proteins;

inoculating the dairy mix with lactic acid-producing bacteria;

culturing the lactic acid-producing bacteria in the dairy mix, forming a curd and a whey;

separating the curd from the whey; and

recovering the curd as a cheese product.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the culturing of the lactic acid-producing bacteria in the dairy mix includes forming the whey as acid whey; and wherein providing the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition includes recovering the acid whey after separating the curd from the acid whey, and recycling the recovered acid whey as being the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition containing acid whey proteins.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition includes providing the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition as having a total solids concentration of less than about seven percent (7%) by weight.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition includes filtering the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition so that the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition has a total solids concentration within a range of between about twelve percent (12%) by weight and about eight percent (8%) by weight.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the filtering of the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition includes: membrane filtering the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition, forming a filtration permeate and forming a filtration retentate containing acid whey proteins; and recovering the filtration retentate as being the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition includes forming the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition as having the pH being within a range of between about 4.6 and about 4.7, and wherein the combining together of the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition and the edible caustic composition increases the pH of the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition to being within a range of between about 6.5 and about 7.0.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the concentrated aqueous liquid denatured acid whey protein composition includes heating the concentrated aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition to a temperature within a range of between about one hundred and seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit (175° F.) and about one hundred and eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit (185° F.).

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the milk composition includes providing the substantial concentrations of native casein and whey proteins as being at least as large as are concentrations of native casein and whey proteins in reduced-fat-milk.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the milk composition containing butterfat and substantial concentrations of native casein and whey proteins includes providing the milk composition as being condensed skim milk.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the dairy mix includes combining together the milk composition and the concentrated aqueous liquid denatured acid whey protein composition in suitable proportions so that denatured acid whey proteins constitute between about five percent (5%) by weight and about ten percent (10%) by weight of the protein composition in the dairy mix.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inoculating of the dairy mix includes inoculating the dairy mix with the lactic acid-producing bacteria as being live and active mesophilic lactic acid-producing bacteria, and wherein the forming of the curd includes forming the curd as being cream cheese.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inoculating of the dairy mix with lactic acid-producing bacteria includes inoculating the dairy mix with live and active thermophilic lactic acid-producing bacteria being suitable for culturing the dairy mix.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein live and active probiotic lactic acid-producing thermophilic bacteria are combined with the cheese product.

14. The process of claim 2 , wherein the inoculating of the dairy mix includes inoculating the dairy mix with the lactic acid-producing bacteria as being live and active mesophilic lactic acid-producing bacteria, and wherein the forming of the curd includes forming the curd as being cream cheese.

15. The process of claim 2 , wherein a time period is defined as beginning at a point in time when the dilute aqueous liquid acid whey protein composition is provided, and the time period is defined as ending at another point in time when the denaturing of the acid whey proteins has been completed to form the concentrated aqueous liquid denatured acid whey protein composition; and wherein the time period is controlled to be within a range of between about thirty (30) minutes and about five hours.

16. The cheese product made according to the process of claim 1 .

17. Baker's cheese made according to the process of claim 9 .

18. The cheese product containing live and active probiotic thermophilic lactic acid-producing bacteria, made according to the process of claim 13 .

19. Cream cheese made according to the process of claim 14 .