PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING TREATED MILK PRODUCTS
Provided is a process for producing a concentrated or a concentrated and sterilized milk composition, including subjecting the composition to multi-stage recirculating reverse osmosis, where during recirculating reverse osmosis (RRO), for at least part of the RRO process, a step in the RRO process, or during the entire RRO process, the RRO process is carried out at a temperature of from greater than 45° F. to 60° F., where water is removed, to produce a concentrated milk composition. The concentrated milk composition can optionally be sterilized by first heating the concentrated composition to a first elevated temperature of from 175° F. to 185° F. (and in some cases to 210° F.) within a time period of 45 seconds to produce a first heated composition.
1 . A process for producing a concentrated and sterilized composition, comprising:
concentrating a composition comprising milk or a milk product comprising
subjecting the composition to multi-stage recirculating reverse osmosis at a temperature of from greater than 45° F. to 60° F. at a pressure of from 200 psi to 700 psi, wherein water is removed from the composition to produce a concentrated composition; and
sterilizing the concentrated composition comprising
first heating the concentrated composition that is at a temperature of from greater than 45° F. to 60° F. to a first elevated temperature of from 175° F. to 185° F. (and in some cases to 210° F.) within a time period of 45 seconds to produce a first heated composition.
2 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the volume of the concentrated composition is no more than 50% of the volume of the composition.
3 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is skim milk.
4 . The process according to claim 1 , further comprising after concentrating, adjusting the total solids content of the concentrated composition.
5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the concentrated composition comprises from 28 wt % to 34 wt % of solids-not-fat (SNF).
6 . The process according to claim 1 , further comprising after the first heating, second heating the first heated composition from the first elevated temperature to a second elevated temperature.
7 . The process according to claim 6 , wherein the second heating is to a second elevated temperature of from 283° F. to 295° F. within a time period of less than 6 seconds to produce a second heated composition.
8 . The process according to claim 7 , further comprising holding the second heated composition at the second elevated temperature for at least 4 seconds.
9 . The process according to claim 8 , further comprising cooling the second heated composition comprising evaporating the second heated composition.
10 . A process for producing a concentrated composition, comprising:
subjecting the composition to multi-stage recirculating reverse osmosis at a temperature of from greater than 45° F. to 60° F. at a pressure of from 200 psi to 700 psi, wherein water is removed from the composition to produce a concentrated composition having a solids-not-fat content of from 28 wt % to 34 wt %.
11 . The process of claim 10 , further comprising sterilizing the concentrated composition.
12 . The process of claim 11 , wherein sterilizing comprises first heating the concentrated composition that is at a temperature of from greater than 45° F. to 60° F. to a first elevated temperature of from 175° F. to 185° F. (and in some cases to 210° F.) within a time period of 45 seconds to produce a first heated composition.
13 . A concentrated and sterilized composition produced by the process of claim 1 .
14 . A concentrated and sterilized composition produced by the process of claim 10 .