STABILITY AND MOUTHFEEL ENHANCEMENT OF FORTIFIED, ASEPTICALLY PROCESSED BEVERAGES
A fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage includes a dairy component containing aggregates of kappa-casein covalently bonded to beta-lactoglobulin and having a particle size of 5 to 10 μm; and an amount of vitamins and minerals sufficient to provide fortification of the ready-to-drink beverage. The ready-to-drink beverage does not contain gum arabic; guar gum; xanthan gum; carrageenan; cellulose gum; an emulsifier; or a buffer. A method of making a fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage includes forming a mixture by mixing a dairy component with an amount of vitamins and minerals sufficient to provide fortification of the ready-to-drink beverage; adjusting the pH of the mixture; homogenizing the pH-adjusted mixture; and subjecting the homogenized mixture to a heat treatment at 80-150° C. for 3 to 300 seconds. Neither the mixture nor the fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage contains gum arabic; guar gum; xanthan gum; carrageenan; cellulose gum; an emulsifier; or a buffer.
1 . A method of making a fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage, the method comprising:
forming a mixture by mixing a dairy component with an amount of vitamins and minerals sufficient to provide fortification of the ready-to-drink beverage;
adjusting the pH of the mixture by adding a basic component;
homogenizing the pH-adjusted mixture; and
subjecting the homogenized mixture to a heat treatment at 80-150° C. for 3 to 300 seconds,
neither the mixture nor the fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage contains gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, cellulose gum, an emulsifier or a buffer.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of the pH is performed such that the fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage has a final pH of 6.4 to 6.7.
3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising cooling the heat-treated mixture to a temperature below 25° C. and then aseptically filling the cooled mixture into an aseptic container.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises high acyl gellan gum.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dairy component comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of skim milk, buttermilk, ultra-filtered milk, milk protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, non-fat dry milk, and mixtures thereof.
6 - 9 . (canceled)
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment subjects the homogenized mixture to a temperature of 136 to 150° C. for 3 to 15 seconds.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture contains casein and whey in a casein:whey ratio of 80:20 to 60:40.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises a cocoa component.
13 . (canceled)
14 . A fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage comprising:
a dairy component comprising aggregates of kappa-casein covalently bonded to beta-lactoglobulin and having a particle size of 5 to 10 μm; and
an amount of vitamins and minerals sufficient to provide fortification of the ready-to-drink beverage,
the ready-to-drink beverage does not contain gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, cellulose gum, an emulsifier or a buffer.
15 . The ready-to-drink beverage of claim 14 , which is shelf-stable for at least one year at ambient temperature.
16 . The ready-to-drink beverage of claim 14 , further comprising high acyl gellan gum.
17 . The ready-to-drink beverage of claim 14 , comprising at least about 4 wt. % protein.
18 . The ready-to-drink beverage of claim 14 , further comprising a cocoa component.
19 . The ready-to-drink beverage of claim 14 , having a pH of 6.4 to 6.7.
20 . The ready-to-drink beverage of claim 14 , wherein the aggregates are formed by a process comprising adjusting the pH of a mixture comprising a dairy component, homogenizing the pH-adjusted mixture, and subjecting the homogenized mixture to a heat treatment at 80-150° C. for 3 to 300 seconds.
21 . The ready-to-drink beverage of claim 14 , which contains not greater than ten ingredients other than vitamins and minerals that provide the fortification.
22 . (canceled)
23 . A method of providing nutrition to an individual, the method comprising administering to the individual a fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage that (i) comprises a dairy component comprising aggregates of kappa-casein covalently bonded to beta-lactoglobulin and having a particle size of 5 to 10 μm, (ii) comprises an amount of vitamins and minerals sufficient to provide fortification of the ready-to-drink beverage, and (iii) does not contain gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, cellulose gum, an emulsifier or a buffer.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the ready-to-drink beverage has a pH of 6.4 to 6.7.
25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the fortified dairy-based ready-to-drink beverage is administered to the individual in a single serving having a nutritional profile selected from the group consisting of:
(i) 50%-200% of the Daily Value (DV) of one or more of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Iodine, Selenium and Manganese;
(ii) 25%-200% of the DV of one or more of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Niacin, Biotin, Folic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B12, Choline, Copper, Zinc, Magnesium, Chromium and Molybdenum;
(iii) 10%-200% of the DV of Potassium; and
(iv) combinations thereof.
26 . (canceled)