Granted Patent B2

US 12,435,326 · App. 16/998,706 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Hans Raj (Hoersholm, DK); Pernille Smith (Broenshoej, DK); Thomas Eckhardt (Birkeroed, DK); Vojislav Vojinovic (Graested, DK); Charlotte Elisabeth Grüner Schöller (Virum, DK); Johannes Maarten Van Den Brink (Herlev, DK)

Assignee: Kerry Group Services International Ltd

C12N9/2471A23C9/1206A23C9/1322C12Y302/01023

Abstract

Claims (15)

1. A method for reducing lactose content of a milk-based substrate, comprising:

(a) adding a peptide to a milk-based substrate having a lactose concentration of at least 10 g/L to obtain a mixture comprising the milk-based substrate and the peptide, wherein the peptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of G83 (SEQ ID NO:12), G95 (SEQ ID NO:14), G100 (SEQ ID NO:15), G108 (SEQ ID NO:17), or G109 (SEQ ID NO:18), and

(b) incubating the mixture at a temperature of from 1° C.-10° C., wherein the peptide is added to the milk-based substrate at a concentration of 10 to 55 mg/L of the milk-based substrate;

wherein the peptide exhibits beta-galactosidase enzyme activity at the incubating temperature and reduces the lactose concentration in the mixture to less than 0.2% after incubation for 4-8 hours.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 98% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO: 17, or SEQ ID NO:18.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO: 17, or SEQ ID NO:18.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the incubation temperature is from 2° C.-7° C.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said incubating is conducted for a period of time sufficient for the peptide to reduce the lactose concentration in the mixture to less than 0.2%, wherein said period of time is up to 4-8 hours.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the peptide reduces the lactose concentration in the mixture to less than 0.2% after incubation for about 8 hours.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before or after the incubating, a heating step selected from: (i) heating the mixture comprising the milk-based substrate and the peptide to a temperature of at least 60° C. for at least four seconds; and (ii) heating the mixture comprising the milk-based substrate and the peptide to a temperature of 72° C. for about 15 seconds.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising fermenting the milk-based substrate with lactic acid bacteria.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the milk-based substrate is selected from: (i) cow milk, sheep milk, goat milk, buffalo milk, camel milk, and pasteurized, raw, and/or filtered forms thereof; and (ii) fermented dairy products obtained from cow milk, sheep milk, goat milk, buffalo milk, or camel milk by fermentation.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the milk-based substrate is cow milk comprising lactose at a concentration of about 37 to 50 g/L, or a heat treated, pasteurized, and/or filtered form thereof.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the milk-based substrate is selected from raw milk, processed milk, whole milk, low-fat milk, skim milk, buttermilk, low-lactose milk, reconstituted milk powder, condensed milk, a solution of dried milk, UHT milk, whey, whey permeate, acid whey, and cream.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before or after the incubating, heating the mixture comprising the milk-based substrate and the peptide to a temperature of 140° C. for about four seconds.

Assignments (3)

Priority Claims (3)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (129)