Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Processes – Packaging or treatment of packaged product
Reexamination Certificate
1995-04-13
2001-05-08
Weinstein, Steven (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Processes
Packaging or treatment of packaged product
C426S231000, C426S388000, C426S392000, C426S399000, C426S400000, C426S491000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228409
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to production of consumer milk with a defined fat content packed in packages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
On the market there is today a number of milk products with different fat content packed in packages. In Sweden there is for example minimum milk 0.1% fat, light milk 0.5% fat, “middle” milk 1.5% fat and “standard” milk 3.0% fat. Abroad there are products with other fat contents. The fat content given on the packages must be kept and production of milk with a certain, guaranteed fat content, usually called standardization of milk, is therefore an important process step in a dairy.
The standardization process has hitherto been carried out according to two different methods, batch-wise in tanks or by direct in-line standardization. The first step according to both these methods is to separate whole milk into cream and skimmilk. The term “whole” milk or raw milk is used for milk as it is delivered to the dairies with a fat content around 4%.
When carrying through the standardization in batches two methods are used, namely pre-standardization and post-standardization. The pre-standardization means that the milk is standardized prior to the pasteurization. When the milk shall be standardized to a fat content higher than the fat content in the raw milk, cream is mixed with the milk in proportions which shall give the desired fat content. If the standardization shall take place to lower fat content, the raw milk is diluted with skimmilk. The standardized milk is pasteurized after analysis of the fat content and a possible correction of the same.
Post-standardization means that pasteurized milk is mixed with cream or skimmilk depending on if the fat. content shall be adjusted upwards or downwards in the same way as practiced for the pre-standardization. Some risks for re-infection are present since post-standardization means mixing of already pasteurized products. Both methods demand large tanks and analysis and a possible correction of the fat content is labour-intensive.
The second method, direct-standardization, has therefore been an attractive alternative for many years. According to this method the fat content is adjusted to the required level by remixing a certain amount of the cream obtained from the separator with skimmilk also obtained from the centrifugal separator. This remixing takes place in the skimmilk pipeline connected to the skimmilk outlet from the centrifugal separator.
The pasteurization usually takes place in connection with the standardization. Whole milk is preheated to a temperature suitable for the separation of the cream from the skimmilk. The standardized milk that is obtained after the remixing of suitable amounts of cream and skimmilk after passage of the centrifugal separator is then heated and pasteurized.
Many methods which make an automatic direct-standardization of the milk possible has been developed and are today operating in a number of dairies.
The methods described above are used for manufacture of milk with a preselected fat content. A desired amount of milk is produced. If milk with another fat content should be produced, the system must be adjusted to new preset values and volumes.
The different milk products with a varying fat content mentioned above may be produced by in-line standardization. The packaging does not take place immediately after the standardization but the milk products are intermediately store in large tanks in the dairy. Usually, different kinds of consumer milk are packaged firstly when the distributors working on the market have delivered their orders for a suitable amount of packages of consumer milk with differing fat content.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is now proposed a method of producing consumer milk with a defined fat content packed in packages, which method fundamentally diminishes the number of storing tanks for prepared milk products earlier needed. The method according to the invention is mainly characterized in that two fractions comprising milk products, but with different fat contents, are mixed. One of the fractions has a fat content below the required fat content of the consumer milk to be produced while the other has a fat content above the required fat content of the consumer milk to be produced. The mixing takes place immediately prior to, or during the filling of the consumer milk in packages.
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Milchwissenschaft 1992, 47(7) 438-441 426/399 (Dialog Abstract).*
Voedingsmiddelentechnologie vol. 11(12) p. 10-11 426/397 1978 (Dialog Abstract).*
Ceskoslovenska Hygiena vol. 25(6/7) p. 340-345 426/410 1980.*
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Fish & Richardson P.C.
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA
Weinstein Steven
LandOfFree
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