Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Basic ingredient lacteal derived other than butter...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-12
2001-01-09
Pratt, Helen (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Basic ingredient lacteal derived other than butter...
C426S072000, C426S321000, C426S324000, C426S573000, C426S577000, C426S599000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171633
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is interest in the dairy and juice industry to combine milk and juice to form a stable, good-tasting beverage. The stability and good taste are the two biggest barriers to overcome. The current stability problem is the precipitation or curdling of milk proteins when the composition is below the isoelectric point of all such proteins.
There are several methods used to prepare milk/juice drinks at a pH around pH 4. These methods usually use sour milk or fermented milk (acidic milk) rather then sweet milk (natural pH of 6.4 to 6.7) for the drinks. There is also a series of patents teaching the addition of gum as thickeners and/or the process to stabilize the milk/juice drinks. (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,702; U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,390; U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,264; U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,925; and U.S. Pat. No.
4,212,893).
A different approach is the removal of the cations and anions from milk and juice (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,988). The components, milk and juice, are prepared by cation exchange followed by anion exchange. After blending of the separately prepared ingredients, the blend is essentially homogenized and then optionally pasteurized or sterilized and/or carbonated to prepare the beverage.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,764,710 and 4,061,792 teach how to make stable beverages by removing the pectic substances and tannin from fruits or fruits extract. This was done by the addition of an acidified solution of proteins which coagulate, and by treating the juice with pectinase. The acidified milk is added to yield a sour juice-milk beverage.
European patent 0,083,327 described a milk/juice beverage with no need for any type of stabilizing agent and teaches the invention concerning hydrolysis of pure lactose into glucose and galactose, which are free from salts. Glucose and galactose actually acts as a binder of the proteins. The beverage can be stored for several weeks to several months.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the present invention is a milk drink comprising milk, juice, gum-based stabilizer, and a composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion. The milk drink is at a pH range of 3.0 to 7.0, preferably at a pH range of 3.0 to 4.6, with little or no separation, sediments, or precipitate. These beverages can vary from a thick drink to a fluid drink and are smooth and refreshing. The beverage is nutritious and can be further enhanced with vitamins and minerals.
It is an advantage of the present invention that a milk composition is disclosed in which milk may be combined with vegetable or fruit juice without separation, sediments, or precipitate.
Other advantages, features, and objects of the present invention will become apparent to one of skill in the art after one reviews specifications and claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the present invention is the combination of gum-based stabilizer and a composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion used to stabilize a milk/juice combination at both room temperature and refrigerated temperature. Typically, these beverages are stable for up to one year. A preferred beverage of the present invention is stable at room temperature for up to one year, preferable for up to six months, and more preferably at least two weeks. In another embodiment of the present invention, the beverage is stable at refrigerated temperatures for up to one year, preferably up to 6 months, and more preferably at least two weeks.
In a preferred version of the present invention, a milk emulsion is created from a combination of milk and fruit juice or milk and vegetable juice. By “juice” we mean to include any product containing fruit or vegetable juice, such as drinks, jams, jellies and other fruit and vegetable products. Preferred juices include apple juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, cherry juice, grape juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, melon juice, strawberry juice, black cherry juice, lemon-lime juice, mango juice, papaya juice, cranapple juice, fruit punch juice, peach juice, guava juice, tangerine juice, apricot juice, and cranberry juice. Juice drinks, such as lemonade, orangeade and fruit punch. Fruit products, such as jams and jellies, are also preferred. In another embodiment of the present invention, the emulsion is created from a combination of milk and vegetable juices or milk and mixed vegetable and fruit juices.
The present invention is designed to work with all dairy and milk products, including fermented milk. For example, a mixed yogurt and fruit emulsion is specifically envisioned.
We believe that the composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion stabilizes the milk proteins by binding the proteins and preventing denaturation and precipitation in the more acidic environment of the fruit juice drink. A composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion has carboxylic acids, hydroxyl, amine functional groups and metal ions to bind the milk protein.
The specific gravity of the composition of amino acid, inorganic/organic acids, and metal ion source can vary from 1.0 to 1.5 g/ml; the typical value varies 1.2 to 1.3 g/ml. The specific gravity of milk and juice can be brought closer together using the composition of amino acid, inorganic/organic acids, and metal ion source to permit an overall final specific gravity for the beverage. The addition of the composition of amino acid, inorganic/organic acids and metal ion source is important to maintain the milk/juice emulsion in a pH range of, preferably, pH 3.0 to pH 4.6.
The composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion is a mixture of amino acids (including proteins and peptides), metal ions source (such as Group IA, IIA, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn), organic acids and inorganic acids. Typically, the organic acids are mono, di, tri, poly carboxylic acids and may contain other functional groups such as NH
2
−
, OH−, PO
4
−3
, and SO
4
−2
. Typically, the inorganic acids are hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid. The molar ratio of metal ion:amino acid:acid can vary depending on the applications. The molar ratio of amino acid to metal ion can vary from 0.1 to 20. The acids to metal ion molar ratio can vary from 0.1 to 20. The most common molar ratio for food application has amino acid varying from 0.1 to 4, and the acid varying from 0.1 to 4.
These molar ratios keep the composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion in the pH range of 3-8 for most of the food applications. A typical example of preparation of a composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion is shown below:
1571.5 g water
1155.1 g lysine HOH (7.03 mole)
189.1 g MgO (4.69 mole)
1365.1 g malic acid (2.72 mole)
654.5 g citric acid (3.41 mole)
The pH of this solution varies from 3.6 to 3.8 and is approximately 65% solution. The preferred ration of lysine HOH:metal oxide:organic acids is 1.5:1.0:1.31.
This is the preferred formula of a composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion. However, other versions of the composition can be used. Instead of lysine, other amino acids, peptides and proteins can be used and one may substitute different metal ions, such as calcium, zinc, iron and others. For example, the pH may vary between 3.0 and 8.0. The organic acids can be varied and the ratio of the organic acids can be varied.
The milk portion of the composition can vary from 5% to 80% and the juice portion can be varied from 5% to 80%. 40% milk/40% (38-42%/38-42%) juice is the optimum preparation. The juice may be either pulp or pulp-free juice. As this ratio of milk/juice varies, the amount of sugar, gum-base stabilizer, a composition comprising an amino acid, an organic acid or inorganic acid, and a metal ion, and flavors also have to vary to prepare these stable drinks. The sugar portion is from 0%
Carlotti Ronald J.
Dulebohn Joel
Hill Lavaughn
Natura, Inc.
Pratt Helen
Quarles & Brady LLP
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