Shelf stable carbonated milk beverage

Abstract

An aerated or carbonated milk product drink comprising a shelf stable pre-heated and pressurized ultra-heat treated milk product which has been carbonated with a gas or gases under pressure and packaged into a container. The milk product may be natural or artificial milk product including dairy products and non-dairy milk products and includes combinations of milk products with other beverages such as fruit juices. The method of producing the shelf-stable carbonated milk product of the present invention comprises injecting under pressure carbon dioxide gas or a mixture of gases into the milk product at low temperature of less than 10 degrees centigrade and high pressure of from 50 kpa to 200 kpa. The carbonated milk product remains carbonated and shelf stable in the package until opened.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional of Application No. 09 / 757,863, filed Jan. 11, 2001.BACKGROUND--FIELD OF INVENTION[0002] The present invention generally relates to food substances, and in particular to beverages. More particularly, the present invention relates to ultra heat treated (UHT) milk drinks which have been carbonated or aerated. Preferred embodiments of the present invention include an ultra heat treated, (UHT) sparkling skim milk including combinations of all ultra heat treated, (UHT) milk and all flavors of ultra heat treated, (UHT) milk, all ultra heat treated, (UHT) fruit juice combinations, ultra heat treated, (UHT) fermented yogurts, ultra heat treated, (UHT) non-dairy products, e.g., soya, field milk, artificial milk and the like. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of carbonating ultra heat treated, (UHT) milk in aseptic and non-aseptic packaging.[0003] Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to an ultra ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

0011] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:

0012] (A) to provide a method for carbonation of pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk products and combinations of pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk products and to provide a pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) carbonated milk product that may also be flavored.

0013] (B) to provide a method to aerate or carbonate pre-heated pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk with suitable gas or mixture of gases in a suitable package whereby the pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk product remains carbonated in the package for a reasonably long shelf life until opened and no refrigeration is required.

0014] (C) to provide a method of aerating or carbonating pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk comprising of introducing a gas or a mixture of gases such as carbon dioxide into an pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk product un

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, these patents do not relate to the process of carbonating or aerating the ultra heat treated (UHT) milk.

Unfortunately, these patents do not relate to carbonating ultra heat treated milk products using a pre-heat and pressure process.

In addition, these patents relate to the need of refrigerating the finished milk product and are not shelf stable.

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