Top material, cream and cooking composition comprising micellar casein

Abstract

Disclosed herein are emulsifier compositions comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents. Also disclosed herein are whippable or non-whippable emulsions comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, and methods of making the emulsifier compositions.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 423,477, filed on November 7, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to cooking recipes containing micellar casein. Described herein are emulsifier compositions containing micellar casein and one or more chelating agents. Also described herein are whippable or non-whippable emulsions containing micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, and methods for preparing the emulsifier compositions. Background Art

[0003] Sodium caseinate is derived from milk protein, and the individual caseins are present in soluble or monomeric form, exhibiting excellent emulsifying properties and, compared to other milk proteins, forming stable emulsions at relatively low protein-to-oil ratios. In contrast, milk protein powder, cheese protein concentrate, and calcium caseinate casein are present as colloidal particles, resulting in emulsifying properties far inferior to sodium caseinate. Compared to sodium caseinate, the use of these proteins requires a higher protein-to-oil ratio to prepare stable emulsions and form larger droplets under similar homogenization conditions. It is speculated that soluble monomeric caseins like sodium caseinate are more flexible and can effectively cover the oil / water (O / W) interface. The individual caseins in casein or milk protein powder are held together by colloidal calcium phosphate, limiting their effectiveness at the O / W interface. Although sodium caseinate provides excellent emulsifying properties, it is preferred to replace sodium caseinate in food compositions because sodium caseinate is not as effective as other milk proteins in stabilizing emulsions, is expensive, and is in short supply.

[0004] Lazzaro et al., (2017) Food Hydrocolloids, 63, 189-200 used trisodium citrate as a calcium chelating agent and successfully reduced 24-81% of calcium from casein micelles, which improved the emulsifying ability of casein micelles. Lazzaro et al. speculate that removing calcium from casein micelles affects the integrity of the micelles, releasing smaller micelle-like aggregates, sodium caseinate-like aggregates and casein monomers. However, due to the presence of different types of particles, the emulsion formed with these smaller aggregates has poor stability in terms of creaming and flocculation. Some of these particles are not adsorbed at the O / W interface, which leads to flocculation exhaustion and emulsion instability.

[0005] Micellar casein concentrate (MCC) is typically prepared using a series of microfiltration and diafiltration. The MCC is then dried using a suitable method to produce MCC powder. The poor functionality of MCC powder makes it a less desirable ingredient in high-fat emulsions or subsequent whipping cream applications.

[0006] There is a need for cost-effective and readily available compositions that provide excellent emulsifying properties in addition to providing stability to food compositions such as high-fat emulsions. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an emulsifier composition comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, wherein the one or more chelating agents are from about 0.0001% w / w to about 20% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition and the micellar casein is from about 55% w / w to about 90% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition. In one embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are calcium chelating salts. In another embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium salts of citrate, phosphate or carbonate. In another embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the micellar casein is micellar casein concentrate (MCC), MCC powder, micellar casein isolate or milk protein isolate. In another embodiment, the emulsifier composition is a powder.

[0008] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a whippable or non-whippable emulsion comprising about 0.5 wt.% to about 2 wt.% micellar casein and about 0.1 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.% one or more chelating agents. In one embodiment, the whippable or non-whippable emulsion further comprises: about 5 wt.% to about 30 wt.% vegetable oil or milk fat; about 5 wt.% to about 55 wt.% sweetener; about 0.1 wt.% to about 2 wt.% additional emulsifier and / or stabilizer; and about 9.5 wt.% to about 89.3 wt.% water. In another embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are calcium chelating salts. In another embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium salts of citrate, phosphate or carbonate. In another embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the micellar casein is micellar casein concentrate (MCC), MCC powder, micellar casein isolate or milk protein isolate. In another embodiment, the plant is rapeseed oil, canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, algae oil, fermented oil from bacteria, fermented oil from yeast, fermented oil from mold, vegetable oil, hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated and interesterified oil, blended and interesterified oil, and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) vegetable oil; and, wherein the milk fat can be milk fat, shortening, anhydrous milk fat, butter, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the sweetener is a nutritive sweetener or a non-nutritive sweetener. In another embodiment, the nutritive sweetener is one or more of sucrose, lactose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, dextran, maltodextrin, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, soluble / insoluble fiber derived from corn, wheat, peas, rice, oats, coconut, barley and / or cassava, oligofructose, oligogalactose and hydrolyzed cereal flour. In another embodiment, the non-nutritive sweetener is one or more of sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, stevia, monk fruit extract, neotame, advantame, acesulfame potassium, maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, isomalt, lactitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate. In another embodiment, the additional emulsifier is one or more of sugar esters, beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, vegetable wax, fruit wax, animal wax, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), polysorbates (polyoxyethylene sorbitan), monoglycerides, diglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and / or diglycerides, lactic acid esters of mono- and / or diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sorbitan monostearate, polyethylene glycol esters, propylene glycol monostearate, and lecithin.In another embodiment, the stabilizer is one or more of alginate, carrageenan, guar gum, cellulose, methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), xanthan gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, beet pectin, vegetable protein, sodium caseinate, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, partially skim milk powder, buttermilk powder, modified starch, agar, gelatin, gellan gum, gum arabic, konjac gum, pectin, maltodextrin, and tragacanth gum. In another embodiment, when the emulsion is whippable, it is a topping, icing, or filling. In another embodiment, when the emulsion is non-whippable, it is cooking cream, creamer, heavy cream, or table cream. In another embodiment, the particle size density of the emulsion is from about 0.1 μm to about 100 μm. In another embodiment, there is no visible whey separation, creaming, or particle flocculation in the emulsion.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for preparing an emulsifier composition comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, the method comprising: providing milk; subjecting the milk to microfiltration, wherein a first retentate and a first permeate are formed; discarding the first permeate; adding water to the first retentate to form a first mixture; subjecting the first mixture to diafiltration, wherein a second retentate and a second permeate are formed; discarding the second permeate; adding one or more chelating agents to the second retentate to form a second mixture; and drying the second mixture to form a powder. In one embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are from about 0.0001% w / w to about 20% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition, and the micellar casein is from about 55% w / w to about 90% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition. In another embodiment, the milk is skim milk from a cow or buffalo. In another embodiment, water is added to the first retentate to return the volume to the volume of the milk. In another embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, or calcium salts of citrates, phosphates, or carbonates, and polyphosphates. In another embodiment, the one or more chelating agents are sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the chelating agent is added at any time during the membrane filtration process. In another embodiment, the chelating agent is added to the milk before filtration, during filtration, after filtration (to the retentate), or to the water used for the diafiltration process. In another embodiment, the membrane pore size used for filtration is selected based on the step to which the chelating agent is added. In another embodiment, the powder is formed by evaporating and drying the second mixture. In another embodiment, drum drying or spray drying is used to dry the second mixture.

[0010] The present disclosure provides other aspects and embodiments that will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Figure 1 is a graph showing the particle size distribution (PSD) of Grand America Classic ("GA") and Vanilla Bettercreme ("VBC") polysorbate-60 compositions containing sodium caseinate, micellar casein ("InLeit"), or micellar casein and a chelating agent.

[0012] Figure 2 Images of various whipping cream Grand America Classic ("GA") and Vanilla Bettercreme ("VBC") polysorbate-60 compositions containing sodium caseinate, micellar casein ("InLeit" or "Leprino"), or micellar casein and a chelating agent. "DKP" is dipotassium phosphate.

[0013] Figure 3 Graph showing the particle size distribution (PSD) of Gold Label ("GL") and Grand American Prestige ("GAP") sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL) compositions containing sodium caseinate, micellar casein ("InLeit"), or micellar casein and a chelating agent.

[0014] Figure 4 are images of various whipping cream Gold Label ("GL") and Grand American Prestige ("GAP") SSL compositions containing sodium caseinate, micellar casein ("InLeit" or "Leprino" or "Idaho"), or micellar casein and a chelating agent.

[0015] Figure 5 Images of a control emulsion containing sodium caseinate and a test emulsion containing trisodium citrate and micellar casein from Lazzaro et al. (2017) Food Hydrocolloids 63:189-200. The test emulsion produced larger bubbles and was prone to Ostwald ripening, while the control emulsion produced microbubbles that were stable for a long time.

[0016] Figure 6 Images of protein solutions containing various amounts of trisodium citrate (TSC) show the effect of various amounts of TSC on a 0.5% micellar casein (MC) solution. From left to right are control (0%), 0.075%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5% TSC. As TSC is added, it chelates calcium and dissolves the micellar structure, resulting in the formation of soluble casein and a clearer solution.

[0017] Figure 7 The results of the zetasizer analysis of samples containing 0.5% MC and 0%, 0.075%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.25% or 0.5% TSC are shown. Figure 6 Plot of the particle size distribution (PSD) of a protein solution.

[0018] Figure 8 is a graph showing the particle size distribution (PSD) of a control emulsion composition comprising sodium caseinate and a composition comprising canola oil, micellar casein powder, SSL, methylcellulose, and TSC.

[0019] Figure 9 is a graph showing the particle size distribution (PSD) of Vanilla Bettercreme ("VBC") polysorbate-60 compositions containing sodium caseinate, micellar casein and sodium citrate, or micellar casein and dipotassium phosphate (DKP).

[0020] Figure 10 This graph shows the particle size distribution (PSD) of compositions containing sodium caseinate, micellar casein, micellar casein and sodium citrate, and micellar casein and dipotassium phosphate (DKP). The particle size of MCC without a chelating agent ranges from 70 nm to 1300 nm. With the addition of trisodium citrate, the particle size of MCC is below 70 nm, similar to the particle size of sodium caseinate.

[0021] Figure 11 is a graph showing the viscosity of compositions having different total solids and containing different amounts of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) or TSC.

[0022] Figure 12 are images showing the opacity of compositions containing varying amounts of either SHMP or TSC.

[0023] Figure 13 is a graph showing the viscosity of milk protein isolate (MPI) in the presence of SHMP or TSC.

[0024] Figure 14 is a graph of the particle size distribution of the emulsions shown in Table 12.

[0025] Figure 15 is a graph of the viscosities of the emulsions shown in Table 12.

[0026] Figure 16A -J is an image of a whipped product prepared using the recipe listed in Table 14. Figure 16A is the image of sample A. Figure 16B is the image of sample B. Figure 16C is the image of sample C. Figure 16D is the image of sample D. Figure 16Eis the image of sample E. Figure 16F is the image of sample F. Figure 16G is the image of sample G. Figure 16H is the image of sample H. Figure 16I is the image of sample I. Figure 16J is the image of sample J.

[0027] Figure 17 is a graph of the particle size distribution of samples AJ, which are referred to as "Batch A", "Batch B", "Batch C", "Batch D", "Batch E", "Batch F", "Batch G", "Batch H", "Batch I" and "Batch J" in the graph, respectively. Detailed Description of the Invention 1. Definition

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, the meaning of all technical and scientific terms used herein is the same as that generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. In the event of conflict, this document (including definitions) shall prevail. Preferred methods and materials are described below, although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. All publications, patent applications, patents and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. The materials, methods and embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative only and are not intended to be restrictive.

[0029] As used herein, the terms "comprise(s)," "include(s)," "having," "has," "can," "contain(s)," and variations thereof are intended to be open transitional phrases, terms, or words that do not exclude the possibility of additional action or structure. The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The present disclosure also encompasses other embodiments that "comprise(s)," "consist(s) of," and "consist(s) essentially of" the embodiments or elements presented herein, whether explicitly stated or not.

[0030] For the recitation of numerical ranges herein, each intervening number of equal precision is expressly contemplated. For example, for the range 6-9, the numbers 7 and 8 are contemplated in addition to 6 and 9; for the range 6 to 9, the numbers 7 and 8 are contemplated in addition to 6 and 9; and for the range 6.0-7.0, the numbers 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, and 7.0 are expressly contemplated.

[0031] As used herein, the term "about" or "approximately" as used for one or more values of interest refers to a value that is similar to a recited reference value, or a value that is within an acceptable error range for a particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, depending in part on how the value is measured or determined, such as limitations of the measurement system. In certain aspects, the term "about" refers to a range of values that falls within 20%, 19%, 18%, 17%, 16%, 15%, 14%, 13%, 12%, 11%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1% or less in either direction (greater than or less than) of the recited reference value, unless otherwise specified or the context indicates otherwise (unless the value exceeds 100% of the possible values). Alternatively, "about" can mean within 3 or more standard deviations, according to practice in the art. Alternatively, such as with respect to biological systems or processes, the term "about" can mean within an order of magnitude, preferably within 5-fold, and more preferably within 2-fold of a value.

[0032] As used herein, "native micellar casein" refers to micellar casein derived from cow's milk that is not synthesized from other forms of casein.

[0033] As used herein, "reconstituted casein" or "processed casein" refers to casein and casein micelles that have been synthesized from acid casein or caseinates. Reconstituted casein micelles begin with acid casein or caseinates and are chemically treated with a series of inorganic salt solutions and filtration processes to convert the caseinates into casein micelles.

[0034] As used herein, "sweetener" refers to an ingredient and / or mixture of ingredients that imparts sweetness to a finished product.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined herein, scientific and technical terms related to the present disclosure should have the meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, any terms and techniques related to food science, microbiology, biochemistry, and chemistry described herein are terms and techniques well known and commonly used in the art. The meaning and scope of the terms should be clear; however, in the event of any potential ambiguity, the definitions provided herein take precedence over any dictionary or external definition. In addition, unless the context requires otherwise, singular terms should include the plural, and plural terms should also include the singular. 2. Emulsifier composition

[0036] Provided herein are emulsifier compositions for emulsifying and stabilizing whippable and non-whippable foods. In some embodiments, the emulsifier composition may comprise micellar casein and one or more chelating agents. The emulsifier composition may comprise one or more chelating agents and may range from 0.0001% w / w to 20% w / w of the finished product on a dry basis. The emulsifier composition may be a powder or a liquid. a. Micellar casein

[0037] Micellar casein can be derived from cow's milk, such as whole milk (e.g., milk with about 3.5% milk fat), reduced-fat milk (e.g., milk with about 2% milk fat), low-fat milk (e.g., milk with about 1% milk fat), and skim milk (e.g., milk with about 0.8 wt.% or less milk fat). Micellar casein can be separated from other components of milk to produce micellar casein purified to about 80 wt.% to about 99 wt.% on a dry basis. For example, micellar casein can be purified to about 80 wt.%, about 83 wt.%, about 86 wt.%, about 89 wt.%, about 91 wt.%, about 92 wt.%, about 93 wt.%, or about 99 wt.% on a dry basis.

[0038] The micellar casein may be micellar casein concentrate (MCC), MCC powder, micellar casein isolate or milk protein isolate. b. Chelating agents

[0039] One or more chelating agents may be used in the emulsifier compositions disclosed herein. The one or more chelating agents may be calcium chelating salts, such as any sodium, potassium or calcium salt of citrate, phosphate, carbonate, not limited to sodium polyphosphate, sodium orthophosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium monophosphate, sodium diphosphate, sodium triphosphate, sodium monocarbonate, sodium dicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate or a combination thereof. Chelating agents remove calcium and inorganic phosphates from casein micelles to produce demineralized casein. In one embodiment, the one or more chelating agents may be sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) or a combination thereof. For example, sodium citrate may be used when the total solids content of the whippable or non-whippable emulsion is less than 50%, less than 45%, less than 40%, less than 35%, less than 30%, less than 25%, less than 20%, less than 15%, less than 10% or less than 5%. Sodium citrate may be used when the total solids content of the whippable or non-whippable emulsion is about 0% to about 50%. SHMP can be used when the whippable or non-whippable emulsion has a total solids content of greater than 90%, greater than 85%, greater than 80%, greater than 75%, greater than 70%, greater than 65%, greater than 60%, greater than 55%, greater than 50%, greater than 45%, greater than 40%, greater than 35%, greater than 30%, greater than 25%, greater than 20%, greater than 15%, greater than 10%, greater than 5%, or greater than 0%. SHMP can be used when the whippable or non-whippable emulsion has a total solids content of about 0% to about 90%. 3. Whippable and non-whippable emulsions

[0040] Whippable and non-whippable emulsions comprising the emulsifier compositions described herein are provided herein. Whippable and non-whippable emulsions may also comprise vegetable oil or butterfat, sweeteners, other emulsifiers and / or stabilizers, and water. Whippable and non-whippable emulsions may be oil-in-water emulsions. When the emulsion is whippable, it may be a topping, icing, or filling, etc. When the emulsion is non-whippable, it may be cooking cream, creamer, heavy cream, or table cream.

[0041] The whippable and non-whippable emulsions described herein may have a particle size density of about 0.1 μm to about 100 μm. The whippable and non-whippable emulsions described herein have no visible whey separation, creaming, or particle flocculation.

[0042] The whippable and non-whippable emulsions may comprise from about 0.5 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, from about 1.5 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, from about 1.5 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, from about 0.5 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.%, or from about 0.5 wt.% to about 1.0 wt.% of micellar casein. The whippable and non-whippable emulsions may comprise from about 0.1 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.%, from about 0.5 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.%, from about 1.0 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.%, from about 0.1 wt.% to about 1.0 wt.%, or from about 0.1 wt.% to about 0.5 wt.% of one or more chelating agents.

[0043] Micellar caseins can replace some or all of the other casein-derived ingredients in both whippable and non-whippable emulsions. For example, micellar caseins can replace about 10 wt.%, 20 wt.%, 30 wt.%, 40 wt.%, 50 wt.%, 60 wt.%, 70 wt.%, 80 wt.%, 90 wt.%, or 100 wt.% of caseinates (e.g., calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, etc.) in both whippable and non-whippable emulsions. They can also replace "reconstituted" casein micelles. Like many denatured complex proteins, reconstituted casein micelles have significant structural and chemical differences from native micellar casein.

[0044] When micellar casein replaces all caseinates (i.e., replaces 100% of the caseinates), the casein compound in the whippable and non-whippable emulsions can be said to consist essentially of micellar casein and to be essentially free of caseinates, including sodium caseinate and calcium caseinate. However, the whippable and non-whippable emulsions may contain other ingredients that, among other functions, serve as emulsifiers, whitening agents, protein sources, flavoring agents, stabilizers, and the like.

[0045] In many cases, compare with caseinate, need less micellar casein to form stable can be whipped and can not be whipped emulsion.For example, need about 95wt.%, about 90wt.%, about 85wt.%, about 80wt.%, about 75wt.%, about 70wt.%, about 65wt.%, about 60wt.%, about 55wt.% or about 50wt.% micellar casein, to provide the stability of the caseinate same degree with 100wt.% to can be whipped and can not be whipped emulsion.Expect to increase therein and can not whip in other examples of the amount of protein in the emulsion, micellar casein can be with 1: 1 weight ratio, or even greater than the micellar casein of 1: 1 weight ratio and caseinate alternative caseinate.Reduce the amount of the micellar casein that needs to substitute caseinate and other protein-containing components, allow upward and downward adjustment can whip and can not whip the total amount of protein in the emulsion. For example, replacing caseinate with less micellar casein can result in a lower total weight percentage of protein in both whippable and non-whippable emulsions. Alternatively, replacing caseinate with more micellar casein can result in a higher total weight percentage of protein in both whippable and non-whippable emulsions.

[0046] Can be whipped and can not whip emulsion can comprise fat or oil, to give composition creamy mouthfeel, and form fine and smooth emulsified particles in aqueous mixture, these particle scattered light, to present milky white.Can be whipped and can not whip emulsion can comprise the vegetable oil or butterfat of about 5wt.% to about 30wt.%.For example, can be whipped and can not whip emulsion can comprise the vegetable oil or butterfat of about 10wt.% to about 30wt.%, about 15wt.% to about 30wt.%, about 20wt.% to about 30wt.%, about 25wt.% to about 30wt.%, about 5wt.% to about 25wt.%, about 5wt.% to about 20wt.%, about 5wt.% to about 15wt.% or about 5wt.% to about 10wt.%.Vegetable oil can be one or more in canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil and corn oil. The vegetable oil may be unhydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or fully hydrogenated. In some cases, the whippable and non-whippable emulsions may contain animal fats, such as dairy fat or milkfat. An exemplary source of milkfat may include milk from which micellar casein is obtained.

[0047] Whippable and non-whippable emulsions may contain from about 5 wt.% to about 55 wt.% sweetener. For example, the whippable and non-whippable emulsions may contain from about 10 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 15 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 20 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 25 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 30 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 35 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 40 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 45 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 50 wt.% to about 55 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 50 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 45 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 40 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 35 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 30 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 25 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 20 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 15 wt.%, or from about 5 wt.% to about 10 wt.% of the sweetener. Sweeteners can be nutritive sweeteners or non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutritive sweeteners can be one or more of sucrose, lactose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, dextran, maltodextrin, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Non-nutritive sweeteners can be one or more of sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, stevia, monk fruit extract, neotame, advantame, and acesulfame potassium.

[0048] Whippable and non-whippable emulsions can include from about 0.1 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.% additional emulsifiers and / or stabilizers. For example, whippable and non-whippable emulsions can include from about 0.5 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, from about 1.0 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, from 1.5 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, from 0.1 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.%, from 0.1 wt.% to about 1.0 wt.%, or from 0.1 wt.% to about 0.5 wt.% additional emulsifiers and / or stabilizers. The additional emulsifier may be one or more of sugar esters, beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, vegetable wax, fruit wax, animal wax, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), polysorbates (polyoxyethylene sorbitan), monoglycerides, diglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and / or diglycerides, lactic acid esters of mono- and / or diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sorbitan monostearate, polyethylene glycol esters, propylene glycol monostearate, and lecithin. The stabilizer can be alginate, carrageenan, guar gum, cellulose; for example, methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), xanthan gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, beet pectin, vegetable protein, sodium caseinate, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, partially skimmed milk powder, buttermilk powder, modified starch, agar, gelatin, gellan gum (e.g., high acyl, low acyl), gum arabic, konjac gum, pectin, maltodextrin, tragacanth gum, or one or more of a combination thereof.

[0049] Stabilizers can maintain a certain degree of uniformity in the emulsion. In some embodiments, stabilizers can act as emulsifiers that supplement micellar casein. They can also act as whitening agents as they help stabilize the fine emulsified fat and / or oil globules in the emulsion that scatter light.

[0050] Whippable and non-whippable emulsions may contain from about 9.5 wt. % to about 89.3 wt. % water. For example, the whippable emulsions and the non-whippable emulsions may contain from about 9 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 10 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 20 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 30 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 40 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 50 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 60 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 70 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 80 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 9 wt.% to about 80 wt.%, from about 9 wt.% to about 70 wt.%, from about 9 wt.% to about 60 wt.%, from about 9 wt.% to about 50 wt.%, from about 9 wt.% to about 40 wt.%, from about 9 wt.% to about 30 wt.%, from about 9 wt.% to about 20 wt.%, or from about 9 wt.% to about 10 wt.% water. 4. Method for preparing emulsifier composition

[0051] Provided herein are methods for preparing the emulsifier compositions described herein. The methods can include providing milk; subjecting the milk to microfiltration, wherein a first retentate and a first permeate are formed; discarding the first permeate; adding water to the first retentate to form a first mixture; subjecting the first mixture to diafiltration, wherein a second retentate and a second permeate are formed; discarding the second permeate; and repeating the water addition step (if necessary) and drying the second retentate mixture to form a powder. During this manufacturing process, the chelating agent can be added to the system at any stage of the membrane filtration process; that is, the chelating agent can be added to the skim milk before, during, or after filtration (to the retentate), or added to the water used in the diafiltration process.

[0052] Milk can be cow's milk, such as whole milk (for example, milk with about 3.5% milk fat), reduced fat milk (for example, milk with about 2% milk fat), low-fat milk (for example, milk with about 1% milk fat) and skim milk (for example, milk with about 0.8wt.% milk fat or less). Water can be added to restore the volume to the volume of the starting material. This process is called diafiltration. Diafiltration can be carried out one to three times, depending on the ratio of casein to whey protein required for the finished product. The second retentate can be evaporated and dried to obtain a powder. If a chelating agent is added before microfiltration, casein will be lost through the filtrate. After adding the chelating agent, the preferred filtration process is ultrafiltration. 5. Examples

[0053] The foregoing may be better understood with reference to the following examples. These examples are presented for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The present disclosure has multiple aspects and embodiments, which are illustrated by the accompanying non-limiting examples. Example 1 Polysorbate 60 topping can be whipped and remade

[0054] Micellar casein and a chelating agent (sodium citrate) were tested as replacements for sodium caseinate in Grand America Classic ("GA") and Vanilla Bettercreme ("VBC") at 0.75% and 1.25% caseinate in each. Table 1 shows that the compositions with micellar casein had a slightly increased whipping time compared to the compositions with sodium caseinate, but similar stability on the cake. Table 1. Composition parameters

[0055] The chelating salts help the micellar casein to have a particle size distribution (PSD) similar to that of the composition containing sodium caseinate (Tables 2 and Figure 1 ). Table 2. Particle size distribution of samples Example 2 Can be whipped to make SSL topping

[0056] Micellar casein and a chelating agent (sodium citrate) were tested as replacements for sodium caseinate in Gold Label ("GL") and Grand American Prestige ("GAP"), both containing 0.6% caseinate. Table 3 shows that the GL composition with micellar casein had increased whipping time and decreased rosette time, but similar stability on the cake, compared to the composition with sodium caseinate. Table 3. GL and GAP composition parameters

[0057] Micellar casein without chelating salts formed a monodisperse PSD, whereas in the presence of chelating salts, the PSD split into two peaks (Table 4 and Figure 3 ). Table 4. Particle size distribution of samples Example 3 Functions of known micellar casein and chelating agent compositions

[0058] Lazzaro et al. (2017) Food Hydrocolloids 63:189-200 disrupted the casein micelle structure with trisodium citrate (TSC) and concluded, based on interfacial studies, that smaller caseins possessed superior emulsifying capacity and similar surface activity. Therefore, the aggregation state of caseins is the primary factor controlling their emulsifying ability. However, emulsions formed from these smaller aggregates were less stable in terms of creaming and flocculation but still resisted aggregation under our storage conditions (21 days at 50°C). This difference in instability was attributed to the nature of the non-adsorbed CA and the storage conditions.

[0059] Emulsion compositions were prepared as shown in Table 5. The test emulsions mimicked the emulsions of Lazzaro. Table 5.

[0060] The PSDs obtained for the test and control emulsions were similar, indicating that the emulsions had similar colloidal properties (Table 6). However, when the functional properties of the emulsions were further investigated, the emulsions behaved differently. For example, the foam stability of the control emulsion was much higher than that of the test emulsion. The two samples were whipped under similar conditions using a similar whipping apparatus. The foams produced by the two emulsions were similar, but the foam textures were different. The bubbles produced by the test emulsion were larger and prone to Ostwald ripening, while the microbubbles produced by the control emulsion were stable for a long time ( Figure 5 In addition, the foaming functionality was studied using a protein foam analyzer. Under set conditions, a 0.25% protein solution was foamed and the foam dissipation time was studied. Example 4 Modified micellar casein and chelating agent composition

[0061] Different levels of TSC (0.075%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.25% and 0.5%) were added to a 0.5% micellar casein concentrate (MCC) solution and the PSD was evaluated using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The zeta potential of the solution was also measured. As TSC was added, it chelated calcium and dissolved the micellar structure, resulting in the formation of soluble casein and therefore a clearer solution ( Figure 6 ).

[0062] Figure 7 The results show that for 0.1% and 0.5% TSC, PSD values decreased to an average D4,3 of 10 nm. Additions of 0.075% and 0.05% resulted in higher PSDs. While 0.1% resulted in the lowest PSD and concentration, concentrations above 0.25% resulted in larger particles, indicating that an optimal level of TSC is required for chelation, and any additional concentration leads to charge neutralization and secondary aggregation of the protein particles.

[0063] The addition of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (DKP) did not result in successful calcium chelation, which may be due to the fact that the buffering activity of trisodium citrate is between pH 6-7, which is close to the pH of food emulsions, while DKP exhibited good buffering effect between pH 6.5-7.5.

[0064] From the initial screening, it was concluded that although MCC with TSC provided better emulsifying ability and similar surface activity to monomeric casein, emulsions formed with these smaller aggregates exhibited poor foaming and whipping functionality. Example 5 Improved stability through the combination of chelating agents and emulsifiers

[0065] When sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL) and methylcellulose were used in combination with TSC, an increase in emulsion stability and improved whipping functionality were observed. Table 7 shows the compositions containing SSL, methylcellulose and TSC. Table 8 and Figure 8 The PSD results are shown. Table 7. Components ％ Hydrogenated PKO 20 sugar 25 Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate SSL 0.4 Cellulose ether 0.4 MCC powder 0.6 TSC 0.1 water margin 100％ Table 8.

[0066] The PSD data for the control sample with monomeric casein was similar to that of the experimental sample. There was no visible whey separation, creaming, or particle flocculation in either emulsion. The product exhibited similar whipping time and overrun as the control.

[0067] Polysorbate 60 and mono- and diglycerides (instead of SSL) were also analyzed. The formulations are shown in Table 9 and the PSD is shown in Table 9. Figure 9 Table 10 shows that the test composition comprising MCC, polysorbate 60, and mono- and diglycerides produced similar results to the control composition comprising sodium caseinate. Table 9. Composition quantity[%] Hydrogenated palm kernel oil 20 sugar 25 Polysorbate 60 0.3 MCC powder 1.0 TSC 0.1 Cellulose ether 0.4 Monoglycerides and diglycerides 0.20 Xanthan gum 0.06 water Top up to 100% 100.000 Table 10. parameter Control with sodium caseinate Experimental (MC with citrate) pH 6.3 7.12 D[4,3](μm) 0.80 0.61 Whipping time (min:sec) 14:45 15:35 Expansion (%) 125 120 Rosette time (min) 30 30 Texture and gloss Slightly rough, soft luster, solid Slightly rough, soft luster, solid Cake and bowl stability 5 days of excellence 5 days of excellence

[0068] In another embodiment, SSL was mixed with an emulsifier (e.g., mono- and diglycerides, polysorbates) and a stabilizer (Table 11). Improved functionality of this composition was observed. The bench time (rosette time; aiding in cake decoration and subsequent presentation) of the topping was significantly enhanced compared to a composition containing SSL and methylcellulose. Table 11. Components quantity[%] Hydrogenated palm kernel oil 20 sugar 25 Micellar Casein Powder 0.60 Tsc 0.1 Cellulose ether 0.40 Polysorbate 60 0.25 Sodium stearoyl lactylate 0.20 Monoglycerides and diglycerides 0.20 Polysorbate 80 0.03 Xanthan gum 0.06 water Replenish to 100 total 100.00

[0069] Figure 9 The PSD for Grand American whipped topping is given in and shows that the PSD and span are similar to dispersions prepared using sodium caseinate.

[0070] The PSD data for the control sample with monomeric casein was similar to that of the experimental sample. There was no visible whey separation, creaming, or particle flocculation in either emulsion. The product exhibited similar whipping time and overrun as the control. Example 6 Comparison between long-chain SHMP and TSC

[0071] The project aims to replace expensive protein ingredients such as sodium caseinate (NaCas) with cheaper alternatives such as micellar casein or milk protein isolate. Trisodium citrate (TSC) is used to chelate calcium from micellar casein to produce monomeric casein.

[0072] In products with low total solids (TS) content of about 50%, NaCas is successfully substituted. When the water content is reduced (TS greater than 50%), TSC makes the emulsions extremely viscous, making them unprocessable. Therefore, in high TS emulsions, sodium caseinate cannot be replaced by micellar casein ( Figure 11 However, when long-chain sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) is used in products with high TS, the viscosity of the system drops sharply, making it easier to process.

[0073] Furthermore, the chelation rate / efficiency was better when SHMP was used. As calcium was removed from the micelles, the micelles lost their structure and formed monomeric casein. A decrease in light scattering (opacity) indicated a decrease in particle size to form nanoparticles that were virtually unable to scatter light (light can scatter when the particle size is equal to or greater than the wavelength of light, 400-500 nm). Translucent samples indicated that the particles were monomeric. Figure 12 It was shown that SHMP was much more efficient as a chelating agent than TSC, as SHMP produced more translucent samples than TSC. Example 7 Application of milk protein isolate in whipping products

[0074] For milk protein isolate (MPI), the higher viscosity of MPI makes processing MPI difficult. At the same concentration, the viscosity of MPI is higher than that of MC. Adding TSC makes processing more difficult, while adding SHMP results in a solution with a viscosity comparable to that of MC ( Figure 13 ). Table 12.

[0075] The TS of this formulation is over 50% and the product has similar functionality to the control. The particle size distribution of the emulsion is shown in Figure 14 and Table 13. The viscosity of the emulsion is shown in Figure 15 middle. Table 13.

[0076] Dairy processors perform numerous additional unit operations, such as CO2 injection / acidification or chelation, to remove calcium from micellar casein. This increases costs and prolongs processing time. This, in turn, reduces the product's calcium content, which contributes to bone and tooth health.

[0077] Some processors need to reduce calcium to meet supplier demands for low-calcium powders. The limiting viscosity of MC / MPI is one of the challenges dairy processors face when producing these ingredients. Typically, these products are concentrated to 20-23% before spray drying. Removing the remaining water requires significant energy, making the process inefficient. Adding long-chain SHMP reduces the overall viscosity of the system, allowing for further concentration and improving the energy efficiency of the entire process.

[0078] Sodium caseinate contains approximately 1.14%-1.65% sodium and 0.04%-0.1% calcium, depending on how it is made. Most of the sodium comes from the process used to make the sodium caseinate. The recommended dietary allowance of calcium for adults is 1,300 mg. Limiting sodium intake is especially important for people with high blood pressure (e.g., hypertension). High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Nearly 9 out of 10 American children eat more than the recommended amount of sodium, and about 1 in 9 children have elevated blood pressure. Reducing the sodium in a child's diet can help lower blood pressure and may prevent heart disease later in life.

[0079] MPI and MCC retain the colloidal calcium content of milk and are beneficial for bone health. Their calcium content ranges from 2% to 2.5%, while their sodium content is very low (less than 0.41%), which results in a lighter mouthfeel. Assuming a 2% protein content and a 2% calcium content in the powder, 100g of whipped product provides approximately 40g of calcium. Example 8 Whipping product applications

[0080] The following examples employed various types of fat, various fat levels, different types of emulsifiers / stabilizers, different types of milk proteins, and different chelating agents (Table 14). Table 14.

[0081] All samples exhibited a firm foam structure after whipping. The whipped cream samples had a smooth appearance with small, uniform bubbles, indicating excellent stability, with the exception of Sample C. Sample C appeared slightly wet / watery and had a rough texture. Samples were distributed to assess functionality.

[0082] Table 15 shows information on the functionality studies conducted using the whippable emulsions prepared using the formulations listed in Table 14. Table 15. *EEE indicates viscosity too high to measure.

[0083] The whey loss of the whipped product was also analyzed. This is related to the emulsion's emulsion stability and the strength of the foam structure. The pre-weighed whipped product was placed in a funnel lined with cheesecloth. It was then placed upright in a sealed container and left undisturbed on the counter for 24 hours at room temperature (e.g., about 65°F to about 72°F). The whey was collected, weighed, and reported in Table 15.

[0084] However, samples B and C showed slight whey separation ( Figure 16B and Figure 16C In addition, Sample C showed a weak foam structure, with the highest penetrometer readings at 0 and 60 minutes, which were 44.5 and 48.5, respectively ( Figure 16C Meanwhile, Sample B did not show a weak foam structure during piping, but after whipping for 60 minutes, it showed a more "fluid" foam with a high penetrometer reading of 43.5 ( Figure 16B ). The particle size of the sample is shown in Figure 17 Most of the samples showed a unimodal distribution, indicating better emulsion stability during storage.

[0085] Table 16 lists the values of D10, D50, D90 and the average particle size (D43). The D43 of the sample indicates a narrower particle size, which in turn indicates good emulsion stability. The higher the D43, the greater the likelihood of particle agglomeration. Table 16. ***

[0086] The description of the foregoing specific aspects will fully reveal the general nature of the present invention so that others can use the knowledge in the art to easily modify and / or adjust such specific aspects of various applications without departing from the overall concept of the present disclosure without excessive experimentation. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance provided herein, such adjustments and modifications are intended to fall within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the disclosed aspects. It should be understood that the wording or terminology herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not restrictive, so that those skilled in the art will interpret the terms or wording in this specification in accordance with the teachings and guidance.

[0087] The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary aspects, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

[0088] All publications, patents, patent applications and / or other documents cited in this application are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, patent application and / or other document were individually indicated to be incorporated by reference for all purposes.

[0089] For reasons of completeness, various aspects of the invention are listed in the following numbered clauses:

[0090] Item 1. An emulsifier composition comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, wherein the one or more chelating agents are from about 0.0001% w / w to about 20% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition and the micellar casein is from about 55% w / w to about 90% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition.

[0091] Item 2. The emulsifier composition according to Item 1, wherein the one or more chelating agents is a calcium chelating salt.

[0092] Item 3. The emulsifier composition according to Item 1, wherein the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium salts of citrate, phosphate or carbonate.

[0093] Item 4. The emulsifier composition of Item 1, wherein the one or more chelating agents is sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, or a combination thereof.

[0094] Clause 5. The emulsifier composition of any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein the micellar casein is micellar casein concentrate (MCC), MCC powder, micellar casein isolate, or milk protein isolate.

[0095] Clause 6. The emulsifier composition of any one of clauses 1-5, wherein the emulsifier composition is a powder.

[0096] Item 7. A whippable or non-whippable emulsion comprising from about 0.5 wt.% to about 2 wt.% micellar casein and from about 0.1 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.% of one or more chelating agents.

[0097] Item 8. A whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to Item 7, further comprising: about 5 wt.% to about 30 wt.% vegetable oil or milk fat; about 5 wt.% to about 55 wt.% sweetener; about 0.1 wt.% to about 2 wt.% additional emulsifier and / or stabilizer; and about 9.5 wt.% to about 89.3 wt.% water.

[0098] Clause 9. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to clause 7 or clause 8, wherein the one or more chelating agents is a calcium chelating salt.

[0099] Clause 10. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to clause 7 or clause 8, wherein the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium salts of citrate, phosphate or carbonate.

[0100] Clause 11. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to Clause 7 or Clause 8, wherein the one or more chelating agents is sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, or a combination thereof.

[0101] Clause 12. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of clauses 7 to 11, wherein the micellar casein is micellar casein concentrate (MCC), MCC powder, micellar casein isolate or milk protein isolate.

[0102] Clause 13. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion of any one of clauses 8-12, wherein the vegetable is one or more of rapeseed oil, canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, algae oil, fermented oil from bacteria, fermented oil from yeast, fermented oil from mold, vegetable oil, hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated and interesterified oil, blended and interesterified oil, and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) vegetable oil; and, wherein the milk fat can be milk fat, shortening, anhydrous milk fat, butter, or a combination thereof.

[0103] Clause 14. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion of any one of clauses 8-13, wherein the sweetener is a nutritive sweetener or a non-nutritive sweetener.

[0104] Item 15. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion of Item 14, wherein the nutritive sweetener is one or more of sucrose, lactose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, dextran, maltodextrin, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, soluble / insoluble fiber derived from corn, wheat, pea, rice, oat, coconut, barley and / or tapioca, fructooligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides and hydrolyzed cereal flour.

[0105] Item 16. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to Item 14, wherein the non-nutritive sweetener is one or more of sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, stevia, monk fruit extract, neotame, advantame, acesulfame potassium, maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, isomalt, lactitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate.

[0106] Clause 17. A whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of clauses 8 to 16, wherein the additional emulsifier is one or more of sugar esters, beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, vegetable wax, fruit wax, animal wax, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), polysorbate (polyoxyethylene sorbitan), monoglyceride, diglyceride, diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and / or diglyceride, lactic acid ester of mono- and / or diglyceride, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sorbitan monostearate, polyethylene glycol esters, propylene glycol monostearate and lecithin.

[0107] Clause 18. The whippable or unwhippable emulsion according to any one of clauses 8 to 17, wherein the stabilizer is one or more of alginate, carrageenan, guar gum, cellulose, methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), xanthan gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, beet pectin, vegetable protein, sodium caseinate, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, part skim milk powder, buttermilk powder, modified starch, agar, gelatin, gellan gum, gum arabic, konjac gum, pectin, maltodextrin and tragacanth gum.

[0108] Clause 19. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of clauses 7 to 18, wherein when the emulsion is whippable, it is a topping, icing or filling.

[0109] Clause 20. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of clauses 7 to 18, wherein when the emulsion is non-whippable, it is cooking cream, creamer, heavy cream or table cream.

[0110] Item 21. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of items 7-20, wherein the emulsion has a particle size density of about 0.1 μm to about 100 μm.

[0111] Clause 22. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of clauses 7 to 21, wherein there is no visible whey separation, creaming or particle flocculation in the emulsion.

[0112] Item 23. A method of preparing an emulsifier composition comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, the method comprising: providing milk; microfiltration of the milk, wherein a first retentate and a first permeate are formed; discarding the first permeate; adding water to the first retentate to form a first mixture; diafiltration of the first mixture, wherein a second retentate and a second permeate are formed; discarding the second permeate; adding one or more chelating agents to the second retentate to form a second mixture; and drying the second mixture to form a powder.

[0113] Clause 24. The method of Clause 23, wherein the one or more chelating agents are from about 0.0001% w / w to about 20% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition and the micellar casein is from about 55% w / w to about 90% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition.

[0114] Clause 25. The method of Clause 23 or Clause 24, wherein the milk is skim milk from cows or buffaloes.

[0115] Clause 26. The method of any one of clauses 23-25, wherein water is added to the first retentate to return the volume to that of milk.

[0116] Clause 27. The method according to any one of clauses 23 to 26, wherein the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium salts of citrates, phosphates or carbonates and polyphosphates.

[0117] Clause 28. The method of any one of Clauses 23-27, wherein the one or more chelating agents is sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, or a combination thereof.

[0118] Clause 29. The method according to any one of clauses 23-28, wherein the chelating agent is added at any time during the membrane filtration process.

[0119] Clause 30. The method according to any one of clauses 23 to 29, wherein the chelating agent is added to the milk before filtration, during filtration, after filtration (to the retentate), or to the water used for the diafiltration process.

[0120] Clause 31. The method of any one of clauses 23-30, wherein the membrane pore size used for filtration is selected based on the step to which the chelating agent is added.

[0121] Clause 32. The method of any one of Clauses 23-31, wherein the powder is formed by evaporating and drying the second mixture.

[0122] Clause 33. The method of any one of clauses 23-32, wherein the second mixture is dried using drum drying or spray drying.

Claims

1. An emulsifier composition comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, wherein the one or more chelating agents are from about 0.0001% w / w to about 20% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition and the micellar casein is from about 55% w / w to about 90% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition.

2. The emulsifier composition according to claim 1, wherein the one or more chelating agents are calcium chelating salts.

3. The emulsifier composition according to claim 1, wherein the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium salts of citrate, phosphate or carbonate.

4. The emulsifier composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more chelating agents is sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, or a combination thereof.

5. The emulsifier composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the micellar casein is micellar casein concentrate (MCC), MCC powder, micellar casein isolate or milk protein isolate.

6. The emulsifier composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the emulsifier composition is a powder.

7. A whippable or non-whippable emulsion comprising from about 0.5 wt.% to about 2 wt.% micellar casein and from about 0.1 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.% of one or more chelating agents.

8. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to claim 7, further comprising: about 5 wt.% to about 30 wt.% vegetable oil or milk fat; about 5 wt.% to about 55 wt.% sweetener; from about 0.1 wt.% to about 2 wt.% additional emulsifiers and / or stabilizers; and About 9.5 wt.% to about 89.3 wt.% water.

9. A whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the one or more chelating agents is a calcium chelate salt.

10. A whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium citrates, phosphates or carbonates.

11. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the one or more chelating agents is sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate or a combination thereof.

12. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the micellar casein is micellar casein concentrate (MCC), MCC powder, micellar casein isolate or milk protein isolate.

13. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the plant is one or more of rapeseed oil, canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, algae oil, fermented oil from bacteria, fermented oil from yeast, fermented oil from mold, vegetable oil, hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated and interesterified oil, blended and interesterified oil, and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) vegetable oil; and, The milk fat may be milk fat, ghee, anhydrous milk fat, butter or a combination thereof.

14. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the sweetener is a nutritive sweetener or a non-nutritive sweetener.

15. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to claim 14, wherein the nutritive sweetener is one or more of sucrose, lactose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, dextran, maltodextrin, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, soluble / insoluble fiber derived from corn, wheat, pea, rice, oat, coconut, barley and / or tapioca, fructooligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides and hydrolyzed cereal flour.

16. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to claim 14, wherein the non-nutritive sweetener is one or more of sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, stevia, monk fruit extract, neotame, advantame, acesulfame potassium, maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, isomalt, lactitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate.

17. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 8 to 16, wherein the additional emulsifier is one or more of sugar esters, beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, vegetable wax, fruit wax, animal wax, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), polysorbates (polyoxyethylene sorbitan), monoglycerides, diglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and / or diglycerides, lactic acid esters of mono- and / or diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sorbitan monostearate, polyethylene glycol esters, propylene glycol monostearate and lecithin.

18. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 8 to 17, wherein the stabilizer is one or more of alginate, carrageenan, guar gum, cellulose, methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), xanthan gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, beet pectin, vegetable protein, sodium caseinate, skimmed milk powder, whole milk powder, partly skimmed milk powder, buttermilk powder, modified starch, agar, gelatin, gellan gum, gum arabic, konjac gum, pectin, maltodextrin and tragacanth gum.

19. A whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 7 to 18, wherein when the emulsion is whippable, it is a topping, icing or filling.

20. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 7 to 18, wherein when the emulsion is non-whippable, it is cooking cream, creamer, heavy cream or table cream.

21. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 7 to 20, wherein the particle size density of the emulsion is from about 0.1 μm to about 100 μm.

22. The whippable or non-whippable emulsion according to any one of claims 7 to 21, wherein there is no visible semen separation, creaming or particle flocculation in the emulsion.

23. A method for preparing an emulsifier composition comprising micellar casein and one or more chelating agents, the method comprising: provide milk; subjecting the milk to microfiltration, wherein a first retentate and a first permeate are formed; discarding the first permeate; adding water to the first retentate to form a first mixture; subjecting the first mixture to diafiltration, wherein a second retentate and a second permeate are formed; discarding the second permeate; adding one or more chelating agents to the second retentate to form a second mixture; and The second mixture is dried to form a powder.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more chelating agents are from about 0.0001% w / w to about 20% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition and the micellar casein is from about 55% w / w to about 90% w / w of the dry basis of the emulsifier composition.

25. A method according to claim 23 or claim 24 wherein the milk is skim milk from cows or buffaloes.

26. The method of any one of claims 23-25, wherein water is added to the first retentate to return the volume to that of milk.

27. The method of any one of claims 23 to 26, wherein the one or more chelating agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium or calcium salts of citrates, phosphates or carbonates and polyphosphates.

28. The method of any one of claims 23-27, wherein the one or more chelating agents is sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, or a combination thereof.

29. The method of any one of claims 23-28, wherein the chelating agent is added at any time during the membrane filtration process.

30. The method of any one of claims 23-29, wherein the chelating agent is added to the milk before filtration, during filtration, after filtration (to the retentate), or to the water used for the diafiltration process.

31. The method of any one of claims 23-30, wherein the membrane pore size used for filtration is selected based on the step to which the chelating agent is added.

32. The method of any one of claims 23-31, wherein a powder is formed by evaporating and drying the second mixture.

33. The method of any one of claims 23-32, wherein the second mixture is dried using drum drying or spray drying.

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