Foaming milk base as well as preparation method and application thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a whipped milk base, and relates to the technical field of food processing. An emulsifier is not added into the raw materials of the whipped milk base, and the whipped milk base comprises the following raw materials: 45-65 parts of raw milk, 5-15 parts of milk fat, 1-5 parts of at least one of whey powder, milk powder and concentrated milk protein powder, 1-2 parts of dietary fibers and 0.1-0.5 part of a stabilizer. On the premise that no emulsifier is added, the whipped milk base can maintain good shelf life stability, the whipping performance of the whipped milk base during application can be effectively improved, the shelf life stability and the excellent whipping performance are both considered, and the quality requirements of freshly-made drinks for the appearance and durability of the milk foam are met. The fat content of the whipped milk base is 5.0-8.0%, the protein content is 3.0-5.0%, and the whipped milk base has natural milk fragrance, is light in blood sugar burden and free of drinking burden, and meets the requirements of modern consumers for healthy drinks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, and in particular to a whipped milk base, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] In the milk tea industry, the creation of toppings such as milk foam, toppings, and milk froth primarily relies on ingredients like milk foam powder, milk foam base, or pure milk. Milk foam powder requires the addition of water or mixing with milk before whipping, and its ingredients often contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, large amounts of emulsifiers, and stabilizers, which aligns with the trend towards healthier food products. Milk foam base incurs high costs for cold chain transportation and storage, and its flavor profile is limited, hindering innovation. Pure milk has limited fat and protein content, resulting in low foaming rates, thin foam, and poor stability, making it difficult to achieve the desired rich, creamy, and long-lasting texture, thus failing to meet the requirements of high-quality milk tea toppings. Therefore, the milk base is gradually becoming a focus of industry attention.

[0003] Milk base and milk foam have significant differences in flavor. Milk foam's main components include cream, sugar, and dairy products, with a fat content typically ranging from 15.0% to 35.0%. Excessive long-term consumption may lead to obesity or metabolic problems. Milk base, with a fat content of 5.0% to 8.0%, has a natural milky aroma, a lower blood sugar level, and is easier to drink, better meeting modern consumers' demand for healthy beverages. However, milk base contains 5.0% to 8.0% fat, which is prone to accumulating and rising to the surface during storage, affecting its stability and shelf life.

[0004] Currently, most existing technologies add emulsifiers to reduce interfacial tension and prevent fat globules from approaching, aggregating, and merging, thereby improving the stability of the milk base. While adding emulsifiers can improve the shelf-life stability of the milk base itself, it reduces its stability during application. Specifically, when using a milk base containing emulsifiers to prepare milk foam, problems such as low whipping rate, loose foam structure, and insufficient support occur. The resulting foam collapses quickly after standing, exhibits weak gas retention, and shows significant defoaming within a short time. The fineness and retention time of the foam are both unsatisfactory, limiting the formation and stability of the foam and inhibiting its whipping performance. After the milk base is whipped, the interface between the milk foam and the tea infusion is unstable, easily leading to rapid mixing or unclear stratification. This causes the milk flavor and tea flavor to "separate," failing to achieve flavor synergy and making it difficult to meet the quality requirements of freshly made beverages for the appearance and persistence of the milk foam. This affects the appearance quality and the continued drinking experience of the beverage. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a whipped milk base, its preparation method, and its application. The whipped milk base can be stored at room temperature for 6 months. It has good whipping properties, a natural and pure flavor, and a rich and full-bodied taste, meeting the quality requirements of freshly made beverages for the appearance and durability of milk foam.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a whipped milk base, wherein the whipped milk base does not include an emulsifier and comprises, by weight, the following ingredients: 45-65 parts of raw milk, 5-15 parts of milk fat, 1-5 parts of at least one of whey powder, milk powder and concentrated milk protein powder, 1-2 parts of dietary fiber, and 0.1-0.5 parts of stabilizer.

[0007] This invention uses raw milk, milk fat, dietary fiber, stabilizers, and at least one of whey powder, milk powder, and concentrated milk protein powder as raw materials. By controlling the addition amount of each raw material within the above-mentioned range, and without adding emulsifiers, and through the synergistic effect of the raw materials, it can maintain good shelf-life stability of the frothed milk base itself, allowing it to be stored at room temperature for 6 months. It also effectively improves the frothing performance of the milk base during application, increasing the frothing rate. The resulting milk foam is fine, has a long retention time, good application stability, and a rich flavor. Its flavor can be perfectly blended with various teas, balancing shelf-life stability and excellent frothing performance, meeting the quality requirements of freshly made beverages for the appearance and persistence of the milk foam. Furthermore, the frothed milk base has a fat content of 5.0-8.0% and a protein content of 3.0-5.0%, with a natural milky aroma, a low glycemic load, and is easy to drink, meeting the needs of modern consumers for healthy beverages. The whipped milk base of this invention physically "binds" fat globules and particles by enhancing the gel network structure of the aqueous system and increasing the system concentration, thereby reducing interfacial tension instead of emulsifiers.

[0008] Furthermore, the dietary fiber includes one or more of inulin, citrus fiber, and resistant dextrin, and the stabilizer includes one or more of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, gellan gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, and pectin.

[0009] Preferably, the dietary fiber is inulin or resistant dextrin, and the stabilizer is composed of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and one or more selected from gellan gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, and pectin.

[0010] Preferably, the dietary fiber is inulin, and the stabilizer is composed of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and any one selected from gellan gum and xanthan gum in a mass ratio of 2~4:2~4:1.

[0011] More preferably, the stabilizer is composed of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and any one selected from gellan gum and xanthan gum in a mass ratio of 2:2:1.

[0012] The addition of inulin to the raw materials of this invention can improve the flavor of whipped milk tea prepared from whipped milk base. Furthermore, its combined use with stabilizers produces a synergistic effect, enhancing the stability of whipped milk tea, promoting the fusion of tea soup and milk foam, and improving the appearance quality of whipped milk tea.

[0013] Preferably, the mass ratio of dietary fiber to stabilizer is 2-20:1. Controlling the mass ratio of dietary fiber to stabilizer within this range not only improves the flavor, stability, and shelf life of the whipped milk base, but also enhances its foaming performance and stability during application. Using a combination of inulin and stabilizers such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and gellan gum can achieve even better stability and flavor.

[0014] More preferably, the mass ratio of the dietary fiber to the stabilizer is 10:1.

[0015] Furthermore, the milk fat is selected from one or more of anhydrous butter, butter, and light cream.

[0016] Furthermore, the raw milk has a protein content of ≥2.9% and a fat content of ≥3.1%; And / or, the fat content of the milk fat is ≥10.0%; And / or, the concentrated milk protein powder has a protein content of ≥70.0% and a fat content of ≤3.0%.

[0017] And / or, the protein content of the milk powder is ≥34.0% of the nonfat milk solids, and the fat content is ≤1.5%; And / or, the protein content of the whey powder is ≥7.0%.

[0018] Controlling the protein and fat content in milk fat, raw milk, concentrated milk protein powder, milk powder, and whey powder within the above-mentioned ranges, and using them in conjunction with stabilizers, can make the system and application of whipped milk base more stable.

[0019] Furthermore, the raw materials also include 0.01 to 0.5 parts of an acidity regulator.

[0020] Preferably, the acidity regulator includes one or more of disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, trisodium phosphate, and sodium tripolyphosphate.

[0021] Furthermore, the raw materials also include 1 to 5 parts of condensed milk.

[0022] Preferably, the condensed milk is sweetened condensed milk.

[0023] Preferably, the whipped milk base is made from the following raw materials in 100 parts by weight: 45-65 parts raw milk, 5-15 parts milk fat, 1-5 parts milk powder or concentrated milk protein powder, 1-5 parts condensed milk, 1-2 parts dietary fiber, 0.1-0.5 parts stabilizer, 0.01-0.5 parts acidity regulator, and the balance being water.

[0024] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing the whipped milk base as described above, comprising: mixing the raw materials, and then sequentially performing a first homogenization, sterilization, and a second homogenization.

[0025] Furthermore, the preparation method includes the following steps: (1) The raw milk is preheated to 45-60°C, and at least one of the whey powder, milk powder and concentrated milk protein powder is added to obtain mixture A; (2) Preheat the mixture of raw milk and water to 60~80°C, add the stabilizer, and obtain mixture B; (3) Mix the mixture A and the mixture B, add the milk fat, condensed milk, dietary fiber and acidity regulator, mix evenly and then perform the first homogenization, sterilization and second homogenization in sequence.

[0026] Preferably, the pressure difference between the primary homogenization and the secondary homogenization is 0~20MPa.

[0027] Preferably, the pressure of the first homogenization is 15~25MPa and the temperature is 60~80℃.

[0028] Preferably, the pressure of the secondary homogenization is 5~15MPa and the temperature is 60~90℃.

[0029] In the whipped milk base system composed of the above-mentioned raw materials, controlling the pressure and pressure difference of the two homogenizations within the above-mentioned range can better control the fat floating rate of the product and further improve the stability of the product.

[0030] A third aspect of the present invention provides the application of the whipped milk base as described above or the whipped milk base prepared by the preparation method as described above in tea beverage products.

[0031] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a whipped milk tea, comprising tea broth and the whipped milk base.

[0032] Preferably, the temperature of the tea infusion is 20~30℃.

[0033] This invention reveals that the temperature of the tea infusion is the most critical factor affecting the stability of the milk foam interface. Excessively high temperatures cause the fat globules in the milk foam to completely melt and proteins to excessively denature, thereby destroying the foam structure and leading to rapid defoaming and stratification. Conversely, excessively low temperatures cause the fat globules to crystallize excessively, preventing them from effectively interacting with components in the tea infusion (such as tea polyphenols), also resulting in interface separation. This invention controls the tea infusion temperature between 20 and 30°C, simultaneously preserving the milk foam structure while promoting interface fusion.

[0034] Preferably, the mass ratio of the tea soup to the whipped milk base is 1 to 3:1.

[0035] This invention provides a whipped milk base, its preparation method, and its application. Using raw milk, milk fat, dietary fiber, stabilizers, and at least one of whey powder, milk powder, and concentrated milk protein powder as raw materials, without adding emulsifiers, this invention not only maintains good shelf-life stability of the whipped milk base itself but also effectively improves its whipping performance during application. It balances shelf-life stability with excellent whipping performance, meeting the quality requirements of freshly made beverages for the appearance and durability of milk foam. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 These are images of the appearance of milk foam when preparing whipped milk tea using the whipped milk bases in Examples 1-4.

[0038] Figure 2 These are images of the appearance of milk foam when preparing whipped milk tea using the whipped milk bases in proportions 1 to 4.

[0039] Figure 3 The images show the appearance of milk foam when preparing whipped milk tea using the whipped milk base of Comparative Example 5 and Control Groups 1 and 2.

[0040] Figure 4 This is the effect of tea temperature on the foaming of milk tea in Experiment Example 2. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0042] Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the examples, they shall be performed in accordance with the techniques or conditions described in the literature in this field, or in accordance with the product instructions. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all conventional products that can be purchased through legitimate channels.

[0043] The following are the raw material information used in the examples and comparative examples: Raw milk: sourced from Ningxia Saizan Dairy Co., Ltd., with a protein content ≥2.9% and a fat content ≥3.1%; Whipping cream: sourced from Ningxia Saizan Dairy Co., Ltd., with a fat content of ≥10.0%; Milk powder: sourced from Ningxia Saizan Dairy Co., Ltd., with a protein content ≥ 34.0% of non-fat milk solids and a fat content ≤ 1.5%; Concentrated milk protein powder: sourced from Ningxia Saizan Dairy Co., Ltd., with a protein content ≥70.0% and a fat content ≤3.0%; Sweetened condensed milk: sourced from Ningxia Saizan Dairy Co., Ltd., with a protein content ≥ 34.0% of non-fat milk solids and a fat content ≥ 8.0%; In the examples, comparative examples, and control groups, the vegetable oil, inulin, whey powder, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, gellan gum, xanthan gum, resistant dextrin, sodium stearoyl lactylate, mono- and diglyceride fatty acid esters, and sucrose fatty acid esters were all purchased raw materials that provided the corresponding thickening and stabilizing effects.

[0044] Example 1 This embodiment provides a whipped milk base, which is composed of the following ingredients in parts by weight: 65 parts raw milk, 12 parts light cream, 5 parts milk powder, 5 parts sweetened condensed milk, 2 parts inulin, 0.2 parts stabilizer, 0.5 parts acidity regulator, and 10.3 parts water.

[0045] The stabilizer is composed of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose and gellan gum in a mass ratio of 2:2:1, and the acidity regulator is composed of disodium hydrogen phosphate and sodium hexametaphosphate in a mass ratio of 1:1.

[0046] This embodiment also provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned whipped milk base, the steps of which are as follows: (1) Preheat 50 parts of the raw milk to 50°C, add 5 parts of milk powder to obtain mixture A.

[0047] (2) Preheat the mixture consisting of 15 parts of raw milk and 8 parts of water to 60°C, add 0.2 parts of the stabilizer, and stir for 15 minutes to obtain mixture B.

[0048] (3) Mix the mixture A and the mixture B, add 12 parts of the light cream, 5 parts of the sweetened condensed milk, 2 parts of the inulin and 0.5 parts of the acidity regulator, and then add 2.3 parts of water. Stir well to obtain mixture C, which has a fat content of 8.0% and a protein content of 4.5%.

[0049] (4) Homogenize the mixture C obtained in step (3) at a pressure of 20 MPa and a homogenization temperature of 60 °C.

[0050] (5) The homogenized material is sterilized by UHT at a temperature of 143°C for 4 seconds.

[0051] (6) The UHT-sterilized material was homogenized at a pressure of 15 MPa and a homogenization temperature of 70°C to obtain a whipped milk base.

[0052] (7) The whipped milk base is aseptically filled using a Tetra Pak packaging machine at a filling temperature of 20°C.

[0053] (8) Storage and transportation: Store in an environment of 15-25℃.

[0054] Examples 2-11 Examples 2-11 are basically the same as Example 1, and their raw material formulations are shown in Table 1: Table 1 Raw material formulations for Examples 1-11

[0055] In the table, " / " indicates that nothing is added.

[0056] Examples 12-14 The raw material formulations of Examples 12-14 are the same as those of Example 1, except that the homogenization parameters are different. The homogenization parameters are shown in Table 2. Table 2 Homogenization parameters for Examples 1 and 12-14

[0057] Comparative Examples 1-7 Comparative Examples 1-7 are basically the same as Example 1, except that the raw material formulations are different, as shown in Table 3: Table 3. Raw material formulations for Example 1 and the comparative example.

[0058] In the table, " / " indicates that nothing is added.

[0059] When preparing the whipped milk base with added emulsifier in the comparative example, the preparation steps of Example 1 are followed, except that the emulsifier is added in step (2) of Example 1.

[0060] Control group 1 The base for the whipped milk in this control group was whole milk with a protein content of 3.2% and a fat content of 3.6%.

[0061] Control group 2 This control group provides a room-temperature milk base with a protein content of 2.0% and a fat content of 8.8%. The ingredients are: raw milk, water, anhydrous butter, white sugar, milk powder, whey powder, edible salt, disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, carrageenan, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, and sodium stearoyl lactylate.

[0062] Application Examples 1-14 Application Examples 1-14 provide a whipped milk tea, which consists of 1 part of the whipped milk base of Examples 1-14 and 2 parts of tea soup, with ice cubes used to control the temperature of the tea soup at 20-30°C.

[0063] Experimental Example 1 Oolong tea was used to brew tea liquor. Whipped milk tea was prepared using the whipped milk base from the examples, comparative examples, and the control group, referring to the whipped milk tea recipes in Application Examples 1-14. Sensory evaluations were conducted on the appearance, foam state, flavor, and taste of the prepared whipped milk tea when the whipped milk base was applied, and the average values ​​were calculated. Detailed scoring rules are shown in Table 4. Test results are shown in Tables 5-6 and... Figures 1-3 As shown.

[0064] Table 4 Detailed Scoring Rules

[0065] Table 5. Scoring results of milk foam appearance (milk foam state at the time of serving and milk foam state score at 30 min after serving) for the whipped milk tea in the examples.

[0066] Table 6. Results of milk foam appearance (scoring at the point of dispensing and at the point of dispensing - 30 min) for Example 1, Comparative Example, and Control Group.

[0067] Combine Tables 5-6 and Figures 1-3 It is known that the whipped milk base prepared using the optimized formula of this invention has better stability and whipping performance. When applied, the prepared milk tea has a mellow and smooth taste, without the taste of tea stems or astringency, and the whipped milk foam is fine and has good stability.

[0068] Experiment Example 2 This experimental example prepares whipped milk tea using the method described in Experiment 1, and studies the effect of tea temperature on milk foam. By precisely controlling the ratio of hot water to ice cubes, the tea temperature can be stabilized within the following three target ranges: ①The temperature of the tea soup is T < 20℃; ②The temperature of the tea infusion should be 20℃≤T≤30℃; ③The temperature of the tea soup is T > 30℃.

[0069] The results are as follows Figure 4 As shown in the figure, when preparing whipped milk tea, the temperature of the tea soup is controlled at 20~30℃, which can simultaneously ensure that the milk foam structure is not damaged and promote the fusion of the interface.

[0070] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A whipped milk base, characterized in that, The raw materials for the whipped milk base do not contain emulsifiers and, by weight, include the following ingredients: 45-65 parts raw milk, 5-15 parts milk fat, 1-5 parts of at least one of whey powder, milk powder and concentrated milk protein powder, 1-2 parts dietary fiber, and 0.1-0.5 parts stabilizer.

2. The whipped milk base according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dietary fiber includes one or more of inulin, citrus fiber and resistant dextrin, and the stabilizer includes one or more of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, gellan gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum and pectin. Preferably, the dietary fiber is inulin or resistant dextrin, and the stabilizer is composed of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and one or more selected from gellan gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, and pectin. Preferably, the dietary fiber is inulin, and the stabilizer is composed of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and any one selected from gellan gum and xanthan gum in a mass ratio of 2~4:2~4:

1. Preferably, the mass ratio of the dietary fiber to the stabilizer is 2~20:

1.

3. The whipped milk base according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, The milk fat is selected from one or more of anhydrous butter, butter, and cream.

4. The whipped milk base according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The raw milk has a protein content of ≥2.9% and a fat content of ≥3.1%; And / or, the fat content of the milk fat is ≥10.0%; And / or, the concentrated milk protein powder has a protein content ≥70.0% and a fat content ≤3.0%; And / or, the protein content of the milk powder is ≥34.0% of the nonfat milk solids, and the fat content is ≤1.5%; And / or, the protein content of the whey powder is ≥7.0%.

5. The whipped milk base according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The raw materials also include 0.01 to 0.5 parts of an acidity regulator; Preferably, the acidity regulator includes one or more of disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, trisodium phosphate, and sodium tripolyphosphate.

6. The whipped milk base according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The raw materials also include 1 to 5 parts of condensed milk; Preferably, the condensed milk is sweetened condensed milk.

7. The method for preparing the whipped milk base according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, include: The raw materials are mixed, and then subjected to one homogenization, sterilization and a second homogenization in sequence.

8. The method for preparing the whipped milk base according to claim 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) The raw milk is preheated to 45-60°C, and at least one of the whey powder, milk powder and concentrated milk protein powder is added to obtain mixture A; (2) Preheat the mixture of raw milk and water to 60~80°C, add the stabilizer, and obtain mixture B; (3) Mix the mixture A and the mixture B, add the milk fat, condensed milk, dietary fiber and acidity regulator, mix evenly and then perform the first homogenization, sterilization and second homogenization in sequence; Preferably, the pressure difference between the primary homogenization and the secondary homogenization is 0~20MPa; Preferably, the pressure of the first homogenization is 15~25MPa and the temperature is 60~80℃; Preferably, the pressure of the secondary homogenization is 5~15MPa and the temperature is 60~90℃.

9. The application of the whipped milk base according to any one of claims 1 to 6 or the whipped milk base prepared by the preparation method according to claim 7 or 8 in tea beverage products.

10. A method of whipping milk tea, characterized in that, Includes tea infusion and whipped milk base as described in any one of claims 1 to 6 or whipped milk base prepared by the preparation method described in claim 7 or 8; Preferably, the temperature of the tea infusion is 20~30℃; Preferably, the mass ratio of the tea soup to the whipped milk base is 1 to 3:1.

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