Pre-acidified whey protein isolate and preparation method

Abstract

The present invention describes a method for producing an undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate and a protein-fortified beverage incorporating such an undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate. The method comprises the steps of ultrafiltration of a liquid whey composition to obtain a liquid whey protein-retaining solution and a liquid whey permeate, and microfiltration of the liquid whey protein-retaining solution to obtain a microfiltered whey protein-retaining solution and a microfiltered whey protein permeate. The method comprises the steps of lowering the pH of the microfiltered whey protein permeate to less than 3.8 to form a pH-reduced whey protein permeate, and ultrafiltration and diafiltration of the pH-reduced whey protein permeate to obtain the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate. The method optionally comprises the step of nanofiltration of the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate.

Claims

1. A method for producing an undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate, An ultrafiltration step is performed to obtain a liquid whey protein-retaining solution and a liquid whey permeate by ultrafiltration of the liquid whey composition. The process involves microfiltration of the liquid whey protein-retaining solution to obtain a microfiltered whey protein-retaining solution and a microfiltered whey protein permeate. A pH reduction step is performed to lower the pH of the microfiltered whey protein permeate to less than 3.8, thereby forming a whey protein permeate with a reduced pH. The process involves ultrafiltration and diafiltration of the whey protein permeate with reduced pH to obtain the non-denatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate, A method comprising the optional step of nanofiltration of the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of spray-drying the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate to form a powder of the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the microfiltered whey protein permeate has a total solid content of about 1.5% to about 3.5% by weight.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of reverse osmosis of the microfiltered whey protein permeate before the pH reduction step.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the microfiltered whey protein permeate has a total solid content of about 3.5% to about 6% by weight.

6. The liquid whey composition obtained from a cheese manufacturing process, according to claim 1.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrafiltration step does not include a diafiltration step.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the whey protein permeate is reduced to approximately 3.5 or less.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the whey protein permeate is lowered using a food-grade acidulant.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate contains about 18% by weight or more solid matter.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate contains about 90% by weight or more of protein on a dry basis.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate has a pH of approximately 3.5 or less.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate contains about 5% by weight or less of ash.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate contains about 2% by weight or less of minerals.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate contains 0.5% to about 2% by weight of lactose.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate has a turbidity of about 10 NTU or less in solid content of about 15% by weight or more.

17. It is a protein-fortified beverage, Approximately 2% to approximately 10% by weight of the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate according to claim 1, A protein-fortified beverage containing water.

18. A method for producing a protein-fortified beverage, A step of ultrafiltration of the liquid whey composition to obtain a liquid whey protein-retaining solution and a liquid whey permeate, The process involves microfiltration of the liquid whey protein-retaining solution to obtain a microfiltered whey protein-retaining solution and a microfiltered whey protein permeate. The steps include lowering the pH of the finely filtered whey protein permeate to less than 3.8 to form a whey protein permeate with a reduced pH, The process involves ultrafiltration and diafiltration of the whey protein permeate with reduced pH to obtain an undenatured, pre-acidified whey protein isolate. The process involves optionally nanofiltration of the whey protein isolate with reduced pH to produce optionally concentrated, non-denatured, pre-acidified whey protein isolate, and A method comprising a mixing step of mixing the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate or the optionally concentrated undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate with a beverage.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the protein-fortified beverage exhibits a turbidity of about 30 NTU or less when the protein concentration in the protein-fortified beverage is 5% by weight.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of spray-drying the undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate or the optionally concentrated undenatured pre-acidified whey protein isolate before the mixing step.

21. It is a protein-fortified beverage, Approximately 2% to 10% by weight of undenatured, pre-acidified whey protein isolate, Equipped with water, The protein-fortified beverage is a protein-fortified beverage that exhibits a turbidity of approximately 30 NTU or less when the protein concentration in the protein-fortified beverage is 5% by weight.

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