Abstract: Dairy products are produced by subjecting a starting dairy material to nanofiltration to remove monovalent ions to produce an ion-depleted dairy permeate; passing the ion-depleted dairy permeate through an ion exchange column and subsequently with a sodium-containing eluting solution to produce sodium phosphate and sodium citrate derived from the starting material; concentrating the sodium phosphate and sodium citrate; and combining the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate with dairy components. The dairy product contains an amount of the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate sufficient to cause fat in the dairy product to be emulsified and protein in the dairy product to be hydrated. In addition or alternatively, a dairy by-product stream may be subjected to ion exchange to remove calcium therefrom; concentrated, and combined with dairy materials naturally containing phosphate and citrate in order to adjust the citrate+phosphate-to-calcium ratio to reach an emulsified dairy product.

Abstract: Butter spreads include at least butter, canola oil, palm oil, cream, and buttermilk powder. The spreads are squeezable from a package and maintain their consistency over repeated package handling and repeated cycling between refrigeration and ambient temperatures.

Abstract: Food products and systems and methods for their production involve microfiltration (“MF”) of fluid skim to form a MF retentate, combining the MF retentate with cream and subjecting the combination to ultrafiltration (“UF”) to form a UF retentate. Prior to UF, the composition is formed of non-acidified components. Following UF, the UF retentate is acidified and forms a food product including a high solids content. The solids content may be further increased using evaporation. The resulting cheese or cheese base contains a lower whey protein ratio in a fat:casein:whey protein ratio compared to systems and methods that do not employ MF.

Abstract: Meat substitutes include at least a dried milk product, a carbohydrate, and a liquid such as water. The dried milk product includes one or both of non-fat dry milk and buttermilk powder. The carbohydrate includes one or both of syrup solids, such as corn syrup solids, and a starch, such as modified corn starch. The meat substitutes include amino acids and sugars that undergo a Maillard reaction during preparation of the meat substitutes, yielding flavor compounds in, and non-enzymatic browning of, the meat substitutes. The meat substitutes can be used in the production of food products such as dairy-based jerky.

Abstract: Concentrated creams are produced from starting cream compositions characterized as homogenous, oil-in-water emulsions containing fat globules, phospholipid membrane components and non-fat solids, and which have an initial fat content between about 35 to about 55 percent by weight. To produce the concentrated creams, moisture is removed from the starting cream compositions through evaporative processing, and as a result, the concentrated cream remains in a homogenous state, retains the fat globules, phospholipid membrane components and non-fat solids, and includes a concentrated fat content of at least about 70 percent by weight. In addition, the concentrated cream may be in an oil-in-water or a bi-continuous emulsion. Evaporative processing may be through a wiped film evaporator or a scraped surface heat exchanger.

Abstract: A system and method for the continuous production of brown butter involves concentrating butter while retaining solids non-fat in the butter, and continuously transferring and heating the concentrated butter to cause the solids non-fat in the butter to react in a maillard reaction to form a brown butter product. The system may use one or more of a heating vessel, an evaporator and a reaction vessel to form the brown butter in the continuous process. A brown butter product derived from butter includes reacted solids non-fat particulates from a maillard reaction suspended by nascent fat crystals nucleated about the reacted solids non-fat particulates and by large fat crystal structures joined to the nascent fat crystals.

Abstract: Phospholipid concentration methods involve use of a dairy composition, such as buttermilk or butter serum, as a starting material. The dairy composition is subjected to a first ultrafiltration, yielding a first permeate and a first retentate. The first retentate is treated with carbon dioxide and subjected to microfiltration, yielding a second permeate and a second retentate. The second retentate is treated with carbon dioxide and subjected to a second ultrafiltration, yielding a third permeate and a third retentate. The third retentate includes at least 30 wt % phospholipids.

Abstract: Dairy products are produced by subjecting a starting dairy material to nanofiltration to remove monovalent ions to produce an ion-depleted dairy permeate; passing the ion-depleted dairy permeate through an ion exchange column and subsequently with a sodium-containing eluting solution to produce sodium phosphate and sodium citrate derived from the starting material; concentrating the sodium phosphate and sodium citrate; and combining the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate with dairy components. The dairy product contains an amount of the concentrated sodium phosphate and sodium citrate sufficient to cause fat in the dairy product to be emulsified and protein in the dairy product to be hydrated. In addition or alternatively, a dairy by-product stream may be subjected to ion exchange to remove calcium therefrom; concentrated, and combined with dairy materials naturally containing phosphate and citrate in order to adjust the citrate+phosphate-to-calcium ratio to reach an emulsified dairy product.

Abstract: Food products and systems and methods for their production involve subjecting pasteurized milk to a concentration process thereby forming liquid concentrated milk, then fermenting the liquid concentrated milk to form a fermented concentrated milk product. The fermented concentrated milk product is combined with a liquid emulsifying agent, thereby forming a food product. The food product is formed without the fermented concentrated milk product and the food product reaching a temperature of 145° F.

Abstract: A food slicer assembly includes a housing defining a first opening and a second opening perpendicularly arranged. A slicing blade received at the second opening enters the first opening of the housing. A coupling releasably couples a food product or a food product packaging to the housing. The first opening receives a food product therethrough, the second opening receives the slicing blade therethrough, and the slicing blade slices the food product arranged in the first opening such that the food product is divided into multiple portions using the food slicer assembly. The slicing blade may pass into the first opening from a first end, and upon reaching the second end, the slicing blade seals the food slicer assembly at the first opening. The assembly may be a cheese slicer assembly for slicing a block of cheese so that a slice of cheese can be removed from the first opening.

Abstract: Butter spreads include at least butter, canola oil, palm oil, cream, and buttermilk powder. The spreads are squeezable from a package and maintain their consistency over repeated package handling and repeated cycling between refrigeration and ambient temperatures.

Abstract: Concentrated creams are produced from starting cream compositions characterized as homogenous, oil-in-water emulsions containing fat globules, phospholipid membrane components and non-fat solids, and which have an initial fat content between about 35 to about 55 percent by weight. To produce the concentrated creams, moisture is removed from the starting cream compositions through evaporative processing, and as a result, the concentrated cream remains in a homogenous state, retains the fat globules, phospholipid membrane components and non-fat solids, and includes a concentrated fat content of at least about 70 percent by weight. In addition, the concentrated cream may be in an oil-in-water or a bi-continuous emulsion. Evaporative processing may be through a wiped film evaporator or a scraped surface heat exchanger.