Abstract: The present invention describes a method of enhancing clarity and/or stability properties of a protein-containing liquid or gel, comprising subjecting said liquid or gel to a pressure treatment of 100 Mpa or greater. Preferred proteins useful in the invention are whey protein isolates and whey protein concentrates. The methods of the invention may be used to improve the clarity and/or stability properties of fruit juices, vegetable juices, protein concentrates and protein syrups.

Abstract: A process for making cheese comprising the steps: starting with a mil,m composition that has a milk fat content of more than 0.3%, adding a gum preparation to the milk, adding a starter to the milk to form a cheese milk, coagulating the cheese milk, cutting the coagulum to separate curd and whey, draining whey from the curd, and shaping and cooling the curd. The difference over the prior art is the addition of gum to the milk before the starter is added.

Abstract: The invention relates to bone health compositions comprising an acidic protein fraction of milk, to a method of producing said bone health composition, to methods of treatment comprising said bone health compositions and to medicinal uses of said bone health compositions. One broad aspect of the invention provides a bone health composition comprising an acidic protein fraction derived from milk, from a component of milk, from whey, from hydrolysates thereof, or from a combination thereof wherein the composition does not comprise caseinoglycomacropeptide (CGMP). Another broad aspect provides a method of manufacturing the composition of the invention using anion exchange chromatography.

Abstract: The invention relates to a translucent milk drink and a method for preparing it. The drink may be prepared by (a) providing an opaque milk starting material having a pH in the range of 5.6-8.0, preferably 5.6-7.0, most preferably 5.7-6.5; (b) contacting at least a portion of the starting material with a cation exchanger until the percentage transmission of the material (when separated from the exchanger) rises to at least 5%, preferably at least 25%, more preferably at least 40%; (c) optionally mixing the translucent milk sample with another milk sample while retaining the percentage transmission at least 5%, preferably at least 25%, more preferably at least 40%. The milk drink may be used as the base for a soft drink like milk drink, which may be carbonated.

Abstract: The method of the invention produces modified milk protein concentrates using cation exchange to replace divalent ions with monovalent ions. The modified milk protein concentrate produced may be converted into a gel which may be a cheese-like product itself, or used to make end products such as cheeses, cheese-like products, savory products, desserts, confectionary products and intermediate food products.

Abstract: The invention relates to dried milk protein concentrates and their use. In particular the invention relates to such dried concentrates which have been calcium-depleted to an extent which allows improvements in the use of dried milk protein concentrates in cheese manufacture. The invention includes a method of cheese manufacture comprising: (a) dispersing in milk a dried MPC or MPI having at least 70% dry matter as milk protein; (b) treating the resulting mixture with one or more coagulating enzymes to produce a curd; and (c) processing the curd to make cheese; wherein the dried MPC or MPI is a calcium-depleted MPCF or MPI and the extend of calcium depletion is sufficient to allow manufacture of substantially nugget-free cheese.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of preparing a whey protein hydrolysate from a WPI substrate having improved flavour, functionality and ACE-I inhibiting properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new processes useful for separating whey proteins from whey protein-containing solutions using a novel anion exchanger which comprises a water insoluble, hydrophilic, water swellable, hydroxy (C2–C4) alkylated and cross-linked regenerated cellulose, derivatized with quaternary amino (QA) groups where the level of substitution of the QA groups is 1.4 milli-equivalents per dry gram of anion exchanger (meq/g) or greater.

Abstract: The invention relates to a partial hydrolysate of whey protein which contains bioactive peptides but does not have a bitter flavor. The hydrolysate is carried out using selective enzymes which produce the active peptides and is terminated at a degree of hydrolysis before substantial bitter flavors are created. There are also described novel peptides and a method of reducing systolic blood pressure through the administration of the peptides.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for producing an immunoglobulin enriched whey protein fraction from whey protein solutions. More particularly, it relates to the production of a whey protein fraction enriched in immunoglobulin, and optionally a whey protein isolate, using a cation exchanger under selected conditions. The selected conditions require overloading the cation exchanger with potentially absorbable protein which causes the exchanger to adsorb preferentially whey proteins other than immunoglobulin. The invention is also directed to the products produced by the process of the invention.

Abstract: A preparative method of isolating a preselected whey protein or group of whey proteins from a solution is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) contacting a whey protein solution with the preselected ion exchanger for a time and at a temperature sufficient to enable the preselected whey protein to be adsorbed; wherein the whey protein solution has (1) a protein content in the range of about 5% to about 20% by weight, (2) a pH of a preselected level, which is the level at which the preselected whey protein or group of whey proteins selectively binds to the preselected ion exchanger, and (3) a reduced ionic strength; and (b) recovering either or both of the following: (1) the whey protein component adsorbed in step (a), and (2) the breakthrough whey protein component not adsorbed in step (a).

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery that certain variants of &bgr;-casein may induce Type-1 diabetes in susceptible individuals while other variants do not. The invention consists of the selection of non-diabetogenic milk producing cows and recovering and processing their milk and milk products. Another aspect of the invention is selectively breeding cows which produce the non-diabetogenic milk.

Abstract: Novel bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and HN 067, Lactobacillus acidophilus HN017, and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 are claimed. Each strain provides immune enhancing effects when ingested.

Abstract: This invention is based on the discovery that there is a relationship between the fouling rate of milk during processing into milk powder products and the .beta.-lactoglobulin phenotype of the cow whose milk is being processed. Milk from .beta.-lactoglobulin BB phenotype cows has a much lower fouling rate than that from .beta.-lactoglobulin AA phenotype cows. The invention consists in a method comprising testing milk from identified cows for the presence of non-fouling .beta.-lactoglobulin variants and recovering and maintaining that milk separate from the fouling variant containing milk. The non-fouling variant or blends of at least 30% by weight of the non-fouling variant are further processed into milk powder products. The invention also consists in a method of selecting a diary herd having only .beta.-lactoglobulin non-fouling variant phenotype cows.

Abstract: An oestrus detection device comprising an indicator carrier of flexible material which is adapted for attachment to the top rear central section of an animal between its hip-bones. An indicator is detachably mounted on the indicator carrier, and is made of flexible coloured flowable material connected through a fine orifice to at least one channel. The construction and arrangement is such that when the indicator-mounted carrier is mounted on a cow or other female animal and mating technique by a second animal is made, pressure applied by the second animal upon the sachet forces the differently-coloured material to flow along the channel or channels of the indicator for observation by a farmer.