Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a ready-to-consume food product. The ready-to-consume food product can be a ready-to-consume beverage, or the ready-to-consume food product can be used as a food supplement that can be incorporated, or used in the preparation of, a food item. The ready-to-consume food product provides the taste of and mouthfeel of a high fat ready-to-consume food product but has a lower fat content, so that the consumer has an increased perception of a creamy taste and texture of the food product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for use in the delivery of an active agent. Specifically, the present invention relates to a device comprising a scaffold that can be formed from a polymer or copolymer; a matrix; and at least one active agent. The device finds utility in the delivery of at least one active agent, and is useful in methods of reducing cell infiltration, inflammation and collagen deposition in a tissue or treating fibrosis in a tissue. In an aspect, the device can alleviate post-operative inflammation and/or fibrosis; and can also improve patient compliance for effective delivery of an active agent.

Abstract: A process for producing pure lactic acid from a whey by-product rich in lactose and minerals, for example delactosed why permeate or concentrated whey permeate, is described. The method comprises upstream steps of neutralising the whey by-product with a basic metal hydroxide to form a precipitate comprising calcium and phosphate, and separating the precipitate from the whey by-product to provide a clarified whey by-product. The clarified whey by-product is fermentated by a bacterium capable of bioconversion of lactose to lactic acid to provide a fermentation broth containing a lactic acid salt. In the downstream steps, the fermentation broth is acidified to release lactic acid from the lactic acid salt, precipitate from the broth produced by acidification is removed, and the acidified fermentation broth is treated to recover pure lactic acid by removal of residual salts, and water, and optionally protein.

Abstract: A method for producing lactic acid comprises the steps of culturing in a culture medium comprising concentrated whey permeate or delactosed whey permeate as a substrate a bioconversion competent Bacillus bacterial strain capable of converting delactosed whey permeate into lactic acid for a period of time sufficient to allow the bacteria convert at least some of the lactose present in DLP or concentrated whey permeate into lactic acid, and then recovering the lactic acid from the culture medium.

Abstract: A process for producing pure lactic acid from a whey by-product rich in lactose and minerals, for example delactosed why permeate or concentrated whey permeate, is described. The method comprises upstream steps of neutralising the whey by-product with a basic metal hydroxide to form a precipitate comprising calcium and phosphate, and separating the precipitate from the whey by-product to provide a clarified whey by-product. The clarified whey by-product is fermentated by a bacterium capable of bioconversion of lactose to lactic acid to provide a fermentation broth containing a lactic acid salt. In the downstream steps, the fermentation broth is acidified to release lactic acid from the lactic acid salt, precipitate from the broth produced by acidification is removed, and the acidified fermentation broth is treated to recover pure lactic acid by removal of residual salts, and water, and optionally protein.

Abstract: A method for producing lactic acid comprises the steps of culturing in a culture medium comprising concentrated whey permeate or delactosed whey permeate as a substrate a bioconversion competent Bacillus bacterial strain capable of converting delactosed whey permeate into lactic acid for a period of time sufficient to allow the bacteria convert at least some of the lactose present in DLP or concentrated whey permeate into lactic acid, and then recovering the lactic acid from the culture medium.

Abstract: SONET/SDH ring aggregation with distributed traffic. The system may include a packet-switched fabric adapted to switch TDM and PDU over the same fabric. The system provides logical functionality of one or more of SONET/SDH ADMs, fiber patch panels, coax patch panels, DCSs, and packet switches. Integrated management provides management of remote ADMs attached to multiple SONET/SDH rings, even of ADMs manufactured by different vendors. A management system may provide native termination of OSI over DCC and IP over DCC to provide integration of equipment from various vendors.

Abstract: An antimicrobial composition comprising a blend of two or more natural free fatty acids derivable from milk serum lipid, the free fatty acids being selected from: butyric (C4); caproic (C6); caprylic (C8); capric (C10); lauric (C12); myristic (C14); palmitic (C 16): palmitoleic 5 (C16:1); stearic (C1 8); oleic (C18:1); linoleic (Cl 8:2); linolenic (C18:3); and esterified derivatives thereof, and a milk, protein as an emulsifying agent for the free fatty acids wherein at least 35% of the total lipid content comprises free fatty acids selected from one or more of: butyric, caproic, caprylic, capric and lauric.