Abstract: A method for making a milk protein concentrate can comprise heating a liquid milk composition at near its natural pH to a temperature that causes the whey protein in the milk to bind to the casein in the milk to form protein aggregates. After cooling, the liquid milk composition can be subjected to membrane filtration using a membrane filter having a large pore size. The protein aggregates are retained to yield a milk protein concentrate. The concentrate can be further treated to provide a concentrate having a lowered lactose content.

Abstract: A method for making a milk protein concentrate can comprise heating a liquid milk composition at near its natural pH to a temperature that causes the whey protein in the milk to bind to the casein in the milk to form protein aggregates. After cooling, the liquid milk composition can be subjected to membrane filtration using a membrane filter having a large pore size. The protein aggregates are retained to yield a milk protein concentrate. The concentrate can be further treated to provide a concentrate having a lowered lactose content.

Abstract: The invention relates to a simplified, rapid method which is suitable for making a variety of cheese and cheese products, including natural and processed cheese, in a single installation with common equipment. In particular, the invention concerns a method of making cheese, comprising the steps of: (a) concentrating milk or a reconstituted dry milk, having its pH adjusted to about 5.0 to 6.8, by ultrafiltration and diafiltration to produce a retentate; (b) supplementing said retentate with a protein concentrate or isolate and, optionally, fat and/or flavor; and (c) heating the mixture to produce a smooth consistency.

Abstract: A process is described for treating an approximately neutral fluid milk composition, including milk protein concentrate and milk plus added whey, by selecting an alkali, adjusting the pH upward, heating, cooling, selecting an acid, and adjusting the pH down before ultrafiltering and, in a more preferred process, thereafter diafiltering the treated composition. Selection of the appropriate alkali, pH values, temperatures, acid, and membrane filter porosity results in improved yields of retentate proteins having selected compositions with improved utility, including a more palatable flavor, a brod range of solution viscosities, an increase in the solubility of the dried retentates in cold water to nearly 100%, and an increase in the calcium content of the membrane filtered retentate by about 50% compared to a similar retentate from standard milk.

Abstract: A method for forming a dry powder of insoluble calcium salts and protein from an aqueous composition. The process results in a dry powder that can be reconstituted in water with an unexpected extended and beneficial suspension of the insoluble calcium salts in the aqueous composition. The process includes blending the insoluble calcium salt with an agitated aqueous mixture of a protein source, either soluble or insoluble, followed by drying the resulting mixture. The resulting dry powder can be reconstituted in water or other media to produce a suspension of the insoluble calcium salts with the beneficial feature that the calcium salts do not sediment or separate.