Preparation of acidophil milk in powder form

Claim 2

A process for drying and preserving acidophil fermented milk in powdered form so that it can be readily reconstituted with water, which comprises: 1. culturing a lactic acid producing microorganism in a culture medium to produce an inoculum; 2. sterilizing milk to be fermented, and adjusting the solids content of said milk to approximately 16 to 20% solids content; 3. fermenting the milk of step (2) with the inoculum of step (1) in a continuous or discontinuous manner; 4. inoculating a culture medium with the inoculum of step (1) and fermenting under conditions sufficient to obtain a large proliferation of the lactic acid producing microorganism;

Claim 3

enriching the solids content of the fermented milk of step (3) with a. 15 to 20% sugars or other sweeting agents and b. 1 to 2% thickening agents 6. homogenizing the sweetened, fermented milk of step (5) by mechanical means to destroy any gelled particles and to improve fluidity; 7. spray drying the product of step (6) at from 130° to 180°C, where the survival of lactic acid producing microorganisms is desired, or at 180° to 300°C where such survival is not necessary but increased yields are desired; 8. agglomerating the product of step (7) in a moist atmosphere and then drying it in a fluidized bed; 9. lyophilizing the lactic acid producing microorganisms from the fermentation of step (4) by rapid freezing under conditions to promote the survival of the said microorganisms and thereby produce a foamy freeze-dried mass comprising live lactic acid producing microorganisms; 10. grinding the foamy mass resulting from the lyophilization of step (9) to a granulometry similar to that of the product of step (8); 11. mixing the lyophilized product of step (10) with an excipient so as to achieve a lactic acid microorganism content in the lyohilized product of 10 10 microorganisms per gram; 12. mixing the lyophilized product of step 11) with thhe product of step 8) in a proportion of approximately 40 parts by weight of the product of step (8) and 2 parts by weight of the product of step (11 ) so that when reconstituted with water in an amount of 42 grams of fermented dry milk per 100 to 125 cc of water, there is obtained a creamy, liquid, fermented acidophil milk having about 200 million lactic acid producing microorganisms per cc.

Claim 4

enriching the solids content of the fermented milk of step (3) with a. 15 to 20% sugars or other sweeting agents and b. 1 to 2% thickening agents 6. homogenizing the sweetened, fermented milk of step (5) by mechanical means to destroy any gelled particles and to improve fluidity; 7. spray drying the product of step (6) at from 130° to 180°C, where the survival of lactic acid producing microorganisms is desired, or at 180° to 300°C where such survival is not necessary but increased yields are desired; 8. agglomerating the product of step (7) in a moist atmosphere and then drying it in a fluidized bed; 9. lyophilizing the lactic acid producing microorganisms from the fermentation of step (4) by rapid freezing under conditions to promote the survival of the said microorganisms and thereby produce a foamy freeze-dried mass comprising live lactic acid producing microorganisms; 10. grinding the foamy mass resulting from the lyophilization of step (9) to a granulometry similar to that of the product of step (8); 11. mixing the lyophilized product of step (10) with an excipient so as to achieve a lactic acid microorganism content in the lyohilized product of 10 10 microorganisms per gram; 12. mixing the lyophilized product of step 11) with thhe product of step 8) in a proportion of approximately 40 parts by weight of the product of step (8) and 2 parts by weight of the product of step (11 ) so that when reconstituted with water in an amount of 42 grams of fermented dry milk per 100 to 125 cc of water, there is obtained a creamy, liquid, fermented acidophil milk having about 200 million lactic acid producing microorganisms per cc.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 1 wherein the lactic acid producing microorganism strain employed is one which is resistant to antibiotics and sulfamides.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 1 wherein the microorganism employed is Lactobacillus acidophillus or a mixture of Lactobacillus acidophillus and Streptococcus lactis Taette.

Claim 7

The process according to claim 1 wherein the microorganism employed is a mixture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophillus yoghourtii with or without Thermobacterium yoghourtii.

Claim 8

The process according to claim 1 wherein the sugar or sweetening agent is saccharoose, fructose or a mixture of sorbitol and saccharine.

Claim 9

The process according to claim 5 wherein the thickening agent is a pectate, alginate, carrageenin, cellulose derivative or mixtures thereof.

Claim 10

The process according to claim 1 wherein the lyophilization conditions comprise rapid freezing to -30° to -50°C to produce a foamy mass.

Claim 11

The process according to claim 1 wherein the excipient of step (11) is selected from the group consisting of lactose, powdered milk and powdered whey.