Cation-exchange of milk and products thereof

Claim 2

Milk processing method using a cation-exchanging resin in acid form for preparing an acidulated decationized milk, wherein said method comprises placing the milk, having a temperature of 0° C. to 4° C., in contact with the cation-exchanging resin in acid form for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to a value below or equal to 3.8, and then separating decationized milk from the exchanging resin.

Claim 3

Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the milk is placed in contact with the cation-exchanging resin for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to between 1.5 and 3.5.

Claim 4

Acidulated decationized milk obtained by the method claimed in claim 2 wherein the resin is a strongly acid cation-exchanging resin, with polystyrene skeleton, carrying sulfonic acid groups and having a gel or macroporous structure.

Claim 5

Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the resin is strongly acid cation-exchanging resin, with polystyrene skeleton, carrying sulfonic acid groups and having a gel or macroporous structure.

Claim 6

Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the volume ratio of the treated milk to the exchanging resin is between 5:1 and 15:1.

Claim 7

Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the milk is at a temperature of between 0° C. and 2° C. when placed in contact with the cation-exchanging resin.

Claim 8

Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the milk being treated is skim milk.

Claim 9

Acidulated decationized milk obtained by the method claimed in any one of claims 1, 2, 5, 6 or 7.

Claim 10

Acidulated decationized milk obtained by the method claimed in claim 1 wherein the resin is a strongly acid cation-exchanging resin, with polystyrene skeleton, carrying sulfonic acid groups and having a gel or macroporous structure.

Claim 11

Milk processing method using a cation-exchanging resin in acid form for preparing casein and lactoserum, wherein said method comprises the steps of: (a) placing milk, having a temperature of 0° C. to 4° C., in contact with the cation-exchanging resin in acid form for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to a value below or equal to 3.8, and then separating decationized milk from the exchanging resin; (b) mixing the decationized milk with a quantity of non-treated ordinary milk sufficient to raise the pH of the mixture to around the isoelectric point of the milk casein, heating the resulting mixture to a temperature of between 10° and 60° C. to coagulate the casein contained both in the treated milk and in the non-treated milk and to form lactoserum, separating the coagulated casein from the lactoserum and recovering said lactoserum.

Claim 12

Milk processing method using a cation-exchanging resin in acid form for preparing casein and lactoserum, wherein said method comprises the steps of: (a) placing milk, having a temperature of 0° C. to 4° C., in contact with the cation-exchanging resin in acid form for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to a value below or equal to 3.8, and then separating decationized milk from the exchanging resin; (b) mixing the decationized milk with a quantity of non-treated ordinary milk sufficient to raise the pH of the mixture to around the isoelectric point of the milk casein, heating the resulting mixture to a temperature of between 10° and 60° C. to coagulate the casein contained both in the treated milk and in the non-treated milk and to form lactoserum, separating the coagulated casein from the lactoserum and recovering said lactoserum.

Claim 13

Method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the decationized milk is mixed with enough non-treated ordinary milk to raise the pH of the mixture to between 4.4 and 4.6.

Claim 14

Method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the mixture is heated to between 40° and 50° C. to coagulate the casein.

Claim 15

Method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the volume ratio of non-treated milk to decationized milk is about 1:1.

Claim 16

Method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the milk is placed in contact with the cation-exchanging resin for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to between 1.5 and 3.5.

Claim 17

Method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the resin is a strongly acid cation-exchanging resin, with polystyrene skeleton, carrying sulfonic acid groups and having a gel or macroporous structure.

Claim 18

Method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the volume ratio of the treated milk to the exchanging resin is between 5:1 and 15:1.

Claim 19

Method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the milk is at a temperature of between 0° C. and 2° C. when placed in contact with the cation-exchanging resin.

Claim 20

Method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the milk being treated is skim milk.

Claim 21

Milk casein obtained by the method claimed in any one of claims 10, 11, 14, 16, 17 and 18.

Claim 22

Lactoserum obtained by the method claimed in one of claims 10, 11, 14, 16, 17 or 18.

Claim 23

Milk processing method using a cation-exchanging resin in acid form to prepare acid curds, for making cheese without rennet, and lactoserum, wherein said method comprises the steps of: (a) placing milk, having a temperature of 0° C. to 4° C., in contact with the cation-exchanging resin in acid form for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to a value below or equal to 3.8, and then separating the decationized milk from the exchanging resin; (b) mixing the decationized milk with non-treated ordinary milk in sufficient quantity to raise the pH of the mixture to around the isoelectric point of the milk casein; (c) heating the resulting mixture to a temperature of between 10° and 60° C. to coagulate into curd the casein contained both in the acidulated decationized milk and in the non-treated milk and to form lactoserum, and (d) cutting the curd which has formed and baking it at a temperature of between 48° and 50° C., and separating the lactoserum from the curd, washing the curd in cold water and then draining the curd.

Claim 24

Milk processing method using a cation-exchanging resin in acid form to prepare acid curds, for making cheese without rennet, and lactoserum, wherein said method comprises the steps of: (a) placing milk, having a temperature of 0° C. to 4° C., in contact with the cation-exchanging resin in acid form for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to a value below or equal to 3.8, and then separating the decationized milk from the exchanging resin; (b) mixing the decationized milk with non-treated ordinary milk in sufficient quantity to raise the pH of the mixture to around the isoelectric point of the milk casein; (c) heating the resulting mixture to a temperature of between 10° and 60° C. to coagulate into curd the casein contained both in the acidulated decationized milk and in the non-treated milk and to form lactoserum, and (d) cutting the curd which has formed and baking it at a temperature of between 48° and 50° C., and separating the lactoserum from the curd, washing the curd in cold water and then draining the curd.

Claim 25

Method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the non-treated ordinary milk is cooled to a temperature of between 0° and 4° C. before said mixing.

Claim 26

Method as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the decationized milk is mixed with enough non-treated ordinary milk to raise the pH of the mixture to a value of 4.4 to 4.8.

Claim 27

Method as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the mixture of decationized milk and non-treated milk is heated to a temperature of between 30° and 35° C. to coagulate the casein into curd.

Claim 28

Method as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the volume ratio of non-treated milk to decationized milk is about 1:1.

Claim 29

Method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the milk is placed in contact with the cation-exchanging resin for the time period necessary to lower the pH of the milk to between 1.5 and 3.5.

Claim 30

Method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the resin is a strongly acid cation-exchanging resin, with polystyrene skeleton, carrying sulfonic acid groups and having a gel or macroporous structure.

Claim 31

Method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the volume ratio of the treated milk to the exchanging resin is between 5:1 and 15:1.

Claim 32

Method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the milk is at a temperature of between 0° C. and 2° C. when placed in contact with the cation-exchanging resin.

Claim 33

Method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the milk being treated is skim milk.

Claim 34

Milk acid curd obtained by the method claimed in one of claims 21, 22, 26, 28, 29 or 30.

Claim 35

Lactoserum obtained by the method claimed in claim 21.