Milk fermenting product

Claim 2

A stabilized mixed bacteria concentrate according to claim 4, in which the stabilizing agent is glycerol. -------1 Claim 6 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue.

Claim 3

A stabilized mixed bacteria concentrate according to claim 4, in which the bacteria of said first type comprise of at least about 88% of the tOtal count in the bacteria concentrate. -------1 Claim 7 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue.

Claim 4

A stabilized, mixed bacteria concentrate containing at least about 10 X 109 cells/ml each consisting essentially of a substantially neutralized mixture of three types of bacteria which have been separately incubated, concentrated and then mixed , the first type being selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus which has been incubated in a culture medium containing skim milk so as to produce lactic acid and wherein during the incubation the lactic acid produced has been neutralized with a neutralizing agent to maintain the growth of the bacteria , the second type being selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus citrovorus and Streptococcus paracitrovorus which has been incubated in skim milk or in a digest milk and the third type consisting of Streptococcus diacetylactis, said bacteria having been separated from the media and concentrated in a centrifuge, said concentrate being stabilized by the admixture of a stabilizing agent and a nutrient medium so that the concentrate is stabilized against rapid loss of viability, said concentrate being frozen so that it can be stored for a long period of time without major loss in the viability of the bacteria. -------1 Claim 10 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue with amendments.

Claim 5

A stabilized mixed bacteria concentrate according to claim 10, in which the stabilizing agent is glycerol. -------1 Claim 12 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue.

Claim 6

A stabilized mixed bacteria concentrate according to claim 10, in which the bacteria of the second type comprise about 8% of the total count of the bacteria concentrate, the bacteria of the third type comprise between about 1% and 4% of the total count of the bacteria concentrate, the balance being bacteria of the first type. -------1 Claim 13 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue.

Claim 7

A stabilized bacteria concentrate consisting essentially of a substantially neutralized concentrate of a ((bacteria)) bacterium which is separately incubated and concentrated selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus citrovorus and Streptococcus paracitrovorus which Has been incubated in a culture medium containing skim milk or a digest milk, said bacteria having been separated from the media and concentrated in a centrifuge said concentrate being stabilized by the admixture of a stabilizing agent and a nutrient medium so that the concentrate is stabilized against rapid loss of viability, the concentrate being frozen so it can be stored for a long time without major loss in the viability of the bacteria, the concentrate containing at least about 10 X 109 cells per ml. -------1 Claim 14 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue with amendments.

Claim 8

A stabilized, mixed bacteria concentrate containing at least about 10 X 109 cells/ml each consisting essentially of a substantially neutralized mixture of three (two) types of bacteria which have been separately incubated, concentrated and then mixed , the first type consisting of Streptococcus lactis which has been incubated in a culture medium containing skim milk and wherein during the incubation the lactic acid produced has been neutralized with a neutralizing agent to maintain the growth of the bacteria , the second type being selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus citrovorus and Streptococcus paracitrovorus which has been incubated in skim milk or a digest milk, and the third type consisting of Streptococcus diacetylactis which has been incubated and neutralized in the manner of the first type of bacteria, said bacteria having been separated from the media and concentrated in a centrifuge said concentrate being stabilized by the admixture of a stabilizing agent and a nutrient medium so that the concentrate is stabilized against rapid loss of viability, said concentrate being frozen so that it can be stored for a long period of time without major loss in the viability of the bacteria. -------1 Claim 15 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue with amendments.

Claim 9

A stabilized, mixed bacteria concentrate containing at least about 10 X 109 cells/ml each consisting essentially of a substantially neutralized mixture of three types of bacteria which have been separately incubated, concentrated and then mixed , the first type consisting of Streptococcus lactis, which has been incubated in a culture medium containing skim milk and which has been neutralized with a neutralizing agent during incubation to maintain the growth of the bacteria, the second type being selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus citrovorus and Streptococcus paracitrovorus which has been incubated in a culture medium containing skim milk or a digest milk, and the third type consisting of Streptococcus diacetylactis which has been incubated and neutralized in the manner of the first type of bacteria, said bacteria having been separated from the media and concentrated in a centrifuge, said concentrate being stabilized by the admixture of a stabilizing agent and a nutrient medium so that the concentrate is stabilized against rapid loss of viability, said concentrate being frozen so that it can be stored for a long period of time without major loss in the viability of the bacteria. -------1 Claim 16 was deleted in Re. 28,276, but is reinstated in this reissue with amendments. ((17. The method of producing a mixed bacterial concentrate which comprises: (a) separately incubating in separate culture media three types of bacteria, the first type being selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which produce lactic acid wherein the incubation culture medium contains skim milk and whereIn during incubation the lactic acid produced is neutralized as the pH of the medium drops by adding a neutralizing agent to maintain the growth of the bacteria, the second type being selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus citrovorus and Streptococcus paracitrovorus wherein the culture media contains skim milk or a digest milk, and the third type consisting of Streptococcus diacetylactis which is incubated and neutralized in the manner of the first type of bacteria to produce bacteria which are centrifugable from the media to form a concentrate; (b) concentrating the respective media to obtain separate concentrates of the three bacteria containing at least about 10 X 109 cells/ml. each; (c) mixing together the three types of bacteria in the desired proportions to produce a mixed concentrate having closely controlled amounts of the three types of bacteria therein without permitting further growth of the bacteria; and (d) then freezing the mixed concentrate so it can be stored for a long time without major loss in the viability of the bacteria.)) ((18. The method of claim 17, including the steps of mixing glycerol and a nutrient medium in the concentrates in precise relative proportions.))