Stabilized Acidified Milk Products

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate to mildly acidic milk drinks and methods for preparation of mildly acidic milk drinks having a pH between about 4.7 and about 5.4. The acidic milk drinks generally include a milk product and a low ester pectin (LM-pectin). The milk product may be present in an amount sufficient to provide milk solids non-fats (MSNF) content in an amount of less than or equal to about 8.5% by weight of the acidified milk drink. The LM-pectin may have a degree of esterification (DE) in the range of about 25% to about 45% and a degree of amidation in the range of about 10% to about 20%.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A stable acidified milk drink comprising:
 a low ester pectin (LM-pectin) having a degree of esterification (DE) in the range of about 25% to about 45% and a degree of amidation in the range of about 10% to about 20%; and   a milk product present in an amount sufficient to provide milk solids non-fats (MSNF) content in an amount of less than or equal to about 8.5% by weight of the acidified milk drink;   wherein the pH of the acidified milk drink is between about 4.7 and about 5.1 and the acidified milk drink is characterized as a homogenous liquid having a consistency suitable for drinking and pouring.   
     
     
         2 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the pH of the acidified milk drink is in the range of about 4.8 to about 5.0. 
     
     
         3 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the pH of the acidified milk drink is about 5.0. 
     
     
         4 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the LM-pectin has a degree of esterification in the range of about 30% to about 40%. 
     
     
         5 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the pectin has a degree of esterification in the range of about 33% to about 37%. 
     
     
         6 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the pectin has a degree of amidation in the range of about 13% to about 17%. 
     
     
         7 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the milk product is present in an amount sufficient to provide a MSNF content in the range of about 0.1 wt % to about 6.5 wt % of the acidified milk drink. 
     
     
         8 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the milk product is present in an amount sufficient to provide a MSNF content in the range of about 0.3 wt % to about 5 wt % of the acidified milk drink. 
     
     
         9 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein the milk product is present in an amount sufficient to provide a MSNF content of about 3 wt % of the acidified milk drink. 
     
     
         10 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , further comprising a buffer salt in the range of about 0.2 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of the acidified milk drink. 
     
     
         11 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 10 , wherein the buffer salt comprises tri-sodium citrate, potassium hexametaphosphate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , further comprising tri-sodium citrate present in an amount of about 0.3 wt % of the acidified milk drink. 
     
     
         13 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein a consistency suitable for drinking and pouring is characterized by a viscosity of less than about 100 mPa/s when measured at a temperature of about 10° C. 
     
     
         14 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein a consistency suitable for drinking and pouring is characterized by a viscosity of less than about 30 mPa/s. 
     
     
         15 . The acidified milk drink of  claim 1 , wherein stability is characterized by no sedimentation or phase separation of the homogenous liquid after about 24 hours of storage at about room temperature.