Stabilization of carrageenan free chocolate milk

Abstract

Compositions and methods that relate to improved chocolate milk are provided. The chocolate milk may be shelf stable and k-carrageenan free. The chocolate milk does not undergo visually detectable phase separation for at least 7 days. The chocolate milk that does not undergo the visually detectable phase separation contains from 1%-10% micellar casein w/v. Methods for preparing shelf stable k-carrageenan free chocolate milk are also provided and include mixing cocoa powder, sugar, milk, and micellar casein to obtain a mixture, and optionally heating and homogenizing the mixture, and subsequently subjecting the mixture to High Pressure Jet Processing (HPJ) or high pressure homogenization of at least 300 MPa, thereby producing the shelf table k-carrageenan free chocolate milk. The shelf stable k-carrageenan free chocolate milk of produced using such a method may be refrigerated temperature for at least 14 days, and does not undergo detectable phase separation for at least 14 days.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Chocolate milk that is free of k-carrageenan and does not undergo visually detectable phase separation for at least 7 days, or undergoes visually detectable phase separation that is less than a reference value for at least 7 days. 
     
     
         2 . The chocolate milk of  claim 1 , wherein the chocolate milk does not undergo the visually detectable phase separation or the phase separation that is less than a reference for at least 14 days. 
     
     
         3 . The chocolate milk of  claim 1 , further comprising from 1%-10% micellar casein w/v. 
     
     
         4 . The chocolate milk of  claim 3 , wherein the milk is skim milk. 
     
     
         5 . The chocolate milk of  claim 4 , wherein the visually detectable phase separation is determined using the formula: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       Phase 
                       ⁢ 
                           
                       separation 
                       ⁢ 
                           
                       
                         ( 
                         % 
                         ) 
                       
                     
                     = 
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           1 
                           - 
                           
                             
                               Height 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               of 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               bottom 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               phase 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               
                                 ( 
                                 cm 
                                 ) 
                               
                             
                             
                               Height 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               of 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               chocolate 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               milk 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               volume 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               in 
                               ⁢ 
                                   
                               
                                 bottle 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                      
                                 
                                 ( 
                                 cm 
                                 ) 
                               
                             
                           
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       × 
                       100 
                     
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     [ 
                     1 
                     ]