Claims for Patent: 7,018,664

Summary for Patent: 7,018,664

Title:	Method and apparatus for preparing a dairy product
Abstract:	A novel method and apparatus are disclosed for the manufacturing of dairy products. Also dairy products prepared by means of the disclosed method are comprised by the invention. The novel method makes use of preactivated cultures and results in a reduction of production time and costs in addition to a less complicated planning of the production work.
Inventor(s):	Hoier; Erik (Valby, DK), Andersen; Claus Michael (Farum, DK)
Assignee:	Chr. Hansen A/S (Horsholm, DK)
Application Number:	10/210,078
Patent Claims:	1. A method of preparing a dairy product, comprising the steps of: a) preparing an aqueous suspension of a dried or frozen microbial starter culture in a pasteurised or sterile water; b) mixing a metered flow of the aqueous suspension with a metered flow of milk, to form a starter culture composition; c) passing the starter culture composition through a pre-incubator, in which the starter culture composition is maintained at a preincubation temperature which is greater than about 10.degree.C. but not sufficiently high as to have a deleterious effect on the microbial culture, wherein the residence time of the starter culture composition in the pre-incubator is such as to pre-activate the starter culture composition to form an activated culture composition; d) dispensing the activated culture composition and an additional quantity of milk into a fermentation vat to provide a fermentation mixture; and e) maintaining the fermentation mixture under fermentation conditions to obtain the dairy product. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-incubator is tubular. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the residence time of the starter culture composition in the pre-incubator is from about 10 to about 60 minutes. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the residence time of the starter culture composition in the pre-incubator is from about 10 to about 30 minutes. 5. A method as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein the preincubation temperature is from about 10 to about 50.degree.C. 6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the preincubation temperature is from about 20.degree.to about 45.degree.C. 7. A method as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein the preparation of the aqueous suspension in step (a) is carried out at a temperature of less than or equal to about 20.degree.C. 8. A method as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein the preparation of the aqueous suspension in step (a) is carried out at a temperature of less than or equal to about 15.degree.C. 9. A method as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein said mixing is carried out at the preincubation temperature. 10. A method as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein the temperature of the pre-incubator is maintained by surrounding the pre-incubator with a heated fluid. 11. A method as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein the activated culture composition is dispensed at intervals of 5 minutes or less. 12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the activated culture composition is dispensed at intervals of 1 minute or less. 13. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the preincubation temperature is from about 30 to about 35.degree.C. 14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-incubator is an in-line pre-incubator. 15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-incubator comprises a vessel, a tank or a vat. 16. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the residence time of the starter culture composition in the pre-incubator is from about 10 to about 60 minutes. 17. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pre-incubator is tubular.

Details for Patent 7,018,664

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	ZOSTAVAX	zoster vaccine live	For Injection	125123	05/25/2006		2021-08-03