GB2017146A - Acidic Proteinaceous Beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

Protein fortification of acidic beverages in significant quantities is achieved without an excessive increase in viscosity and without the necessity of stabilizing additives and emulsifiers. The compositions in ready-to-drink dilute form have a pH of less than about 3.7 and exhibit a stability against protein separation at room and refrigeration temperatures, preferably with concentration of dispersed protein of up to about 7% w/v. The protein fortification is achieved using protein micellar masses obtained from a suitable protein source, such as a plant protein, by extracting with an aqueous food grade salt solution at a temperature of about 15 DEG to about 35 DEG C, a salt concentration of at least about 0.2 ionic strength and a pH of about 5.5 to about 6.5, and decreasing the ionic strength of the resulting protein solution to a value less than about 0.1 to precipitate and settle the protein micellar mass. The fortified composition may be formulated in dry form with other components of citrus- imitative beverage compositions, for later dispersement in water to form the dilute ready-to-drink composition.