MXPA96004886A - Method and apparatus for the production of whole milk in whole powder anhydra that has recovery of total fat constituent for addition use - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to anhydrous milk powder to have substantially the same constituent ingredients as dry whole milk which is made using conventional processes, except that 100% of the fat constituent is available as fat. Whole milk is first prepared in skimmed milk and anhydrous milk fat, skim milk is dried by removing all available free water from it, and the resulting dried anhydrous skimmed milk solids are combined in a selected amount together with an additional quantity selected from the constituent of the fat of the anhydrous milk separated in a strip mixer. The resulting mixed product has the same conformation of constituents as ordinary dry whole milk, but all of the fat constituent can be recovered as fat. It is primarily intended that the anhydrous powder milk of the present invention be used by the chocolate industry in the manufacture of chocolate in milk, but it can also be used for other purposes such as the preparation of dry mixes for baking or other food. prepared, where dehydrated whole milk powder will not rehydrate. The apparatus includes means for extracting fat constituent from anhydrous milk from unhomogenized whole milk, and a strip mixer equipped with spray nozzles to remix the fat of the anhydrous milk with the dehydrated skim milk. The precise amount of fat constituent available in the resulting anhydrous whole milk powder can be precisely defined and obtained. In certain cases, a portion of the anhydrous fat that is added back to the dehydrated skim milk can be a compatible vegetable oil.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF WHOLE MILK POWDER IN ANHYDRA THAT HAS RECOVERY OF TOTAL FAT CONSTITUENT FOR ADDITIONAL USE FIELD OF THE INVENTION: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for the production of dehydrated whole milk powder. In particular, this invention is directed to the production of dehydrated whole milk powder having a fatty constituent that is fully recoverable and usable as fat for purposes and subsequent formulations within which milk powder is generally incorporated. The most usual of such purposes and, for which this invention is primarily intended, is the use of the dehydrated whole milk powder of the present in the production of milk chocolate. Other purposes are also contemplated, such as the production of dehydrated baking mixes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: Dehydrated whole milk powder is derived from whole milk and can be used for a variety of purposes. However, the equivalent products of dehydrated whole milk powder are intended specifically for use in the industry where dehydrated whole milk powder is mixed or added into the formulation of other food products without being rehydrated first. While such purposes may generally include baking products such as dehydrated baking mixes for the preparation of home-made cakes and the like, or other food products, the main purpose for which the anhydrous milk powders of the present invention are intended particularly is the chocolate industry, for the production of milk chocolate. Chocolate is a food substance comprising chocolate liquor and cocoa butter, both derived from cocoa seeds and sugar. However, when milk chocolate is prepared, the formulation also includes chocolate solids. However, in order for the designation "Chocolate Milk" to apply, there must be no less than 12% chocolate solids included in the milk chocolate formulation. The fatty system in milk chocolate is the combination or mixture of cocoa butter together with the milk fat transported within the chocolate formulation by the dehydrated whole milk powder. A particular problem faced by the chocolate manufacturer is that only a certain amount of fat is available from dehydrated whole milk powder that has been made using traditional methods for the production thereof, for access within the chocolate formulation as a constituent of fat, in fact, only about 60% of the fat content of conventional dehydrated whole milk powder is available for the extraction of fat and, the access within the chocolate formulation as fat. Most, though not necessarily all, of the milk fat can be recovered, after the dehydrated whole milk powder is incorporated into the chocolate formulation, by mechanical means such as compressing the fat from the whole milk powder dehydrated using roller refiners and homogenizing the product. Dehydrated whole milk is defined in the United States Food and Drug Administration Regulations at 21 C.F.R. C 131.147 (a); and requires dehydrated whole milk to be obtained by removing water from pasteurized milk. However, it should be noted that the present invention has determined, as discussed in greater detail hereinafter, that it is not necessary to pasteurize the whole milk which is the starting material from which the anhydrous milk powders of the present invention are made invention. The definition of the "Food and Drug Administration" of dehydrated whole milk also provides an alternative description, establishing that dehydrated whole milk can be obtained by dehydrated fat-free milk or dehydrated cream with mixed, condensed or dehydrated fluid or with fluid milk, condensed or dehydrated, as appropriate. The resulting dehydrated milk must be equivalent in composition to that obtained by removing water only from pasteurized milk. In any case, dehydrated whole milk, according to the definition of the same by the "Food and Drug Administration", contains lactose, milk proteins, milk fat and milk minerals, in the same relative proportions for another like the milk from which it was made. The dehydrated whole milk should contain not less than 26% by weight although less than 40% by weight of milk fat, or as a base as is. In addition, the dehydrated whole milk must contain not less than 5% by weight of moisture on a non-fat basis of milk solids. This is a clear demonstration that it is recognized that not all milk fat (as that term is used) is available, although that certain portion of the fat content must be present. In the past, and still today, two different processes have been carried out, for the preparation of whole dehydrated milk powder. These are generally referred to as roller dehydration and spray dewatering: although a third method of freeze dehydration is also available, it is not widely practiced due to high energy requirements. The effect of roller dehydration or spray drying is, in any case, the use of heat to evaporate the constituent water of the whole milk and remove it as steam. However, in doing so, a considerable portion, usually not less than 40% approximately the fat constituent found in whole milk is encapsulated in the whey solids or, in other words, in the milk protein and lactose constituents and can not be removed from it. In addition, a small portion of water, sometimes up to 5%, can also be encapsulated or bound in the protein constituent of milk and, therefore, can not be removed from it. However, since the moisture is bound and not free, it is not appreciable as moisture and, therefore, the dry product is aptly termed as being anhydrous. For the same reason, 40% or so of the fat constituent that is encapsulated in the whey products of dehydrated whole milk can not be easily removed to become available as fat. What that means is that, as whole dehydrated milk enters into the formulation of the food product such as milk chocolate, non-recoverable fat is not available to enter the fat system and to be available as fat during the additional preparation stages. . It can only be made available by additional mechanical processing steps, by means of which the fat is effectively compressed away from its encapsulation carriers to be transported within the formulation for use as fat. This is achieved by passing the mixed cocoa butter and chocolate liqueur, sugar and dehydrated whole milk, between narrowly separated rolls to retinal or homogenize the product. The same may be true during the preparation of dehydrated baking mixes and the like. If the product is not fully refined or homogenized and, there is still a requirement for a specific amount of fat to be available as fat in the formulation of the food product, especially when the food product is milk chocolate, there may then be, in fact, a quantity of fat present in the foodstuff greater than the usable one. However, that unusable fat enters the body of the person who consumes the food product as a fatty nutrient. Even more, of course, that unavailable constituent of fat does not enter the fat system with cocoa butter, for example, as milk chocolate is prepared. It should not be overlooked that milk chocolate is a suspension in which the solids of milk and sugar are suspended in a fatty system. As noted above, in milk chocolate, the fat system comprises the available milk fat along with the cocoa butter. In fact, the question of the availability of fat from dehydrated whole milk and the fact that not all of the fat constituent of dehydrated whole milk is available, is discussed on the first page of a document entitled "The Influence of Milk Fat on the Crystallization Properties of Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Butter Alternatives "presented in the Proceedings of the" 44th PMSA Production Conference ", 1990, on pages 53 to 60, by Gerard Hogenbirk In that document, it states that particular experiments which are described are based on 99.8% pure milk fat that is being used, because in the non-skim milk powder, in other words in the dehydrated whole milk powder, part of the milk fat is linked and the amount of free fat can vary from one situation to another. Furthermore, the document states that it is difficult to determine the free fat milk versus the bound fat, although it gives tables that could be useful in practical situations as opposed to laboratory conditions, making corrections for the percentages of free fat and bound fat for the powdered milks involved. Therefore, it is noted that the chocolate industry, in particular, recognizes the difficulties in formulating milk chocolate when not all of the fat from the dehydrated whole milk powder constituent that is used is available. However, unexpectedly, the inventor of the present has discovered that, if the fat is separated from the whole milk in the first instance and, the resulting skim milk is then dehydrated to remove all the water except any small amount of bound water that it can not be stirred any other way and then the fat is added again to the skimmed milk powder, then the fat enters into the resulting whole dried milk powder that is being manufactured as a total and freely available and recoverable fat constituent, without bound fat that is transported inside the chocolate with milk or other food product, composition or formulation. It should be noted that, in the production of milk chocolate, the milk fat available from the whole milk powder that is added to the chocolate formulation is miscible with the cocoa butter and mixed with it to form the system Fatty milk chocolate. Although cocoa butter and milk fat have quite different characteristics, they can be combined in a similar way to specific combination temperatures and residence times for the chocolate characteristics required of hardness and crunch and, do not form a eutectic within which they can detect several crystal structures with the desired characteristics that are available only within very narrow scales. In other words, the compatibility for the crystalline structure and for the hardness between the milk fat and the cocoa butter are important for the chocolate manufacturer. Furthermore, very unexpectedly, the inventor of the present has determined that compatible vegetable oils can be used to replace at least a portion of the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk that was added or mixed again with the dehydrated skim milk powder in the preparation of anhydrous whole milk powder according to the present invention. A vegetable oil can be used provided it is compatible to adhere to a selected solid fat index curve (SFI) and, has a high degree of crystalline compatibility and toughness compatibility with cocoa butter in the same way that milk fat does. Still further, the compatible vegetable oil can be selected so that, as it is mixed with the milk fat constituent and then mixed with the cocoa butter constituent, the formation of eutectic within the fatty system is prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: To provide the production of anhydrous milk powder having a fatty constituent equivalent to that of dehydrated whole milk, but from which substantially all the fat constituent is recoverable as fat when the anhydrous milk powder is mixed as dehydrated whole milk powder in milk chocolate or dehydrated baking mixes, the present invention provides a method for the production of anhydrous milk powder, comprising the following steps: First, the whole milk is homogenized. Whole milk, as always, has milk fat, water, lactose and protein constituents; Also, there may be, of course, trace amounts of minerals. The fat constituent of the milk is extracted from the whole milk leaving, therefore, the water. Lactose and the protein constituents of it as skim milk. The fat constituent of the extracted milk is stored at temperatures below 40 ° C, as an anhydrous recoverable fat constituent.

Subsequently, the skim milk that remained after the fat constituent of the milk had been removed, was dehydrated, by removing all the constituent of free water available from it. This leaves the anhydrous skim milk powder solids comprising the lactose and the protein components of the whole milk, and the water remaining in the lactose and the protein constituents can also be linked. The anhydrous milk powder of the present invention is then made by placing a selected amount of the anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids into a ribbon mixer, heating a selected amount of the recoverable fat constituent to above 40 ° C to produce the anhydrous fat inside an anhydrous oil and, adding that selected quantity of anhydrous oil heated also inside the slat mixer, during the time. During that time, the anhydrous skim milk powder and the anhydrous oil that is being added to it are slowly stirred in the ribbon mixer; and stirring is continued until the selected amount of anhydrous skim milk powder and the selected amount of anhydrous oil are completely mixed. The combined mixture is removed after the ribbon mixer and allowed to cool to at least room temperature and, therefore, the anhydrous oil has been sufficiently solidified as anhydrous fat within the combined mixture. Obviously, that anhydrous fat is not analyzed in the form some with the anhydrous skimmed milk powder with which it had been mixed and is, therefore, fully recoverable as a fatty constituent when the anhydrous milk powder of the present invention is further used. Finally, the blended mixture is set aside for use in the same way as dehydrated whole milk powder; and, as noted, the combined mixture is now available for use as the whole milk powder from which the anhydrous fat constituent is substantially recoverable as fat. Additional variations and addition steps in accordance with the methods of the present invention are described in greater detail below. However, it should be noted that the non-homogenized whole milk from which the process of the present invention started comprises initially about 88% + 3% by weight of water, about 3.8% ± 1% by weight of lactose, about 5.2. ± 1.2% by weight of protein, and approximately 3% ± 6% by weight of milk fat constituent. There may also be trace amounts of minerals. The whole dehydrated milk powder from which all the anhydrous fat constituent thereof is fully recoverable, according to the present invention, comprises from not less than 26% not more than 40% by weight of fat constituent of the milk, from 0% to about 4% by weight of bound water which is bound within the protein constituent of dehydrated whole milk powder, with the balance of up to 74% by weight being nonfat nonfat milk solids including protein dehydrated. milk, lactose and trace amounts of minerals. Therefore, in this case, the anhydrous whole milk powder according to the present invention generally falls within the definition thereof as established by the definition of the "Food and Drug Administration" noted above, except that the % by weight up to 40% by weight of milk fat is present not in a base as it is, but is present as a fully recoverable fat constituent. Another aspect of the invention provides the apparatus for the product of the anhydrous milk powder according to the present invention, which apparatus comprises the following: extraction means for extracting the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk from the whole milk not homogenized, to obtain skim milk that has water, lactose and protein constituents; storage means for storing the anhydrous fat constituent at temperatures below 40 ° C; dehydrated media to remove all the constituent of free water available from skim milk, to leave the solids of the skimmed milk powder anhydrous; and storage means for storing anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids. Measurement means are also provided and thus obtain a selected quantity of anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids and means for measuring and thereby obtaining a selected amount of the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk to a temperature greater than 40. ° C and therefore convert it to anhydrous butter oil. A ribbon mixer is provided, having spray nozzles for mixing the selected amounts of anhydrous skimmed milk powder and fat constituent of the anhydrous milk, together with means for removing a combined mixture thereof away from the ribbon mixer and, means for cooling, storing and handling the combined mixture. In general, the fat constituent of the milk is extracted from the non-homogenized whole milk using a centrifugal machine. Also, in general, the remaining skim milk is dehydrated using a spray drier. However, other devices may be used, as noted below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: The present invention will now be described, with several alternative embodiments given by way of example only, in association with the accompanying drawings, in which: The only Figure is a diagram illustrating the main components of the apparatus used for the production of the anhydrous milk powder according to the present invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES: It has been noted above that there are generally two processes for the preparation of whole dehydrated milk powder, where heat is used to evaporate the constituent of water from the whole milk and remove it as steam. These processes are dehydrated by roller and dehydrated by spraying. Both processes are well known in the dairy industry, so no detailed description of any of the processes is required. However, to provide at least a review of those processes, the following comment is made: First, the milk that enters to be dehydrated is tested in a direct standardization system that is outside the scope of the present invention. The milk must be tested to determine that it has not previously been subjected to high temperatures that can produce whey protein, causing coagulation and producing solubility, also producing the aroma and flavor of the milk to be prepared. For roller dehydration, the milk is distributed on roller drums that are usually steam heated. The water in the milk evaporates and the steam is extracted from the rollers. Care must be taken that there is not too much heat transferred to the product as discoloration may occur. A film is developed on the surface of the drums, which is removed by scraping. The milk can be distributed to the surfaces of the drums, either from a free passage or being sprayed on roller dehydrators. The dehydrated by spray is carried out in two stages, in the first of which the milk is evaporated to a certain degree and then, the concentrate is pumped to the dehydrated tower for final dehydration. Generally, milk is dispersed or atomized into very small drops for more effective dehydration. Dehydrated milk is usually a very fine powder; and dehydrated milk per roll can be distinguished from dehydrated milk by spraying, especially by its physical characteristics such as fineness and coloration. In the preparation of commercial milk powder, dehydrated skim milk powder is very often prepared since it is generally easier to dehydrate the skim milk than whole milk. In that case, the milk fat is separated from the whole milk before the dehydration procedure begins. In fact, commercial dairies may have a high demand for liquid milk and cream products that have certain designated fat percentages of milk, such as 2% milk, 4% milk, 6.5% cream, 10% cream and so on. The cream or fat constituent of the milk that is separated in the cheese or milk production facility can then be diverted to other production lines and packaging of liquid and cream milk; and the separated skim milk can, by itself, be subsequently shipped by tanker trucks or otherwise to another dehydrated skim milk production facility for dehydration. However, the present invention requires the separation and storage of the milk fat constituent of whole milk for subsequent handling by being mixed in skimmed milk powder to make a confectionery powder having a specific and designated percentage of milk fat.; and from which the milk fat is fully recoverable since it remains as milk fat even when mixed in the dehydrated skimmed milk powder to form an anhydrous confectionery milk powder of the present invention. With reference to the only Figure of the drawings, certain main components of the apparatus for the production of the anhydrous milk powder according to the present invention will now be described. The extraction means for extracting the fat constituent from the anhydrous milk from the non-homogenized milk are well known in the industry and are not illustrated. The usual extraction means used for these purposes is a centrifugal machine, although other mechanical phase separators, which are well known to chemists in the milk industry, can be employed. In any case, as noted, the milk fat constituent is separated or extracted from the whole milk leaving water, lactose, protein constituents and trace minerals, such as liquid skim milk at that stage. A storage tank or other storage means 22 is provided for the storage of the fat constituent of the extracted anhydrous milk. The fat constituent of anhydrous milk should be stored at temperatures below 40 ° C, because at 40 ° C milk fat melts completely. Dehydration means are also provided; and those dehydrating means may be dehydration means by roll or, more usually, spray dehydrator, although both are well known in the milk industry and are not illustrated. In any case, the anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids resulting from the dehydration process are placed in storage media or in a tank 24. There may be, as noted above, a certain percentage, usually less than 5% of the weight of the milk. linked water found in the skimmed milk powder solids stored in tank 24, although, since it is bound water, it is not free and the skimmed milk powder solids last and are suitably referred to as anhydrous. A batten mixer is generally shown at 26. Located between the batten mixer 26 and the storage tank 22, there will be a pumping and measuring equipment whereby a specific and selected amount of the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk can be removed from the tank 22 for supply within the ribbon mixer 26. A valve 28 will also be provided. Likewise, the apparatus for measuring and obtaining a specific amount will also be provided between the storage tank 24 and the ribbon mixer 26. and selected from anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids stored in the tank 24. That selected amount of anhydrous skimmed milk powder solid is emptied into the batten mixer 26, as shown by the arrow 28. Typically, the ribbon mixer 26 is provided with a series or spray nozzles 30. The selected amount of fat constituent of anhydrous milk ex brought from the tank 22 is heated to a temperature above 40 ° C and then sprayed into the batter mixer into which the anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids have already been placed. The process of spraying the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk heated inside the batter mixer takes place over time, so that, over a period, the entire selected amount of the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk can be thoroughly mixed into the milk. the selected amount of anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids. After sufficient time, the mixed confectionery powder resulting and from which the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk can be fully recovered as fat at a later stage, can be removed from the batten mixer 26 such as a probe 32. The product can then be moved to a bagging station 34, equipped with filling and weighing apparatus and the like, so that the specific amounts of anhydrous confectionery milk powder having the anhydrous fat constituent added thereto can be packaged and managed for storage and shipping to consumers such as chocolate manufacturers in particular. At 38 a plurality of such anhydrous powdered milk in bags is shown. Typically, any batten mixer 26 is provided with an external jacket, through which hot or cold water can be flowed, as required. Therefore during the mixing process, hot water is flowed through the jacket to keep the skim milk powder and the anhydrous butter oil being mixed therein at or slightly above 40 ° C. Then, if the ribbon mixer is required almost immediately for the next batch to be prepared, the mixed confectionery powder is removed as noted above. Otherwise, cold water can flow through the jacket and cool the mixed confectionery powder before it is removed. From all the above and, in any case, the main steps of the method for the production of anhydrous milk powder having a fat constituent equivalent to that of dehydrated whole milk and, from which substantially all of the milk fat constituent is recoverable as fat when the anhydrous milk powder is mixed as dehydrated whole milk powder in the milk chocolate or dehydrated baking mixes, are as follows: (a) ) First, you get the whole milk not homogenized. Therefore, whole milk has the typical milk fat, water, lactose and protein constituents of whole milk and will usually have certain trace amounts of minerals. (b) The fat constituent of the milk is extracted from the whole milk, thus leaving the water, lactose and protein constituents of the milk, such as skim milk. (c) The fat constituent of the extracted milk is, as noted above, anhydrous; and it is stored at temperatures below 40 ° C as an anhydrous recoverable fat constituent. (d) The skim milk remaining from stage (b) is dehydrated by removing all the water constituent thereof. This leaves the anhydrous skimmed milk powder solids comprising the lactose and the protein constituents of the starting unbonded whole milk starting material, together with any bound water remaining in the lactose and the protein constituents and, any amounts of trace minerals that may be present. (e) After a selected amount of the skimmed milk powder solids is placed inside the batter mixer. (f) A selected amount of the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent is heated to a temperature above 40 ° C, which is its boiling point and thus converted to anhydrous oil. (g) The selected amount of the heated anhydrous oil from step (d) is slowly added into the batten mixer, over time. During this time, the anhydrous skim milk powder and the anhydrous oil are slowly stirred as the oil is added into the mixer in the ribbon mixer. (h) The selected amount of anhydrous skimmed milk powder and the selected amount of anhydrous oil are continuously stirred, until they are completely mixed together. (i) The combined mixture is then removed from the ribbon mixer and allowed to cool to at least room temperature. It can also be cooled in the ribbon mixer as mentioned above. Therefore, the anhydrous oil is allowed to solidify again substantially as anhydrous fat; the combined mixture takes the appearance of a pastry powder. (J) Finally, the combined mixture is placed aside for use as dehydrated whole milk powder; and, as noted, substantially all of the anhydrous fat constituent of that dehydrated whole milk powder is recoverable as fat. The following description is particularly directed to the main purposes for which the anhydrous whole milk powder of the present invention is intended; that is, for use in the production of chocolate milk from chocolate manufacturers. First, care must always be taken to reduce the risk of oxidation of the anhydrous fat constituent which is first removed from the whole milk and stored in tank 22 and, subsequently. This may require that, especially the stage (c) noted above, is carried out in such a manner that contact of the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent with air or oxygen is substantially avoided. Subsequently, in particular, as the final product bags 38 are prepared, stored and handled, it is advisable that they be stored and handled at low temperatures, usually below 15 ° C. This also avoids, or at least significantly inhibits, the oxidation risk of the anhydrous fat constituent. The risk of microbiological activity is relatively low, if not substantially zero, due to the anhydrous nature of the dehydrated whole milk powder product of the present invention. Particularly when the end user is a chocolate manufacturer, certain chemical and physical standards can be established for the dehydrated whole milk powder that is produced by the present invention. For example, the chocolate manufacturer may require a very specific amount or amount of phospholipid or lecithin to be included in the anhydrous milk powder. Although lecithin is already found in milk, in small quantities, the chocolate manufacturer may require, say, that there be specifically 0.25% phospholipid constituent or lecithin. By the simple test, in the first case, a calculation can be made to add a very small amount of phospholipid or lecithin for any batch that is being made, to have the required constituent. Furthermore, it is quite possible in accordance with the present invention to either replace or add compatible vegetable oils to the anhydrous milk powder of the present invention, as determined by the chocolate manufacturer. In general, the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent can have up to 30% by weight thereof of a compatible vegetable oil, provided that the compatible vegetable oil has substantially similar physical characteristics for its solid fat index (SFI) curve. More particularly, the compatible vegetable oil can be selected such that, together with the fat constituent of the milk of the anhydrous milk powder of the present invention, a eutectic formation with respect to the total fat content of the milk chocolate should be avoided when Milk chocolate is being made. It should also be noted, as is well known, that the fat constituents of the milk of whole milk can vary from one season to another, and between different breeds of dairy cattle, or even between different flocks of the same breeds of cattle. dairy. For example, whole milk produced during the summer by Holstein or Guernsey cattle may have approximately 3% fat constituent, whereas whole milk produced by Jersey cattle that is grazed in the same geographical area and in the same season may have up to 6% of fat constituent. Therefore, the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent as stored in tank 22 can be mixed from a variety of extracted milk fat constituents originating from several sources of unhomogenized whole milk as they are derived from a plurality of races. different from dairy cattle, from different herds of dairy cattle, or both. Furthermore, as noted, there may be up to 30% by weight thereof of the compatible vegetable oil added to the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent, regardless of the source and regardless of whether it is mixed, provided that the eutectic formation is avoided. with respect to the total fat content of the milk chocolate It is obvious that the precise amount of the fat constituent of the recoverable milk of the dehydrated whole milk powder which was produced according to the present invention was determined by the amounts of milk powder Anhydrous skim and the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent are selected to be placed in the batten mixer in the first case. This is because the fat constituent of milk is completely recoverable as it enters the fatty system of milk chocolate during its elaboration. In fact, the anhydrous whole milk powder of the present invention is typically made by mixing 268.5 kg of skimmed milk powder together with 104.4 kg of the anhydrous fat constituent, to reach 373 kg of the anhydrous whole confectionery milk powder. If necessary and if appropriate, to meet the particular requirements of the chocolate manufacturer, any of the variety of milk fat constituents extracted and the compatible vegetable oil, if used, can be fractioned before they are mixed together. , to stick to a selected SFI curve. Accordingly, they will therefore exhibit a high degree of crystalline compatibility and hardness compatibility with cocoa butter, as it enters the fatty system of the milk chocolate being processed. Finally, the chocolate manufacturer is often concerned about the issue of discoloration of the fat, which can be caused by many factors such as exposure to intense heat or, if the behavior of radical fat or the crystallization pattern of the different Fats within the fat system are not in the same phase as the other fats in the fat system. Of the products and methods of the present invention, the complete fat system available to the chocolate manufacturer is available for the proper combination. This allows the chocolate manufacturer to make a product that has a good quality of food and good crunch, as well as excellent resistance to discoloration. In general, milk fat is compatible with cocoa butter, to avoid presenting radical fat crystals that would be oriented within the crystal phase not compatible with the rest of the fat system that is being used in milk chocolate. Therefore, the surface aroma by which a white or gray gloss appears on the surface of the chocolate can be avoided. In addition, since the combination qualities of the fats can be essentially the same, greater control over the combination and hence improved resistance to discoloration can occur. Finally, it is also possible to reduce the percentage of total fat used by the chocolate manufacturer in the milk chocolate product. This occurs not only because there is no bound grease, nor the requirement to homogenize or retinal the product to release the bound fat, but a greater distribution and lubrication within the chocolate product is achieved. It has been observed that milk chocolate, in particular, is a suspension of the solids of milk, sugar and other solids within a finely divided fatty system.; and when all the fat is available, the total amount of fat used to produce the properties of milk chocolate can be reduced. This, in turn, can reduce the production cost of milk chocolate, since usually the fat content of milk chocolate is the most expensive ingredient of milk chocolate. Other modifications and alterations in the design and manufacture of the apparatus of the present invention may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims (17)

1 . A method for the production of anhydrous milk powder having a fat constituent equivalent to that of dehydrated whole milk and, where substantially all of the fat constituent is recoverable as fat when said anhydrous milk powder is mixed as milk whole powder in milk chocolate or dehydrated baking mixes; said method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining non-homogenized whole milk having milk fat, water, lactose and protein constituents; (b) extracting the fat constituent from the whole milk to leave the water, lactose, and protein constituents thereof as skim milk; (c) store the fat constituent of the extracted milk at temperatures below 40 ° C, as an anhydrous recoverable fat constituent; (d) dehydrating the skim milk by removing all of the free water constituent available therefrom, thereby leaving the anhydrous skimmed milk solids comprising the lactose and the protein constituents, and any bound water remaining in the said lactose and protein constituents; (e) placing a selected amount of anhydrous milk powder solids into a ribbon mixer;

(f) heating a selected amount of said anhydrous recoverable fat constituent to a temperature of 40 ° C to convert the anhydrous fat into an anhydrous oil; (g) adding said selected amount of anhydrous oil heated within the batter mixer, over time, while slowly stirring the anhydrous skimmed milk powder and the anhydrous oil as it is added thereto; (h) continuing to stir said selected amount of anhydrous skimmed milk powder and the selected amount of anhydrous oil until they are completely mixed together; (i) removing the combined mixture from the ribbon mixer and allowing it to cool to at least room temperature, whereby the anhydrous oil is solidified substantially as anhydrous fat; and (j) setting aside the combined mixture for use as dehydrated whole milk powder from which all the anhydrous fat constituent is recoverable as fat. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extracting the fat constituent from the whole milk is carried out using a centrifugal machine. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extracting the milk fat is carried out in a mechanical fat phase separator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) is carried out in such a way that contact between the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent with air or oxygen is avoided.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) is carried out using a roller dehydrator.

The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) is carried out using spray dewatering techniques.

The method of claim 1, wherein the ribbon mixer used in steps (e), (g), (h) and (i) is equipped with spray nozzles and, step (g) is brought to by spraying the heated anhydrous oil into the batten mixer.

The method of claim 1, wherein the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent has up to 30% by weight thereof of a compatible vegetable oil having substantially similar physical characteristics for its solid fat index (SFI) curve and, in where, the compatible vegetable oil is selected so that, together with the milk fat constituent, the eutectic formation with respect to the total fat content of the milk chocolate is avoided.

The method of claim 1, wherein the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent is mixed from a variety of extracted milk fat constituents that come from several sources of whole homogenized milk, so that the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent can be derived from a plurality of different breeds of dairy cattle, or from different flocks of dairy cattle, or both.

The method of claim 9, wherein the anhydrous recoverable fat fat constituent has up to about 30% by weight thereof of a compatible vegetable oil having substantially similar physical characteristics for its solid fat index (SFI) curve. and, where compatible vegetable oil is selected so that, together with the milk fat constituent, eutectic formation with respect to the total fat content of milk chocolate is avoided.

The method of claim 1, wherein the non-homogenized whole milk initially comprises about 88% ± 3% by weight of water constituent, about 3.8% ± 1% by weight of lactose constituent, about 5.2% ± 1.2 % by weight of the protein constituent and about 3.0% up to 6.0% by weight of the milk fat constituent; and wherein the dehydrated whole milk powder from which substantially all of the anhydrous fat constituent thereof is recoverable, comprises not less than 26% nor more than 40% by weight of the milk fat constituent, from 0% to about 4% by weight of bound water that is bound within the protein constituent of dehydrated whole milk powder, with the remainder up to 74% by weight being skim milk solids without dehydrated fat including milk proteins , lactose and trace amounts of minerals.

The method of claim 1, wherein the precise amount of the fat constituent of the recoverable milk of said dehydrated whole milk powder is determined by the amounts of anhydrous skimmed milk powder and the anhydrous recoverable fat constituent selected in the stages (e) and (i) respectively.

The method of claim 10, wherein any of said variety of extracted milk fat constituents and compatible vegetable oil can be fractionated before being mixed to adhere to the selected SFI curve and to exhibit a high degree of crystalline compatibility and hardness compatibility with cocoa butter.

14. The apparatus for the production of anhydrous milk powder having a fat constituent equivalent to that of dehydrated whole milk and wherein substantially all of the fat constituent is recoverable as fat when the anhydrous milk powder is mixed as whole dehydrated milk powder in milk chocolate or dehydrated baking mixes, said apparatus comprising: extraction means for extracting the fat constituent from anhydrous milk from whole milk not homogenized in order to obtain nonfat milk having a ua, lactose and protein constituents;

storage means for storing the fat constituent of anhydrous milk extracted at temperatures below 40 ° C; means of dehydration to remove all the constituent of available free water, to leave the solids of the skimmed milk powder anhydrous; storage means for storing the solids of the anhydrous skimmed milk powder; measuring means for obtaining a selected quantity of solids of the anhydrous skimmed milk powder; measuring means for obtaining a selected amount of the fat constituent of the extracted anhydrous milk; heating means for heating a selected amount of the fat constituent of anhydrous milk to a temperature above 40 ° C; a ribbon mixer having spray nozzles for mixing the selected amounts of anhydrous skimmed milk powder and the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk; means for removing a combined mixture of the anhydrous skimmed milk powder and the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk away from the ribbon mixer; and cooling, storage and handling means for cooling, storing and handling the combined mixture removed. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the extraction means is a centrifugal machine.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dehydrating means is a spray-dried dehydrator.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising mixing and fractionating means for mixing and / or fractionating a variety of extracted milk fat constituents and, optionally, compatible vegetable oil, to obtain an anhydrous recoverable fat constituent. which has a standardized SFI curve.

SUMMARY

Powdered milk is prepared to have substantially the same constituent ingredients as dehydrated whole milk powder which is made using conventional processes, except that 100% of the fat constituent is available as fat. Whole milk is first separated into skim milk and anhydrous milk fat; skim milk is dehydrated by removing all available free water from it; and the solids of the resulting anhydrous skimmed milk powder are combined in a selected amount together with a selected amount of the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk in a ribbon mixer. The resulting mixed product has the same constituent composition as ordinary dehydrated milk, although all the fat constituent is recoverable as fat. The anhydrous milk powder of the present invention is primarily intended for use in the chocolate industry, in the manufacture of milk chocolate, although it can also be used for other purposes such as the manufacture of dehydrated baking mixes or other foods. prepared, where dehydrated whole milk powder is not rehydrated. The apparatus includes means for extracting the fat constituent of the anhydrous milk from the unhomogenized whole milk, means for dehydrating the resulting skimmed milk and a slat mixer equipped with spray nozzles for re-mixing the anhydrous milk fat with skim milk dehydrated. The precise amount of the fat constituent available in the resulting anhydrous whole milk powder can be defined and obtained accurately. In certain cases, a portion of the anhydrous fat that is added to the dehydrated skimmed milk can be a compatible vegetable oil.