NZ758823B2

NZ758823B2 - A method for the manufacture of a flavour-enhancing composition

Info

Publication number: NZ758823B2
Application number: NZ758823A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Thomas Spiegel; Pombo Alan Wolfschoon
Original assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands Llc
Priority date: 2017-04-11
Filing date: 2018-04-10
Publication date: 2021-09-28

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for the production of a flavour-enhancing composition, the method comprising the steps of: i) providing a dairy liquid; ii) nanofiltrating the dairy liquid to obtain a nanofiltration permeate; iii) concentrating the nanofiltration permeate by reverse osmosis and/or evaporation to produce a flavour-enhancing composition, the flavour-enhancing composition comprising at least 50 wt% lactose by dry weight and having a K:Na ratio of at least 2:1, wherein nanofiltrating the dairy liquid uses a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of from 300 Da to 800 Da. nd/or evaporation to produce a flavour-enhancing composition, the flavour-enhancing composition comprising at least 50 wt% lactose by dry weight and having a K:Na ratio of at least 2:1, wherein nanofiltrating the dairy liquid uses a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of from 300 Da to 800 Da.

Description

A method for the manufacture of a flavour-enhancing composition The present disclosure s to a method for producing a flavour- or taste-enhancing additive and flavour-enhancing additives produced by said method. Specifically, the present disclosure s to a method of producing a derived flavour-enhancing composition, the method comprising nanofiltration of a dairy liquid.

Sodium consumption is an area of keen focus for both health professionals and consumers.

Excess sodium consumption can increase blood pressure leading to an increased risk of heart disease and . Additionally, 75% of salt (NaCl) intake is derived from sed foods such as bread, cereal, canned soup, and ready meals. Accordingly, there is a desire for alternatives to table salt for use in processed foods, in order to reduce ption of sodium. Sodium intake can be reduced by replacing salt with alternative salty g Dairy s contain significant proportions of whey protein, lactose and mineral components. Whey is commonly seen as a waste and is commonly used as an animal feed.

High production volumes and limited further processing results in an environmental disposal problem and a low commercial value of whey. In past years disposing whey into rivers or municipal sewage system, spraying onto fields or using it as animal feed were established practices of cheese and casein manufacturers. However, due to its high environmental impact authorities have den these methods of disposal or charged high prices in return.

This has led to the development of further processing methods of whey in order to derive further value from this by-product. Whey protein trates are now commonly used in confectionary baking and the meat industry due to its nutritive, foaming and gelling properties. The main component of whey permeate is lactose which can be used in confectionery production. Lactose is also purified by crystallisation and used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Accordingly, the whey protein and lactose components are general considered as valuable components, whereas the mineral content is often seen as an undesirable waste product.

Said mineral component is a potential salt replacement since it ses relatively high potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphorous content but a low sodium content. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ /099960 discloses a method of tion of complex dairy salts by concentrating a whey by nanofiltration through a first filter with a pore size of 0.001-0.01μm, uently further concentrating the first permeate by reverse osmosis using a membrane with a pore size of 0.0001-0.001μm. In one embodiment WO2015/099960 teaches combining the reverse s retentate with the nanofiltration retentate and further concentrating the mixture to provide complex dairy salts. The composition is adjusted by the combination of the NF permeate and the NF concentrate.

US6399140 discloses nanofiltering a whey or an ultrafiltration permeate to produce a whey salt powder. US6399140 teaches the use of nanofiltration membranes with molecular weight cut-offs (MWCO) of from 150 to 300 Da. The membranes used in US6399140 lead to a high lactose retention and a dry matter content of the permeate of from 0.1 to 1.0 wt%.

US 2010/0062124 s a method of producing a mineral whey product from a feed stream of milk or whey, comprising di-mineralizing the feed stream by membrane separation or ion exchange to produce a high potassium stream and di-mineralizing the high-potassium stream by precipitation and uent tion of calcium-phosphate. The highpotassium stream is then further concentrated and processed to provide the product. US 2010/0062124 discloses the use of Dow Filmtec NF45 membranes with a MWCO of from 150-300 Da. US7867520 discloses a similar process.

EP0536612 and EP1031288 disclose methods comprising nanofiltration and lactose crystallisation to produce low lactose dairy salts. EP0536612 teaches the use of a ltration membrane with an MWCO of from 200 to 400 Da. The examples of EP1031288 use a Desal-5 ne which has an MWCO of 150-300 Da.

EP2745705 teaches a method of producing a dairy salt by ltrating a brine obtained by the electrodialysis of whey. EP2745705 teaches the use of a ltration membrane with an MWCO of 300 Da.

There is a desire for an improved dairy-derived flavour-enhancing composition, there is also a desire for an improved or simplified method of producing the same. er, there is a desire for a dairy-derived flavour-enhancing composition with improved nutritional composition. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for the tion of a flavour-enhancing composition, the method comprising the steps of: i) providing a dairy liquid; ii) nanofiltrating the dairy liquid to obtain a nanofiltration permeate; iii) concentrating the nanofiltration permeate by reverse osmosis and/or evaporation to produce a flavour-enhancing ition, the flavour-enhancing composition sing at least 50 wt% lactose by dry weight and having a K:Na ratio of at least 2:1, wherein nanofiltrating the dairy liquid uses a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of greater than 300 Da and less than or equal to 800 Da.

As discussed below, the method provides an improved flavour-enhancing composition with a high e content and a high potassium to sodium ratio. Surprisingly, the method allows the adjustment of the ratio of lactose to dairy minerals in a single efficient nanofiltration step.

The present sure will now be described r. In the following passages different aspects/embodiments of the disclosure are d in more detail. Each aspect/embodiment so defined may be combined with any other aspect/embodiment or s/embodiments unless clearly indicated to the contrary. In particular, any feature indicated as being preferred or advantageous may be combined with any other feature or features indicated as being preferred or advantageous.

The present disclosure relates to a method for the manufacture of a flavour-enhancing composition. Flavour-enhancing compositions are nown components of food. Flavourenhancing compositions are not necessarily lves flavoured but instead improve the flavour of products ning them. Table salt (NaCl) and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are the two most widely known and used flavour-enhancers. While both are commonly used they both n significant amounts of sodium. There is a current push for consumers to reduce their sodium intake and therefore there is a push to find dium alternative flavour enhancers.

The method of the present invention involves a series of steps. As will be appreciated, it is necessary to perform these steps in a specific order in order to achieve the beneficial effects. Nonetheless, in practice the steps may be conducted continuously and therefore simultaneously. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ The method of the present disclosure involves the use of dairy liquids. Specifically, the first step is the provision of a dairy liquid. A dairy liquid is a liquid obtained from the milk of mammals, typically cows, sheep, goats and the like. Cow’s milk is the most ent. Dairy liquids typically comprise whey protein, casein, minerals and lactose, together with any fat fraction. As such, the definition includes dairy derivatives such as sweet whey, sour whey, milk protein concentrate, total milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, casein and the like as long as they are in liquid form.

The dairy liquid is in liquid forms such as solutions and suspensions. These aqueous liquids are important to allow good homogeneous mixing and for uous processing. The dairy liquid may be formed by titution of powder ingredients with water.

Typically the starting dairy liquid has a solids content of from 1 to 25wt%, preferably 1 to 15wt% and most preferably 5 to 7wt%. The dairy liquid may optionally be pre-concentrated.

Where the dairy liquid is pre-concentrated it may preferably have a solids content of 5 to 20wt%, preferably 10 to 15wt%, most ably about 12wt%. Preferably whey or UF- permeates of milk or whey are used, which have a total solids content of 5-7%. If some preconcentrating is applied, total solids could be increased to 12%.

Preferably the dairy liquid comprises one or more of a milk, a fermented milk, a sweet whey, an acidic whey, or an ultra-filtration permeate f, more preferably the dairy component comprises a sweet whey or an acidic whey, or an ultra-filtration permeate thereof.

Whey is the main co-product of the cheese manufacturing process. Approximately 9 L whey accumulates while producing one kilo of hard cheese and 8 L whey out of soft cheese. When milk is acidified or treated with enzymes like chymosin, caseins separate from the milk followed by coagulation. The remaining translucent liquid is called whey and is about 85- 95% of the milk volume.

Depending on the cheese cturing process the composition of whey can vary. Whey can be classified into sweet or sour whey depending on its pH level. Sweet whey is produced during manufacturing of hard, semi-hard and soft cheese with enzymes causing casein coagulation and its l pH is between 5.8- 6.6. The production of fresh cheese like quark, cream and cottage cheese produces acid whey with a pH around 4.3-5.3 y c acids or lactic acid producing r cultures were used for casein precipitation.

Around 93 to 95% of whey is water less whether it is sweet or acid whey and contains 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ water soluble milk components, which are 55% of the milk nutrients. Due to the ent pH and production sweet and sour whey have differences in the mineral content and in the whey protein composition.

The mineral content of whey is still seen as a low value by-product. Advantageously the process of the present invention may be used to produce a valuable flavour-enhancing additive from this otherwise low value substance.

The second step of the t process is nanofiltrating the dairy liquid to obtain a nanofiltration permeate. Nanofiltration is a specific type of ne filtration. Membrane filtration is a pressure driven separation technology and separates according to size. In membrane tion a liquid feed is supplied to the feed side of a membrane. The rejected feed is called the retentate, consisting of particles larger than the membrane pore size, cannot pass through the membrane and, in batch processes, it may be ed back into the feed vessel. Components which pass the membrane are called permeate or filtrate. The solute transport across the ne is driven by convective flow due to the applied re and diffusion due to the concentration gradient between feed and permeate.

Membrane filtration techniques may be categorised by the pore size of the membranes used or their molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), both methods have limitations. While the pore size may provide a more precise classification method, in that it gives a specific value, it may be less accurate in terms of terising the ties of the membrane. There are many properties which effect the retention value of a given membrane, such as the pH of the feed and the transmembrane re.

MWCO is characterized as the lowest molecular weight that would be more than 90% retained by the membrane. The characterization significance is limited because al properties influence the retention. It gives no further information about the rejection of molecules having a molecular weight below the MWCO. Since rejection versus molecular weight plots for nes may not provide sharp cut-off values in some cases it is not possible to assign a specific value to the MWCO. In such cases membranes may be characterised by a MWCO range. For example a membrane may be characterised by an MWCO of 100-200 Da and another may be characterised as a 200-300 Da. Accordingly, although these membranes are characterised by MWCO , and said ranges overlap since they share an end point, the skilled person would readily appreciate that said 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ membranes are different. That is, it is the range that classifies the membrane, rather than the membrane being selected with an MWCO somewhere in that range.

Microfiltration membranes have the t pore size (>0.1 μm, >500kDa) followed by Ultrafiltration (0.1-0.01 μm, 1-500kDa) and Nanofiltration (0.01-0.001 μm, 0.1kDa - 1kDa).

Reverse osmosis membranes are without pores and reject all dissolved components while the pure solvent is able to permeate the membranes (<0.001 μm, <0.1kDa). ing on the feed being processed, membrane filtration has advantages over other separation methods. ed to thermal treatments, such as evaporation, it is operated at low temperatures, which makes it suitable for heat sensitive components. In case of milk components functional properties of proteins are not denaturized. Since no phase change is ed the process is less energy demanding compared to condensers and evaporator units. Additionally, membrane tion has a n but sometimes unpredicted selectivity due to ent tion and rejection effects such as physical g, electrostatic exclusion and diffusion. The separation is influenced by several factors such as solution pH, concentration, ionic strength, the ction of charged components as well as the charge of the membrane. Additionally, various factors affect the filtration process and product ties. For example the ed process time, concentration factor and product yield are especially influenced by the transmembrane pressure, feed composition, membrane pore size and membrane material.

In the present s nanofiltrating the dairy liquid uses a ne having a molecular weight cut-off of from 300 Da to 800 Da, preferably 400 Da to 800 Da, more preferably from 700 to 800 Da, most preferably about 750 Da. As discussed above such membranes may be categorised with an MWCO range rather than a specific value. A specific example of a suitable nanofiltration membrane is NFG Polyamide TFC membrane from Synder Filtration which is categorised as having an MWCO of 700-800 Da.

Using a membrane with too low an MWCO leads to permeates with solids mainly composed of monovalent ions (mainly chloride and potassium) and reduced levels of divalent ions, lactose and lactic acid. While these solids are described as salty, due to the relatively high concentration of potassium these permeates yield a slightly bitter off taste which reduces the er liking. Additionally, low MWCO membranes lead to lower flow rates and increased processing times. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Surprisingly, the present inventors have found that the use of a ltration membrane with a larger MWCO yields permeates which are slightly salty, sour and sweet due to the low rejection values of lactose, lactic acid and minerals. Advantageously the higher lactose concentration acts as a taste-enhancing component as it may cover the bitterness of the mineral content. The preferred nes have a better mance due to the higher permeate flow rates, shorter processing time, high dry matter and the high total concentration of minerals. Since the composition contains lactose, this permits the use of less onal sugar when used in other sweetened recipes.

The t inventors have surprisingly found that by using a nanofiltration membrane with a relatively large MWCO it is possible to obtain a permeate with advantageous e, sodium and potassium concentrations in a single separation step. Advantageously, the process of the present invention yields a t which may be used as a salt replacement directly.

Preferably the process of the present invention does not e a lactose crystallisation step, or the addition of lactose. That is, the process of the present invention yields and advantageous K:Na ratio and a lactose content which masks the bitterness often associated with high potassium salts. ing on the concentration and ition of the feed dairy liquid, the nanofiltration permeate of the invention has a solids content of at least 0.7% and at most 6%, preferably 1 to 3%.

The third step of the present method is concentrating the nanofiltration permeate by reverse osmosis and/or evaporation to e a flavour-enhancing composition.

The flavour-enhancing composition has a K:Na ratio of at least 2:1. This can be measured by known techniques such as ICP-OES DIN EN ISO11885. Preferably the ratio is from 2:1 to :1, preferably from 3:1 to 7:1 and most preferably about 5:1. The ratio reflects the ion in the sodium achieved with the obtained flavour-enhancing composition In order to obtain a solid flavour enhancing composition it is necessary to concentrate the nanofiltration permeate. Preferably concentration of the nanofiltration permeate is performed by reverse osmosis. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Optionally the method further comprises a step of drying the flavour-enhancing composition to form a solid, ably a . Drying may be by freeze-drying or drying or any other such technique as known in the art.

Advantageously, the NF-retentate of the present method provides a partially demineralised lactose concentrate. Lactose concentrates may be used as animal feed, even when relatively low purity. High purity lactose concentrates are of higher value as they may be used in the pharmaceutical industry as an excipient. Advantageously, the NF-retentate of the present invention may be of sufficient quality to be of use as an excipient for pharmaceutical ations without further purification or an expensive process step.

Preferably the flavour-enhancing composition ses at least 50 wt% lactose by dry weight and having a K:Na ratio of at least 2:1. Preferably the flavour-enhancing composition comprises by dry weight: a) 50 to 80 wt.% lactose; b) 5 to 10 wt.% ium; c) 0.8 to 2.5wt.% sodium; and d) the e rions such as chloride, phosphate, lactate, citrate and nonprotein en (NPN).

Non-protein nitrogen is a term in the art to refer collectively to components such as small peptides or urea, biuret, and ammonia, which are not proteins but can be converted into proteins by microbes in the stomach.

Preferably the flavour-enhancing composition comprises between 50 and 80 wt% lactose by dry weight, preferably from 60 to 70wt%.

Preferably the transmembrane pressure of the nanofiltration step is from 5 to 50 bar, preferably 25 to 40 bar, preferably about 30 bar. While increasing the transmembrane pressure can increase flux it has also been found to effect the rejection rates of various dairy liquid components in different ways.

Preferably nanofiltrating the dairy liquid occurs at a temperature of from 5 to 20°C, preferably about 10 to 15°C. Alternatively, the nanofiltrating may occur at a temperature of 50 to 55°C.

Advantageously, these temperature ranges reduce bacterial growth. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Preferably nanofiltrating the dairy liquid occurs at a pH of from 4.5 to 6.5, preferably at a pH of about 6.1.

In a further , the present disclosure provides a flavour-enhancing composition produced according to the method disclosed herein.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure provides a flavour-enhancing composition comprising by dry weight: a) 50 to 80 wt.% lactose; b) 5 to 10 wt.% potassium; c) 0.8 to 2.5wt.% ; and d) the e counterions such as chloride, phosphate, lactate, citrate and nonprotein nitrogen (NPN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure provides a comestible item comprising the renhancing composition disclosed above.

The flavour-enhancing ition of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in comestible products comprising salt and lactose. For example, the flavour-enhancing ition of the present invention may be used in biscuits, crackers, cheese and the like.

In particular, the flavour-enhancing composition is suitable for use in fresh cheese, cream cheese, processed , ayran and the like.

In a r aspect, the present disclosure provides the use of the flavour-enhancing composition disclosed above as a salt replacement in a comestible item.

Figures Figure 1 shows the average of the values obtained in Table 4, trating the balance of components obtained by the method disclosed herein.

Examples The invention will now be described in relation to the following non-limiting examples. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Mineral content analysis A series of experiments were conducted in order to test the effect of MWCO on the mineral content of the permeate. The dairy liquids used were sweet and sour UF permeate. The sweet whey permeate is d from the ultrafiltration of various whey streams, mainly from the production of hard cheese. Sweet UF whey was concentrated via evaporation to around % of solids. The sour permeate has 5% solids and was generated directly from the low fat fresh cheese production from the ultrafiltration of fermented milk.

The chemical composition of the sour and sweet ultra-filtrated cheese whey (UF permeate) are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Composition Sour UF permeate 100% sweet UF 80:20 sweet to 60:40 sweet to permeate sour UF te sour UF permeate [% in dry matter] Calcium 2.42 0.62 0.83 1.09 Citric Acid 0.75 2.61 2.39 2.12 Lactic Acid 13.40 2.11 3.43 5.06 Magnesium 0.21 0.14 0.15 0.16 Nitrogen TCA 0.55 0.50 0.51 0.51 soluble Chloride 1.83 1.83 1.83 1.83 Phosphorous 1.42 0.71 0.80 0.90 Potassium 3.19 2.86 2.90 2.95 Sodium 0.75 0.69 0.70 0.71 Fat 0.00 0.90 0.80 0.67 e 77.36 89.96 88.48 86.66 n 3.77 3.61 3.63 3.66 pH [ ] 4.72 5.75 5.53 5.18 dry matter 5.30 9.96 9.03 8.10 Two different membranes NFX and NFG from Synder Filtration (California, USA) were used.

The properties of the membranes are shown in Table 2.

Table 2 Designation Polymer Nominal MWCO Rejection pH range at 25°C NFX Polyamide TFC 150-300 Min 99% MgSO4; NaCl = 50% 4-10 NFG ide TFC 700-800 50% MgSO4; NaCl = 15% 4-10 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Table 3 gives an ew of the al composition of the concentrated NF permeates and table 4 shows the composition of the dry matter in %. Filtration was conducted with a laboratory flat-sheet system (SIMATEC LSta60) at 15°C and varying transmembrane pressure (TMP). The NF-permeates were concentrated 10-fold with a bench-scale evaporator (Rotavapor, Buechi).

Table 3 Ratio sweet/ Dry TMP Type of e Ca Mg Cl P K Na sour UF matter [bar] membrane [g/100g] [mg/kg] [mg/kg] [mg/kg] [mg/kg] [mg/kg] [mg/kg] permeate [g/100g] 100/ 0 22.5 NFX 9.1 1.9 578 126 20503.1 2100 20200 5100 100/ 0 30 NFG 44.8 37.7 1880 588 18016 4200 22700 5610 100/ 0 30 NFX 9.3 1.9 565 116 20503.1 2370 21200 5200 100/ 0 37.5 NFX 7.7 1.3 439 86 20017.8 1750 19500 4860 80/ 20 15 NFX 6.8 0.3 383 32 17530.7 1490 18500 4580 80/ 20 15 NFG 45 30.8 3630 790 16620.8 5230 23300 5710 80/ 20 22.5 NFG 27.7 17 2920 590 17409.4 4470 22200 5360 80/ 20 22.5 NFG 34.6 23.2 3250 723 16317.5 4750 22600 5810 80/ 20 22.5 NFG 33.7 22 2950 640 16924.1 4620 22300 5390 80/ 20 22.5 NFX 5.7 0.1 164 13 16742.2 920 16410 4130 80/ 20 30 NFX 4.7 0.1 97 0 16135.6 520 14630 3710 80/ 20 30 NFX 6.2 0.2 210 17 16681.5 1240 17100 4390 60/ 40 15 NFG 42.9 29.9 5750 864 14679.7 5580 21500 5100 60/ 40 22.5 NFX 7.5 0.7 984 76 14679.7 2090 18200 4520 60/ 40 22.5 NFX 8.1 1 1250 101 14983 2430 19300 4820 60/ 40 30 NFX 6.2 0.5 644 50 14619.1 1480 16700 4190 60/ 40 30 NFG 31.2 20.6 4790 701 14679.7 4960 20900 4990 60/ 40 30 NFG 31.4 20.6 4820 698 14255.1 4950 20600 4960 The vely small MWCO of the NFX membrane leads to low dry matter values in the evaporation concentrated NF-permeate of from 4.7 to 9.3 g/100g whereas the large MWCO of the NFG membrane yields dry matter of from 27.7 to 51.6 . The dry matter values for the concentrated permeate would be an order of ude lower. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Table 4 Ratio sweet/ TMP Type of Lactose Ca Mg Cl P K Na sour UF [bar] membrane [%/DM] [%/DM] [%/DM] [%/DM]] [%/DM] [%/DM] [%/DM] permeate % 100/ 0 22.5 NFX 20.8791 0.6 0.1 22.6 2.3 22.2 5.6 100/ 0 30 NFG 84.1518 0.4 0.1 4.5 0.9 5.1 1.3 100/ 0 30 NFX 20.4301 0.6 0.1 22.1 2.6 22.8 5.6 100/ 0 37.5 NFX 16.8831 0.6 0.1 26 2.3 25.4 6.3 80/ 20 15 NFX 4.41176 0.6 0 25.7 2.2 27.1 6.7 80/ 20 15 NFG 68.4444 0.8 0.2 3.7 1.2 5.2 1.3 80/ 20 22.5 NFG 61.3718 1.1 0.2 6.3 1.6 8 1.9 80/ 20 22.5 NFG 67.052 0.9 0.2 4.7 1.4 6.5 1.7 80/ 20 22.5 NFG 65.2819 0.9 0.2 5 1.4 6.6 1.6 80/ 20 22.5 NFX 1.75439 0.3 0 29.3 1.6 28.7 7.2 80/ 20 30 NFX 2.12766 0.2 0 34.1 1.1 30.9 7.8 80/ 20 30 NFX 3.22581 0.3 0 26.8 2 27.5 7.1 60/ 40 15 NFG 69.697 1.3 0.2 3.4 1.3 5 1.2 60/ 40 22.5 NFX 9.33333 1.3 0.1 19.7 2.8 24.4 6.1 60/ 40 22.5 NFX 12.3457 1.5 0.1 18.5 3 23.9 6 60/ 40 30 NFX 8.06452 1 0.1 23.8 2.4 27.2 6.8 60/ 40 30 NFG 66.0256 0.8 0.2 3.7 1.2 5.2 1.3 60/ 40 30 NFG 65.6051 1.5 0.2 4.5 1.6 6.6 1.6 The average of these values is shown in Figure 1.

Sensorial analysis In order to assess the flavour effect of the samples taste tests were performed. The samples were tasted by internal R&D experts. The permeates were d to adjust a constant de content representing 0.5% salt (NaCl) lents. The Na content of the reference was 0.20%, i.e. the milk mineral solutions had about 50-65% less Na for the NFX samples and 40-55% less for the NFG samples. Permeates produced with NFG or NFX were compared in independent tasting session because of their ent lactose concentrations and sweetness perception. NFG permeates were compared to a 0.5% NaCl and 5% lactose nce solution. A 0.5% NaCl on was used as a reference for NFX permeates. It was focused on saltiness, ss and bitterness compared to the reference solution. A scale to describe flavor attributes salty, sour and bitter is shown in table 5. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Table 5 Grade 2 1 0 -1 Same as Salty - More Less reference Sour Very Slightly Not - Bitter Very Slightly Not - The results of the taste test are shown in table 6 below.

Table 6 Sweet TMP NFX Lactose Saltiness Sourness ness Na [%] Cl [%] Lactic acid [%] K [%] permeate % [bar] Sample [%] 100 37.5 5 -1 0.75 0 0.07 0.30 0.2 0.17 0.3 100 22.5 12 -0.75 0.75 0.25 0.08 0.30 0.29 0.18 0.3 100 30 17 -0.25 0.5 0.5 0.08 0.30 0.28 0.21 0.31 80 15 6 1 1 1.25 0.08 0.30 0.05 0.25 0.32 80 30 7 0.5 0.75 0.75 0.07 0.30 0.02 0.14 0.28 80 30 10 0.5 0.75 0.5 0.08 0.30 0.04 0.23 0.31 80 22.5 13 0.5 1.25 0.5 0.07 0.30 0.03 0.2 0.3 60 30 2 -0.25 0.75 0.25 0.09 0.30 0.1 0.19 0.35 60 22.5 3 -0.25 1.25 0 0.09 0.30 0.15 0.23 0.38 60 22.5 15 0.25 1.5 0.5 0.10 0.30 0.19 0.25 0.39 Sweet TMP NFG Lactose Lactic acid permeate ess ss Bitterness Na [%] Cl [%] K [%] [bar] Sample [%] [%] 100 30 4 0.66 1 0 0.09 0.30 6.35 0.3 0.39 80 22.5 1 0 1 0.5 0.09 0.30 2.69 0.47 0.38 80 22.5 8 0.5 1.5 0 0.11 030. 4.31 0.48 0.43 80 22.5 11 0.33 0.8 0 0.10 0.30 3.94 0.49 0.39 80 15 14 0.33 1 1 0.10 0.30 5.61 0.54 0.42 60 15 9 1 1.25 0 0.11 0.30 6.18 0.7 0.45 60 30 16 0.25 1.5 0 0.10 0.30 4.25 0.69 0.43 60 30 19 0.67 1.25 0.25 0.11 0.30 4.38 0.75 0.45 As demonstrated in the foregoing examples, the NFG permeates are slightly salty, sour and sweet due to the low rejection values of lactose, lactic acid and minerals. The advantage of the higher lactose concentration is the coverage of bitterness. NFG membranes have a better performance due to the higher permeate flow rates, shorter processing time, high dry matter and the high total concentration of minerals. To use NFG permeates as a salt replacer in products its high lactose concentration has to be compensated. The additional lactose of the NFG permeate could be ed out by reducing the sugar contribution from 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ another source. To obtain statistically reliable data of the NF permeate taste profile, a scale up is required to produce higher s of permeate for further sensory analysis. A membrane with an intermediate pore size should be applied to obtain acceptable flow rates and demineralization of the whey. Higher fluxes during filtration could be obtained by increasing the transmembrane pressure stepwise over the time or by increasing the ature. ative membrane examples Nanofiltration was conducted with a spiral wound ne Synder NFW Polyamide TFC with 300 – 500 MWCO at two ent temperatures and a transmembrane pressure of 30 bar. The properties of all 3 membranes are shown in table 7.

Table 7 Designation Polymer Nominal MWCO Rejection pH range at 25°C NFX Polyamide TFC 150-300 Min 99% MgSO4; NaCl = 50% 4-10 NFW Polyamide TFC 300-500 Min 97% MgSO4; NaCl = 40% 4-9 NFG Polyamide TFC 700-800 50% MgSO4; NaCl = 15% 4-10 The starting al was 100% sweet UF permeate as described in Table 1. The chemical composition of the NF-permeate was as follows: 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ Table 8 NF at 50°C total solids of NF-permeate (%) 2.5 pH 6.04 w/w % in total solids Nitrogen – 12 % TCA soluble* 1.20 Lactose 68.0 Citric Acid 0.4 Lactic acid total 6.4 Chloride 6.6 Calcium 0.6 Magnesium 0.1 Phosphorus 1.4 Potassium 8.0 Sodium 2.1 *NPN = non-protein nitrogen The foregoing detailed description has been provided by way of explanation and illustration, and is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Many variations in the presently preferred embodiments illustrated herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, and remain within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is ed to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or any other y.

In the claims which follow and in the ing description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the ce or addition of r features in s embodiments of the invention. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ

Claims

1. A method for the tion of a flavour-enhancing composition, the method comprising the steps of: 5 i) providing a dairy liquid; ii) nanofiltrating the dairy liquid to obtain a ltration permeate; iii) concentrating the nanofiltration permeate by reverse osmosis and/or evaporation to produce a flavour-enhancing composition, the flavour-enhancing composition comprising at least 50 wt% e by dry weight and having a K:Na ratio of at least 2:1, 10 wherein nanofiltrating the dairy liquid uses a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of from 300 Da to 800 Da.

2. The method according to claim 1, n the dairy liquid comprises one or more of a milk, a fermented milk, a sweet whey, or an acidic whey, or an ultra-filtration permeate 15 thereof.

3. The method ing to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the dairy liquid comprises a sweet whey or an acidic whey, or an ultra-filtration permeate f. 20

4. The method ing to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nanofiltration membrane has a molecular weight cut-off of from 400 to 800 Da.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, n the nanofiltration membrane has a molecular weight cut-off of from 700 Da to 800 Da.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a transmembrane pressure of the nanofiltration step is from 5 to 50 bar.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a transmembrane 30 pressure of the nanofiltration step is from 25 to 40 bar.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a transmembrane pressure of the nanofiltration step is about 30 bar. 35

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein nanofiltrating the dairy liquid occurs at a temperature of from 5 to 20°C or at a temperature of from 50 to 55°C. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein ltrating the dairy liquid occurs at a pH of from 4.5 to 6.5. 5

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein nanofiltrating the dairy liquid occurs at a pH of about 6.1.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nanofiltration permeate has a solids content of at least 0.7%.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nanofiltration permeate has a solids t from 1% to 3%.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method 15 r comprises a step of drying the r-enhancing composition to form a solid.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the solid is in the form of a powder.

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein flavour-enhancing 20 composition comprises between 50 and 80 wt% lactose by dry weight.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, n flavour-enhancing ition comprises between 60 to 70 wt% lactose by dry weight. 25

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flavourenhancing composition ses by dry weight: a) 50 to 80 wt.% lactose; b) 5 to 10 wt.% potassium; c) 0.8 to 2.5wt.% sodium; and 30 d) the balance counterions and non-protein nitrogen.

19. A flavour-enhancing composition produced according to the method of any one of claims 1-18. 35

20. A flavour-enhancing composition comprising by dry : a) 50 to 80 wt.% lactose; 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ b) 5 to 10 wt.% potassium; c) 0.8 to 2.5wt.% sodium; and d) the balance rions and non-protein nitrogen. 5

21. A comestible item comprising the flavour-enhancing composition of claim 19 or claim

22. Use of the flavour-enhancing composition of claim 19 or claim 20 as a salt replacement in a comestible item. 17698645_1 (GHMatters) P111533.NZ