WO2003090545A1

WO2003090545A1 - Intermediate ingredient for dairy product manufacturing and method of making the same

Info

Publication number: WO2003090545A1
Application number: PCT/US2003/012992
Authority: WO
Inventors: Don Dahlstrom
Original assignee: DAIRY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS Inc
Current assignee: DAIRY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS Inc
Priority date: 2002-04-24
Filing date: 2003-04-24
Publication date: 2003-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2004-10-24
Also published as: AU2003247354A1

Abstract

A method of processing milk having a quantity of fat and a quantity of protein. The method includes separating the milk into a cream and a skim (14), separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate (16), removing the permeate, separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent (20), removing the effluent, and blending the cream and the concentrate (26) to form a concentrated slurry having a standard ratio of protein to fat.

Description

INTERMEDIATE INGREDIENT FOR DAIRY PRODUCT MANUFACTURING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to co-pending U.S.

Provisional Application Serial. No. 60/375,264, filed April 24, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to milk processing and milk products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for processing fluid milk and preparing a milk product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Milk is used in the manufacture of a variety of dairy products. Common domestic milk includes about 3.7% fat, 3.1% protein, 4.7% carbohydrates (e.g., sugar, lactose, and the like), 0.8% minerals (e.g., calcium), 0.3% other solids, and 87.4% water by weight. Relative to cheese, milk, in its unprocessed form, is relatively high in water and sugar. For example, cheddar cheese commonly includes about 33% fat, 25% protein, 1.0% lactose sugar, and 38% water by weight. Cheese manufacturing methods generally include one or more procedures that selectively remove moisture and sugar (lactose) from the milk to produce a concentrated solidified product while retaining the majority of original fat and protein content.

Many people with lactose intolerance avoid consumption of milk. This limits their respective dietary intake of the otherwise potentially beneficial minerals and protein contained in milk. Currently, milk is shipped from farms, which are often located in remote rural areas, to dairy processing facilities, which are often located in urban areas many miles from the farms. At some dairy processing facilities (e.g., cheese manufacturing plants) excess water and lactose are isolated from the milk protein. In some applications, as much as 90% of the milk weight is removed in the form of whey during cheese manufacturing. This whey can then be further processed, discarded, or shipped back to the farms to be used as animal feed or fertilizer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method of processing milk having a quantity of fat and a quantity of protein. The method includes separating the milk into a cream and a skim, separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate, removing the permeate, separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate, and an effluent, removing the effluent, and blending the cream and the concentrate to form a concentrated slurry having a standard ratio of protein to fat. In alternative applications, the concentrated slurry can be altered to achieve specific quantities of fat, protein, and/or lactose. Also, the concentrated slurry can be altered to have a desired ratio of fat to protein.

The present invention also provides a concentrated milk product consisting essentially of between about 0.05% and about 40% fat by weight, between about 3% and about 40%o protein by weight, and between about 16% water and about 72% water by weight.

The present invention further provides a concentrated slurry product of a process comprising the acts of separating the milk into a cream and a skim, separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate, removing the permeate, separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent, removing the effluent, and blending the cream and the concentrate to form a concentrated slurry having a standard ratio of protein to fat.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings is illustrated by way of example only. The various elements and combinations of elements described below and illustrated in the drawings can be arranged and organized differently to result in embodiments which are still within the spirit and scope of the present invention. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts: Fig. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method of making an intermediate ingredient for manufacturing a dairy product according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method of making an intermediate ingredient for manufacturing a dairy product according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As used herein and in the appended claims the term "milk" includes any mammaric secretion from a mammal, including, but not limited to, cattle, goats, sheep, buffalo, reindeer, camel, llama, zebra, yaks, and the like. Additionally, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used herein and in the appended claims for purposes of description only and are not intended to imply any particular orientation, order, or importance. Fig. 1 illustrates a method of manufacturing a milk product, which is useful in cheese (e.g., "natural" cheese, "processed" cheese, and other cheese products) manufacturing. However, one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the method and product of the present invention can also be used in the manufacture of other dairy products (e.g., ice-cream, yogurt, sour cream, whipped cream, condensed milk, reduced lactose milk, and the like).

As shown in Fig. 1, the method of the present invention employs, unprocessed or "raw" milk. As used herein and in the appended claims, the term "raw milk" is meant to include milk that has not been treated or separated and is substantially similar to milk taken directly from an animal. However, it is contemplated that the raw milk may be subjected to filtering and sanitizing processes prior to or during the method of the present invention. Also, one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention can also or alternately use treated or separated milk, although the use of treated and/or filtered milk may detract from the efficiency of the present invention. In applications of the present invention in which the raw milk is cows milk, the raw milk generally has a pH of between about 6.4 and about 6.8 and includes between about 3.0% and about 5.0% fat by weight, between about 2.5% and about 4.0% protein by weight, and between about 5.5% and about 6.0% other solids by weight (e.g., lactose, minerals, and the like), the remainder being water (e.g., between about 83.5% and about 89.0%). However, as is generally known in the dairy industry, depending, in part, upon the specific breed of cow (or any other mammal), the type of feed given to the cow, and the time of year, the composition of the raw milk can change to a significant degree.

At least a portion of the method of the present invention may be performed at one or more intermediate processing facilities, which are located relatively near one or more farms. In this manner, the raw milk is shipped a relatively short distance to the intermediate processing facilities. The intermediate processing facilities process the milk and can then return permeates, effluents, and/or waste products (described below) to the local farms. The concentrated slurry produced by the present method can then be shipped to end-users (e.g., dairy product manufacturers, cheese manufactures, and the like). As explained in greater detail below, because the permeates, effluents, and waste products are removed from the concentrated slurry prior to shipping, this arrangement can result in significant cost savings per unit weight of milk protein.

For example, in one application of the present invention, one-hundred pounds of raw milk having 3.1 pounds of milk protein are concentrated into 35.6 pounds of milk concentrate having 11.5% protein by weight. In this application, the transportation costs of the concentrate are reduced by about 2.8 times per pound of milk protein. In another application of the present invention, one-hundred pounds of raw milk having 3.1 pounds of milk protein are concentrated intolO.O pounds of slurry having 31% protein by weight. In this application, the transportation costs of the slurry are reduced by about ten times per pound of milk protein.

As shown in act 12 of Fig. 1, the raw milk can be pasteurized immediately after or relatively soon after the milk is taken from the animal. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 12 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un-pasteurized.

In act 14, the raw milk is subjected to a first concentration process. In the first concentration process one or more fluid separators separate the raw milk into a cream portion and a skim portion. In some applications, the first concentration process is performed with a single fluid separator. However, in other applications, depending, at least in part, upon equipment availability and processing volumes, two or more fluid separators can be used to perform the first concentration process.

In different applications of the present invention, a number of conventional fluid separators can be used. For example, a centrifuge can be used to separate the skim and cream portions. Alternatively, the first concentration process can be performed by passing the raw milk through a filtration membrane. Depending upon the desired composition of the skim and cream portions, various membranes (e.g., between about 10⁴ and 10⁶ molecular weight cutoff) can be used. In other applications, concentrating elements (e.g., salt, organic solvents, alcohol, enzymes, carbon dioxide, and the like) can be added to separate the raw milk into skim and cream portions. In still other applications, other known processes, including freeze-drying, heating, and evaporating (e.g., thermal-vacuum evaporation) can be used to concentrate the raw milk solids into skim and cream portions. After act 14, the cream portion preferably includes between about 18% and about 85%> milk fat by weight, the remainder being water and nonfat solids (e.g., protein, minerals, lactose, etc.). The skim portion preferably includes less than about 0.3% fat, the remainder being water and nonfat solids (e.g., protein, minerals, lactose, etc.). In general, the skim and cream portions include substantially similar amounts of nonfat solids per unit of water.

Depending, at least in part, upon the composition of the raw milk, the desired end product, and the type of fluid separator used, the ratio of skim portion to cream portion can change to a significant degree. However, in some applications of the present invention, after the first concentration process, the skim portion includes about 92%) of the raw milk by weight and the cream portion includes about 8% of the raw milk by weight.

In act 15, one or both of the skim and cream portions can be pasteurized in a known manner, h other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 15 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un-pasteurized.

In act 16, the skim portion is subjected to a second concentration process. As explained above with respect to the first concentration process, any conventional separation apparatus can be used. Also, depending, at least in part, upon equipment availability and processing volumes, one, two, three, or more fluid separators can be used to perform the second concentration process. In some applications, the skim portion is passed through a filtration membrane, which has between about 10⁴ and about 10⁶ molecular weight cutoff. The skim portion is then separated into a retentate or a protein concentrated fraction and a permeate. Because of the relatively large molecular size of the milk protein, substantially all of the protein is retained in the retentate. In other applications, other fluid separators, including, centrifuges, evaporators, and the like can also or alternately be used. In still other applications, concentrating elements can be added to the skim portion to separate the skim portion. In other applications, other known concentrating processes, including freeze-drying, heating, passing carbon dioxide through the skim portion, and evaporating (e.g., thermal-vacuum evaporation) can be used to concentrate the solids.

In some applications, the retentate includes substantially all of the fat remaining in the skim portion after the first concentration act. More particularly, the retentate includes between about 11% and about 32% protein by weight, about 0.3% and about 0.8% fat by weight, about 82% and about 60% water by weight, and between about 5.5% and about 6.8% soluble solids by weight, respectively. The permeate preferably includes less than about 0.1% protein by weight, between about 94% and about 95% water by weight, and between about 5.6% and about 6.0% soluble solids by weight. However, in other applications (e.g., when microfiltration or "MF" is used), the second concentration process subdivides protein between the retentate and the permeate.

In these applications, a portion of the protein (e.g., the whey protein) is retained with the permeate, and a second portion of the protein (e.g., the casein protein) is retained in the retentate. Additionally, MF can be used to produce two distinct, commercially viable, value-added milk protein streams. MF permeate proteins are highly valued as human nutritional supplements. Therefore, in some applications of the present invention, the permeate proteins can be recovered and sold as nutritional supplements. Alternatively, or in addition, the improved MF retentate casein purity (reduced soluble whey protein level) may be used in renneted cheese manufacture.

Depending, at least in part, upon the composition of the raw milk, the desired end product, and the type of fluid separator used, the ratio of retentate to permeate can change to a significant degree. However, the ratio of retentate to permeate by volume is preferably about one part retentate to three parts permeate. Additionally, in some applications, about 9.2% of the raw milk by volume is eventually converted to retentate. As used herein and in the appended claims the terms "retentate" and "permeate" are used to describe the product of the second concentration process, regardless of the separation apparatus used to perform the second concentration process.

After act 16, the permeate can be further processed, sold as is, or shipped the relatively short distance to local farms for watering, nutrient feeding, or field spreading

(fertilizer). In some cases, the permeate can be shipped to the same farm that provided the raw milk for the present process. In act 18, the retentate can be pasteurized in a known manner. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 18 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un-pasteurized.

In act 20, the retentate is subjected to a third concentration process, which separates the retentate into a concentrate (i.e., high protein solids) and an effluent. As explained above with respect to the first and second concentration processes, any conventional separation apparatus can be used. However, the retentate is a relatively viscous fluid. Therefore, it is preferable to use a separation apparatus that is designed to be used with viscous fluids and will not be damaged when used to separate viscous fluids. In some applications, a scraped surface thermal- vacuum evaporator is used. In these applications, the retentate is exposed to a vacuum, which effectively lowers the boiling point of the retentate. The retentate is then heated, causing the retentate to boil. In other applications, concentrating elements (e.g., salt, organic solvents, alcohol, enzymes, and the like) can be added to the retentate to separate the retentate into concentrate and liquid effluent. In still other applications, other known concentrating processes and apparatuses, including freeze drying, heating, centrifuges, and evaporators can be used to reduce the moisture content of the retentate.

During the third concentration process 20, about 50% by weight of the retentate is removed. More particularly, about 8% of the original raw milk by weight is converted to concentrate having a relatively high concentration of solids. The remainder of the retentate forms an effluent, which, if recovered, can be used for washing equipment and/or floors or sold as non-potable soft (mineral free) water.

In act 22, the concentrate is pasteurized in a known manner. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 22 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un-pasteurized. Also, in some applications, excess moisture can be removed from the concentrate during pasteurization.

As mentioned above, the composition of raw milk can change to a significant degree, depending, in part, upon the specific breed of cow (or other mammal) that is milked, the type of feed given to the animal, and the time of year. For these and other reasons, the methods and equipment used can also vary. For efficient manufacturing, dairy product manufacturers generally require ingredients with specific quantities of fat, protein, minerals, and/or salt. Therefore, in act 26, the concentrate is blended with the cream in a given ratio to form a slurry. Also, in applications in which a particularly high ratio of milk protein to fat is desired, skim (from act 14 or from another source) and/or water can be added to the slurry to reduce the percentage of fat by volume. Any one of a number of conventional mixing apparatuses, including industrial mixers, tumble drums, mixing tanks, and ribbon blenders, can be used in act 26 to blend the cream and the concentrate and/or to blend skim and/or water with the cream and the concentrate. In other applications, fluid raw milk, non-fat skim powder, dry cream or any number of other dairy and non-dairy ingredients can be added to the concentrate.

The slurry is a relatively thick paste or gel at refrigerated temperatures, but can be thinned by agitation and/or heating. As explained above, the composition of the slurry can change depending upon the intended use. However, slurry destined for cheese manufacture generally has between about 15% and about 40% fat by weight, between about 10% and about 40% protein by weight, and between about 3.1% and about 3.5% soluble solids by weight, the remainder being water. For example, in applications in which the slurry is intended to be used for cheddar cheese manufacturing, the slurry generally includes between about 30% and about 40% fat by weight. In applications in which the slurry is intended to be used for mozzarella cheese manufacturing, the slurry generally includes between about 0.5% and about 25% fat by weight. However, in other applications, depending upon the intended end product and/or the intended customer's specifications, the slurry can have any other concentration of fat, protein, soluble solids, and water. In still other applications, the slurry can have less than 0.5% fat by weight, about 19% protein, about 14% soluble solids, and about 67% water. In these applications, the end-user can add fluid skim milk and/or water to produce an all-dairy beverage that is low in fat and lactose, but has twice the level of protein and milk calcium of conventional fluid skim milk. In other applications, substantially all of the water can be removed from the slurry so that the slurry can be shipped and/or stored in a powder form. In act 28, the slurry can be pasteurized in a known manner. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 28 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un-pasteurized. Also, in some applications, excess moisture can be removed from the slurry during pasteurization. The slurry is then shipped to a dairy product manufacturer in act 30, or alternately, the slurry can be specialized in act 32. For shipping (i.e., act 30), the slurry is preferably packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic lined containers (e.g., plastic bags), which are then enclosed in shipping crates. The crates containing the slurry are then shipped to dairy product manufacturers in refrigerated trucks to reduce spoilage. Because the slurry is shipped in vacuum-sealed containers, the slurry is relatively bio-secure. More specifically, dairy product manufacturers can be instructed to discard slurry, which arrives in containers with breached vacuum-seals. In this manner, terrorists are prevented from tampering with and/or adding toxic chemicals to the slurry. Alternatively, the concentrated slurry can be shipped in rubber bladders, barrels, rail cars, or other conventional fluid storage and/or transportation apparatuses. In act 32, the slurry can be specialized before being shipped to dairy product manufacturers. During specialization, functional aids, such as, for example, bacteria cultures, flavors (both natural and artificial), colors, texture agents, enzymes, antimicrobial agents, and the like, are added to the slurry. Additionally, coagulating agents, such as, for example, acid, alcohol, salt, and enzymes (e.g., rennet) can be added to the slurry. In some applications, enzymes (e.g., rennet) can be added to the slurry and the specialized slurry can be sold as cheese. Alternatively, the specialized slurry can be sold as an intermediate ingredient to be used during the manufacture of other dairy products. In act 36, the specialized slurry can be pasteurized in a known manner. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 36 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un-pasteurized. Also, in some applications, excess moisture can be removed from the specialized slurry during pasteurization. In act 38, the specialized slurry is packaged in vacuum-sealed, plastic-lined, containers, which are then enclosed in shipping crates and are loaded onto refrigerated trucks for secure transportation to dairy product manufacturers, as described above with respect to act 30. Alternatively, the specialized slurry can be shipped in rubber bladders, barrels, rail cars, or other conventional fluid storage and/or transportation apparatuses. Fig. 2 illustrates a method of manufacturing a milk product according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As with the previously described embodiment, the product of the method of the second embodiment is preferably useful in the manufacture of dairy products, including cheeses. The method of the second embodiment and the product made by the method of the second embodiment are substantially similar to the method of the previously described first embodiment and the product made by the previously described first embodiment. Therefore, for reasons of clarity and brevity, only differences between the first and second embodiments will be described hereafter.

In act 110, raw milk, either pasteurized or un-pasteurized, is subjected to a first concentration process. In the first concentration process, a fluid separator separates the raw milk into a retentate (e.g., a high solids concentrate) and a permeate (e.g., a liquid portion). In different applications of the present invention, any one of a number of conventional fluid separators can be used. For example, a centrifuge can be used to separate the retentate and permeate. Alternatively, the first concentration process can be preformed by passing the raw milk through a filtration membrane. Depending upon the desired composition of the permeate and the retentate, various membranes can be used, h other applications, concentrating elements (e.g., salt, organic solvents, enzymes, alcohol, and the like) can be added to the raw milk to separate the raw milk into retentate and permeate portions. In still other applications, other known concentrating processes, including freeze drying, heating, and evaporating (e.g., thermal-vacuum evaporation) can be used to concentrate the raw milk, forming retentate (e.g., having an increased solids content) and permeate portions. In other applications, carbon dioxide can be directed through a vat or tank that is maintained at high pressure and contains raw milk to separate the raw milk into retentate (e.g., solidified high protein) and permeate (e.g., liquid) portions. After act 110, in some applications, the retentate includes substantially all of the milk fat from the raw milk. Additionally, in some applications, the retentate includes substantially all of the protein from the raw milk. However, in other applications (e.g., when microfiltration is used), the first concentration process subdivides the raw milk protein between the retentate and the permeate. In these applications, a first portion of the protein (e.g., the whey protein) remains with the permeate, and a second portion (e.g., the majority) of the protein (e.g., the casein) is retained in the retentate. More particularly, in applications in which microfiltration is used, the retentate includes between about 9% and about 11% protein by weight, about 0.2% and about 12.5% fat by weight, about 83% and about 73%) water by weight and about 6.1% and about 5.0% soluble solids by weight. In these applications, the microfiltration permeate preferably includes less than about 0.1% casein protein by weight, between about 93% and about 94% water by weight, and about 7% and about 6% solids by weight. Also, in applications in which microfiltration is used, the ratio of the retentate to permeate is about one to three. However, depending, at least in part, upon the composition of the raw milk, the desired end product, and the type of fluid separator used, the ratio of retentate to permeate can change to a significant degree.

After act 110, the permeate can be sold as is (e.g., as a fertilizer), or alternatively, can receive additional processing. For example, in some applications (e.g., when microfiltration is used), the permeate can be processed into value-added products destined for nutriceutical industries. In act 114, the retentate can be pasteurized in a known manner. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 114 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un- pasteurized. In act 118, the retentate is subjected to a second concentration process, which separates the retentate into a concentrate and an effluent. As explained above with respect to the first concentration process 110, in different applications of the present invention, any one of a number of conventional fluid separators can be used. Therefore, it is preferable to use a separation apparatus that is designed to accommodate viscous fluids. In some applications, a thermal-vacuum evaporator is used. In other applications, concentrating elements (e.g., salt, organic solvents, alcohol, enzymes, and the like) can be added to the retentate to separate the retentate into concentrate and effluent. In still other applications, other known concentrating processes, including freeze drying, heating, and evaporating can be used to separate the retentate into concentrate and effluent. In yet another application, the second concentration process is performed with a filtration membrane. In applications in which a filtration membrane is used, the retentate is separated into an ultrafiltered, microfiltration retentate and an effluent.

After act 118, in some applications, about 10% of the raw milk by weight is converted into retentate. Additionally, after act 118, the effluent can be further processed, sold as animal feed, or sold as field spread. In some applications, the effluent can be shipped to the same farm that provided the raw milk for the present process.

In act 122, the concentrate can be pasteurized in a known manner, h other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 122 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un- pasteurized. Also, in some applications, excess moisture can be removed from the concentrate during pasteurization.

In act 126, the concentrate is blended with the skim portion and/or water in a given ratio to form a slurry, having a desired ratio of protein to fat, which can be changed to accommodate different dairy product manufacturer specifications. In general, the slurry has between about 15% and about 40% fat by weight, between about 10% and about 40% protein by weight, and between about 3.1% and about 3.5% soluble solids by weight, the remainder being water. However, in other applications, depending upon the intended end product and/or the intended customer's specifications, the slurry can have any other concentration of fat, protein, soluble solids, and water. hi act 128, the slurry can be pasteurized in a known manner. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 128 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un-pasteurized. Also, in some applications, excess moisture can be removed from the slurry during pasteurization. The slurry is then shipped to an end-user, such as, for example, a dairy product manufacturer in act 130, or alternately, the slurry can be specialized in act 132. For shipping (i.e., act 130), the slurry is preferably packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic containers, which are then enclosed in shipping crates. The crates containing the slurry are then shipped in secured refrigerated trucks.

In act 132, the slurry can be specialized before being shipped. During specialization, functional aids, such as, for example, bacteria cultures, flavors (e.g., artificial and natural), texture agents, colors, enzymes, anti-microbial agents, and the like, are added to the slurry. Additionally, coagulating agents, such as, for example, acid, salt, alcohol, and enzymes (e.g., rennet) can be added to the slurry.

In act 136, the specialized slurry can be pasteurized in a known manner. In other applications, the method of the present invention can bypass act 136 and pasteurization can be performed at another time during the method of the present invention, or alternatively, the milk and the milk products of the present invention can remain un- pasteurized. Also, in some applications, excess moisture can be removed from the specialized slurry in act 136. hi act 138, the specialized slurry is packaged in vacuum- sealed plastic containers, which are then enclosed in shipping crates and are loaded onto refrigerated trucks for secure transport to dairy product manufacturers.

One or more of the above-identified and other independent features and independent advantages are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing milk having a quantity of fat and a quantity of protein, the method comprising: separating the milk into a cream and a skim; separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate; removing the permeate; separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent; removing the effluent; and blending the cream and the concentrate to form a concentrated slurry having a desired ratio of protein to fat.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes passing the milk through a centrifuge.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes passing the skim through a porous membrane.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a coagulation agent to the concentrated slurry.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pasteurizing one or more of the milk, cream, skim, retentate, slurry, and concentrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cream includes between about 18% and about 85%) fat by weight.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the skim includes about 92% of the milk by weight.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentrated slurry has a desired moisture content.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent includes passing the protein enriched retentate through a thermal-vacuum evaporator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes providing a ratio of one part retentate to three parts permeate.

11. A method of processing milk having a quantity of fat and a quantity of protein, the method comprising: separating the milk into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate; removing the permeate; separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent; removing the effluent; and blending skim milk and the concentrate to form a concentrated slurry having a standard ratio of protein to fat.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein separating the milk into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes passing the milk through a porous membrane.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising adding a coagulation agent to the concentrated slurry.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising pasteurizing one or more of the milk, protein enriched retentate, concentrated slurry, and concentrate.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the concentrated slurry has a standard moisture content.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent includes passing the protein enriched retentate through a thermal- vacuum evaporator.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein separating the milk into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes providing a ratio of one part retentate to three parts permeate.

19. A concentrated milk product consisting essentially of between about 10% and about 40% protein by weight, between about 3.1% and about 3.5%> soluble solids by weight, and between about 16.5% water and about 71.9% water by weight.

20. The concentrated milk product of claim 19, further comprising about 30%

to about 40%) fat by weight.

21. The concentrated milk product of claim 19, further comprising about 15% to about 25%) fat by weight.

22. The concentrated slurry product of a process comprising the acts of: separating milk into a cream and a skim; separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate; removing the p ermeate; separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent; removing the effluent; and blending the cream and the concentrate to form a concentrated slurry having a standard ratio of protein to fat.

23. The concentrated slurry product of claim 22, wherein the concentrated slurry product consists essentially of between about 15% and about 40% fat by weight, between about 10% and about 40% protein by weight, and between about 3.1% and about 3.5%) soluble solids by weight, and between about 16.5% water and about 71.9% water by weight.

24. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, wherein separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes passing the milk through a centrifuge.

25. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, wherein separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes passing the skim through a porous membrane.

26. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, further comprising adding a coagulation agent to the concentrated slurry.

27. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, further comprising pasteurizing one or more of the milk, skim, cream, protein enriched retentate, concentrated slurry, and concentrate.

28. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, wherein the cream includes between about 18% and about 85% fat by weight.

29. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, wherein the skim portion includes about 92% of the milk by weight.

30. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, wherein the concentrated slurry has a desired moisture content.

31. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, wherein separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent includes passing the protein enriched retentate through a thermal- vacuum evaporator.

32. The concentrated slurry product of the process of claim 22, wherein separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate includes providing a ratio of one part retentate to three parts permeate.