A milk product containing milk, pectin and juice from fruit, vegetables
and other natural ingredients is disclosed, which uses a significant
percentage of real milk and which minimizes the chalky-taste of prior art
fruit-flavored milk products. A process for making such a milk product is
also disclosed, wherein milk and pectin are pre-mixed and homogenized
prior to blending in the juice and any other ingredients. The resulting
blend is further homogenized. The product disclosed herein may contain
other ingredients. The preferred stabilized milk product includes from
about 0.25 to about 10.0% of milk protein including solid milk proteins;
from about 5 to about 98% of juice; from about 0.1 to about 2.5% of
cations; and from about 0.01 to about 5.0% of a stabilizer, preferably
pectin; wherein the stabilized milk product is an aqueous fluid having a
pH in the range of from 3.2 to about 6.5, and wherein the average
particle size of the solid milk protein particles ranges from about 1.0
to about 22.0 micrometers. In preferred embodiments the milk product may
also contain fruit particles having an average particle size ranging from
about 62 to about 498 micrometers.