A SHELF-STABLE BASE COMPOSITION USEFUL FOR PREPARING ACIDIFIED MILK BASED BEVERAGES, E.G. BY DILUTION WITH WATER IN A BEVERAGE DISPENSING MACHINE, COMPRISES: - FROM ABOUT 2 TO ABOUT 10 WEIGHT % OF DENATURIZED MILK PROTEINS EXPRESSED AS SOLID-NOT-FAT (SNF) MILK COMPONENTS - FROM ABOUT 15 TO ABOUT 80 WEIGHT %, EXPRESSED AS SUGAR EQUIVALENTS, OF A CARBOHYDRATE BASED OR NON CARBOHYDRATE BASED SWEETENER - FROM ABOUT 0.35 TO ABOUT 1.50 WEIGHT % OF A CARBOHYDRATE BASED STABILIZER AND-AN ACIDIFYING AGENT PRESENT IN AMOUNTS NECESSARY FOR ACHIEVING A PH OF ABOUT 3.0 TO ABOUT 3.8 OF THE SAID BASE COMPOSITION. METHODS FOR PREPARING SUCH A BAS COMPOSITION AND ACIDIFIED MILK BASED BEVERAGES PREPARED BY MEANS OF SUCH A BASE COMPOSITION.