CA2183334A1

CA2183334A1 - Process for preparing sour milk curd and yoghurt products

Info

Publication number: CA2183334A1
Application number: CA002183334A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Iradj Hessabi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-12-15
Filing date: 1994-12-15
Publication date: 1995-06-22
Also published as: DE4412457A1; WO1995016356A1; EP0734208A1; DE4412457C2; AU1218095A; DE9319220U1

Abstract

A device for preparing sour milk, curd or yoghurt products with a fermenter (2) and a simple design removes the liq-uid from the sour milk, curd or yoghurt products and packages the same for con-sumptoin, while keeping alive the micro-organisms contained in such products.
In a development of the invention, said products may be returned to their original state by admixture of water. A reservoir (3) with a vertically movable pressure plate (4) and a pressing grid (5), as well as a screen-like bottom (31) with a number of relatively small openings is mounted downstream of the fermenter (2). The ripe sour milk, curd and yoghurt prod-ucts may be pressed against the bottom (31) by the pressure plate (4) in order to reduce their water content. One side wall of the reservoir (3) is provided with a flap (32) at the height of the pressing screen (5), and the pressing grid may be pushed out through that opening together with the products having a reduced water content and moulded into pieces.

Description

~ 2133334 A Prn~cc for Prn~ ti~n of Saur Miik Curd. arl~i Yo~urt Pro~ tc The invention pertains to a proeess for production of sour milk or eurd products or yogurt produets with a fermenter.

Using pure yogu~t eultures, kQOWQ yogurt produets are ehaQged (mixture of laetie aci,~
baeilli aQd ~ u~ ~ c;) into eurd after the sterilized milk is brought to a k~ of 40 - 4 i C and then poured into beakers aQd sealed airtight at the top for transport. The usual marketed synthetie beakers for these produets are easily damaged and are paeked into formed cases provided for them and packed once again in protective cartons in the usual manner. Yogurt is a nutrient which aids in digestion aQd helps to cleaQ the intestines and for this reason ~ u~ IP amounts of this type of product are used every day. In Europe, more tharl 25 million of the synthetic beakers provided as deseribed are emptied and throwQ into the trash. Weight aQd volume of these sour milk, eurd or yogurt products contaiQ over 80% water, whieh is why transport iQ the airtight beakers made of synthetic material is Qecessary.

The syQthetic beakers for these produc~ts are burned or lc~ ,c~ ~c.l at great expense and energy use, but iQ most cases remain as trash. In any case, the used up synthetic beakers for these products contribute to the r~ Il of persoQal health aQd to ~ lV~
pollution. If these empty beakers do not arrive at a depository, they are burned. The treatment of the pollution and ~ llIIIA~ -I resulting from the ~ or by refuse I

~ 7~333~
incineration is problematic; the ri~ A~ ;on of ~ l";~ .1 air, soil and groundwater is Yery expensive and oEten cannot be completely accomplished. This disadvantage also cannot be avoided by illLI~1du~ the product with the removal of water as a dried product. By drying, the mic}oorganisms are damaged so that their effect on the intestinal flora comes into question.

From FR-PSI 115 174, a process is known with whose help excess whey, to the extent that it can be drained, can be made to drain. They whey-containing mass is placed in a vessel on a sieved floor witll a number of relatively small openings, through which tlle excess whey can run oE By this run-off, the water content is reduced, wherein this de-watering proceeds by itself under the pressure of the mass. Furthermore it is suggested that tl~e de-watering be carried out under the influence of a centrifugal force in order to achieve a higher degree of de-watering. The de-watered mass remains on the floor independently in a layer rlf t~rmin( d by the amount filled; in order to divide this proportionately, the mass must be removed and correspondingly formed.

Thus arises the objective of the invention, which is to propose a related process which can remove tlle liquid in a simple design from the sour milk, curd or yogurt products and introduce t!~em packaged in pieces, whereby the microorganisms are kept live and, in a further d~v~ e~l~ of the objective, these products can be returned to their original state through the addition of water.

The objec~ive is met in that when the sour milk and curd products or the yogurt have complete their fermentation process in the preparation vessel and are mature, they are conveyed by conduit to a second vessel. It is advantageous to construct this vessel in square form. Tlle bottoln of t~le vessel is provided with a number of relatively small openings, tllus as a sieve so that t}le sour milk and curd products, for example yogurt, can release their liquid portion to the bottom in the vessel. To facilitate the release of liquid, a ~r~ssure platc p~lr.lllcl lo t~lc sieved bottom of tlle vessel is provided which is conveyed downward by a drive so t~lat the product can be pressed against the bottom. This plate has a formed stamp on tlle bottom with square sections in order to divide the cc,~ cd mass into rectangular or cubed pieces. When tllis pressurc plate reaches the sieved 2a --- 2l3333~
bottom of the vessel vnth its stamp and the liquid present is UUIIIIJI~ C~ out of the sour milk or curd product or out of the yogurt product to a large extent, the remaining pastelike mass on the sieved bottom is divided into cubic sections. The product so formed is now a piecewise sour milk, curd, or yogurt product, which still contains ;.1. .,.I,lr moisture so that the live cultures of Illi~,.V~ remain unchanged amd in which its surplus weight and the large volume is reduced up to 80 %.

This CUIll,ul~ d product is then discharged from the vessel through an opening in a side wall and by lateral discharge of the stdmp grid, wherein the product is held "in for~n" by the stamp grid. Vertically moveable releasing stems are dv~ ,vu:" with which the relatively solid pieces can be pushed out of the grid openings of the stamping grid, wherein it seems self e,~,ku~ul~ that the ends of the release stems facing the product pieces should be provided with end plates which uniformly transfer the releasing force to the product pieces. The product pieces falling or being pushed out can, .1,,~ ly be packaged, wherein the sour milk, curd, or yogurt products are packaged in an airtight and fiuid-sea~ed packing material and introduced to the market in pieces as such Laminated aluminuni foil is ! ~.. I .. ~-lr I for packaging; its properties prevent umdesired leakage of f~uid or influx of air, wherein the residual fluid is bound to the mass such that it can no longer fiow. The sour milk, curd, or yogult products treated and packaged irl this way carl be easily transported due to their reduced wlume and easy stdcking, and their storage requires orlly a small area. Flavored products are CUII~ULUIiII~IY suited for direct in order to convert these products for use in their original form, it is 333~
sufficient to mix them with 3 to 4 times tneir volume in water. The base substance is practically no different, chemically andlor physically as well as concerning the nutritional value of the products obtained thusly compared to the u.~ ally marketed sour milk, curd, or yogurt products. Fruits, perhaps chopped up or pureed, as well as coloring and/o} aromatic substances can be added to the vessel with the sieved bottom which removes the water, so that the sour miLk, curd, or yogurt products can be " .. . r~ d to the desired taste and color, as well as with additions of fruit.

In this manner of production and packaging, the sour milk, curd or yogurt products are pastelike to solid, so tbat they cannot splash over and so tbat seal breakages in the beaker surface do not lead to loss of the contents. The product has a minimal ,.1".,,.. ~
weight and small ,.1,,.,,,. `. ,~;- volume and requires, therefore, a Si~ r~ y smaller storage volume in cooling cases or ,cr, 1~. ,,1.., ~ A transport vehicle loaded with the products according to the invention can conserve up to 80% more space, and run more cost effectively.

The invention is described in more detail with tbe help of the embodiment examples C;~ i mfigures I and2;
Fig. 01 shows a process in the idled state, sectioned;
Fig. 02 shows a process m use, sectioned.
Figure I shows a section tbrough a process I provided with two vessels 2, 3. Vessel 2, which is provided as a fermenter for the preparation of sour milk, curd or yogurt 2 ~ 3~3~
products, is connected to a second vessel 3 over a conduit which can be closed with a valve æ. The second vessel 3 is preferably a square vessel, whose bottom 31 is provided with a number of relatively small openings and const~ucted as a sieve, wherein these openings can also be constructed slotted. One of the lateral walls of the vessel 3 has a Lid, 32 which can be tilted or shifted open so that vessel 3 can be opened. A pressure plate 4 parallel to the bottom of the vessel 3 can be vertically lowered until it presses the contents of the vessel from above against the sieved bottom 31 of the vessel 3.

. .
In adv~ulLd~ VU~ fashion, a stamping grid 5 ~-vith vertically arranged lamella is situated movably beneath the pressure plate 4. The c~ ,.c~c.l product is divided into cu~ vvlldLl.g bars or cubes in the sections of the stamping grid 5; this stsmping grid 5 can be pushed out with the sectioned pieces laterally after opeMmg the side wall 32 of the vessel 3. The stamping grid S is coMected to a drive unit over a removable cable connection 6 and thus laterally moveable parallel to the pressure plate 4. To return the stamping grid 5, a reviinding drum with a cable COMectiOn 6' is provided on the pressure plate 4, wherein it is advallL~_vu~ if the rewinding drum for the return cable 6' has a spring which is tensioned during discharge of the stamping grid 5 by cable 6 so that the spring creaks stored energy for the retu~L It is thus self-c..~L~ vl~ that in place of the pulling cable, pressure by means of a thrust rod or by means of other motive devices is possible. The bars so formed are individualized and packaged at the laterally discharged position, wherein the packaging assembly 9, 91, and other L~UIL~Liùl~ assembly 92 are --- 2183~34 (,VII~ Vllal processes. A receiver 7 below vessel 3 with tne sieved bottom 31 discharges the fluid released through the sieve holes.

Figure 2 shows a sectio~ through process I in operation. The side wall 32 is in the opened position, and the grated tool with vertical stamping lamella 5 is pushed out. By puslung the stamping grid 5 to the e~d of the opened lid 32 of the side wall of the vessel 3, the bars or cubes which are located in the forms are pressed into the packagi~g assembly 9, 91 one after the other with the help of a rod-shaped release stem 8 so that they fall into the packaging position. The packaged product 10 can be identified in the usua~ ma~ner and be provided ~vith the necessary dates of production.

Claims

Claims 01. A process for the manufacture of sour milk, curd, or yogurt products with a fermenter (2) with a supply vessel (3) coupled downstream to the fermenter (2) as a preparation vessel which has a vertically moveable pressure plate (4) and a stamping grid (5), as well as sieved floor (31) provided with a number of relatively small openings against which the matured sour milk, curd, or yogurt product is pressed in order to reduce the water content, and that a side wall of the supply vessel (3) has a lid (32) whose height corresponds to the stamping grid (5) which can be pushed through this opening together with the sectioned product with the reduced water content.
02. A process according to claim 1, characterized such that the supply vessel (3) is connected to at least one preparation vessel (2) for the sour milk, curd, or yogurt products, wherein a conduit (21) which can be shut by a slide valve (22) is provided for each of the preparation vessels (2).
03. A process according to claims 1 or 2, characterized such that the supply vessel (3) is constructed as a square and its bottom (31) is sieved with a number of relatively small openings.
04. A process according to any of the claims 1 through 3, characterized such that the pressure plate (4) can be moved up and down parallel to the bottom of the supply vessel (3), wherein the product located in the supply vessel (3) is pressed against the sieved bottom (31).
05. A process according to any of the claims 1 through 4, characterized such that the stamping grid (5) which lowers onto the bottom (31), which sections the pastelike product located in the vessel (3) into bars or cubes, is arranged beneath the pressure plate (4).
06. A process according to any of the claims 1 through 5, characterized such that the openable lid (32) of the side wall of the supply vessel (3) is hinged at the lower axis on the sidewall of the vessel (3).
07. A process according to any of the claims 1 through 5, characterized such that the openable lid (32) of the sidewall of the vessel (3) can be shifted on the sidewall.
08. A process according to any of the claims 1 through 6, characterized such that the stamping plate is arranged with vertical lamella (5) with which the pastelike product located in the supply vessel (3) is divided into pieces, and which is laterally discharged through the opening of the side plate below the pressure plate (4).
09. A process according to claim 8, characterized such that the stamping plate works together with a pulling means, preferably a tension cable (6) from the vessel of the type such that it can at least be pushed out when the side wall is opened.
10. A process according to claim 9, characterized such that the pulling means is reversible for the purposes of discharging and returning the stamping grid (5), wherein preferably a stored energy device is provided for the return motion.
11. A process according to claims 9 or 10, characterized such that besides the supply vessel (3), a setup plate is provided in the discharge direction of the stamping grid (5) on which the product sectioned into bars lies, wherein the setup plate is shorter than the stamping grid (5) by at least one row and wherein below the end of the setup plate, the transportation assembly to the packaging assembly is arranged.
12. A process according to claims 6 or 11, characterized such that the tilt lid (32), when tilted down, constitutes the setup plate.
13. A process according to any of the claims 8 through 12, characterized such that vertically lowering release stems (3) are provided in the area of release above the laterally discharged stamping grid (5) which sections the product located in the vessel (3) into pieces and with these stems, the product pieces can be released from the stamping grid (5).