DK171322B1

DK171322B1 - Method and unit for the continuous salting of curds

Info

Publication number: DK171322B1
Application number: DK106394A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Soeren Kragh Madsen
Original assignee: Apv Pasilac As
Priority date: 1994-09-16
Filing date: 1994-09-16
Publication date: 1996-09-09
Also published as: AU3067595A; DK106394A

Description

DK 171322 B1DK 171322 B1

Opfindelsen angår en fremgangsmåde til kontinuerlig saltning af ostemasse, ved hvilken fremgangsmåde ostemassen før saltningen sønderdeles i små stykker og fordeles ud på et transportbånd, på hvilket den føres frem til en doseringsindret-5 ning, hvor der doseres salt som funktion af den tilførte mængde af ostemasse. Opfindelsen angår endvidere et anlæg til udøvelse af fremgangsmåden.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a method for continuously salting curd, wherein the method before the salting is broken into small pieces and distributed on a conveyor belt, on which it is fed to a dosing device where salt is dosed as a function of the amount of feed added. curd. The invention further relates to a plant for carrying out the method.

Ved fremstilling af oste, såsom cheddarost, er det almindelig kendt, at ostemassen efter at have forladt en ostningstank, 10 ledes ud på et drænbånd, hvor der sker en afdræning af vallen fra koaglet. Den afdrænede ostemasse transporteres videre på et antal yderligere transportbånd, hvorpå ostemassen undergår en forvandlingsproces, som har afgørende betydning for ostens endelige konsistens, smag og mekaniske styrke. En del af et 15 sådant anlæg er bl.a. beskrevet i dansk patentansøgning nr. 1105/93 og 582/94.In the manufacture of cheeses, such as cheddar cheese, it is generally known that after leaving a cheese tank, the curd is discharged onto a drainage band where the whey is drained from the clot. The drained curd is further transported on a number of additional conveyor belts, whereupon the curd undergoes a transformation process which is crucial for the final consistency, taste and mechanical strength of the cheese. Part of such a plant is i.a. described in Danish Patent Application Nos. 1105/93 and 582/94.

Efter den indledende afdræning og sammensmeltning af ostekornene til dannelse af en sammenhængende kage er det kendt, at iværksætte en kontinuerlig saltning af ostemassen, inden den 20 videreføres til endelig modning, udskæring og emballering. Efter sammensmeltningen ledes ostemassen igennem en sønderdelingsindretning, hvori ostemassen opdeles i små chips af en form, der ligner store pommes frites. Disse chips fordeles jævnt ud over et transportbånd, hvorefter der ved hjælp af 25 niveaufølere sker en registrering af tykkelsen af laget af chips på transportbåndet, efterhånden som dette føres fremad. Samtidigt registreres båndets hastighed. På basis af disse målinger doseres der efterfølgende salt i mængder, der svarer til det pågældende registrerede ostevolumen. Salttilførsien 30 sker bl.a. via en udløbs tragt, som fødes med salt, som er jævnt fordelt ud over et bånd, hvis fremføringshastighed reguleres i overensstemmelse med de målte værdier. Efter tilførslen af salt sker der en yderligere omrøring for at fordele saltet.Following the initial drainage and fusion of the cheese grains to form a coherent cake, it is known to initiate a continuous salting of the curd before proceeding to final ripening, cutting and packaging. After the fusion, the curd is passed through a disintegrating device in which the curd is divided into small chips of a shape similar to large French fries. These chips are evenly distributed over a conveyor belt, whereupon 25 level sensors record the thickness of the layer of chips on the conveyor belt as it advances. At the same time the speed of the tape is recorded. On the basis of these measurements, subsequent salts are dosed in amounts corresponding to the recorded cheese volume concerned. The salt supply 30 takes place, among other things. via an outlet funnel, which is fed with salt, which is evenly distributed over a belt whose feed rate is adjusted according to the measured values. After the addition of salt, a further stirring takes place to distribute the salt.

DK 171322 B1 2DK 171322 B1 2

Fremgangsmåden ifølge opfindelsen er ejendommelig ved, at den sønderdelte ostemasse på transportbåndet vejes kontinuerligt, og at saltet derefter doseres kontinuerligt i mængder som funktion af vejningsresultaterne og transportbåndets fremfø-5 ringshastighed.The process according to the invention is characterized in that the disintegrated curd on the conveyor belt is weighed continuously and that the salt is then dosed continuously in amounts as a function of the weighing results and the conveyor belt feed rate.

Herved opnås en mere nøjagtig styring af saltindholdet i det endelige osteprodukt, hvilket også letter styringen af ostens kvalitet ved regulering af andre faktorer, såsom fugtighed m.v., i afhængighed af mælkens kvalitet. Det endelige oste-10 produkt har med andre ord et saltindhold med en forholdsvis lille standardafvigelse. Den fra ostningstanken tilførte ostemasse til transportbåndene kan under ostningstankens udtømning, der kan vare 20 min., på afdræningsbåndene have varierende væskeindhold, idet den sidst tilførte ostemasse har 15 frigivet mere væske end den første. Den enkelte volumenenhed kan derfor have forskelligt væskeindhold, når ostemassen når frem til saltningen. En saltning på basis af en vejning af ostemassen og dermed på basis af ostemassens massefylde vil derfor korrigere for svingninger i væskeindholdet samt natur-20 ligvis også for mængden af luft i ostemassen.Hereby a more accurate control of the salt content of the final cheese product is obtained, which also facilitates the control of the quality of the cheese by regulating other factors, such as moisture, etc., depending on the quality of the milk. In other words, the final cheese-10 product has a salt content with a relatively small standard deviation. The curds supplied from the cheese tank to the conveyor belts may have varying liquid contents during the draining of the cheese tank, which can last 20 minutes, on the drainage belts, the last curd having 15 more released than the first. The individual volume unit may therefore have different liquid contents as the curd reaches the salting. Therefore, a salting on the basis of a weighting of the curd and thus on the basis of the density of the curd will correct for fluctuations in the liquid content and, of course, also for the amount of air in the curd.

Ifølge opfindelsen kan saltet doseres kontinuerligt reguleret efter dets vægt, hvorved også sikres mulighed for hensyntagen til saltet massefylde, der også kan variere på grund af fug-tighedsindhold. 1 2 3 4 5 6According to the invention, the salt can be dosed continuously controlled according to its weight, thereby also providing for the possibility of taking into account the salt density, which may also vary due to moisture content. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Opfindelsen angår endvidere et anlæg til udøvelse af frem 2 gangsmåden, hvilket anlæg omfatter en sønderdelingsindretning 3 til deling af ostemassen i mindre stykker, et transportbånd 4 til modtagelse af den sønderdelte ostemasse, og en saltdose 5 ringsindretning til kontinuerlig tilførsel af salt til den 6 fremførte ostemasse. Anlægget ifølge opfindelsen er ejendommelig ved, at transportbåndet er tilknyttet en vejeindretning til kontinuerlig vejning af den fremførte ostemasse, og at saltdoseringsindretningen er indrettet til at dosere salt i mængder, hvis vægt reguleres kontinuerligt som funktion af 3 DK 171322 B1 den målte vægt af ostemassen og transportbåndets fremførings-hastighed. Et sådant anlæg sikrer særlig ensartet fordeling af saltet i ostemassen.The invention further relates to a method for carrying out the method 2, which comprises a disintegrating device 3 for dividing the curd into smaller pieces, a conveyor belt 4 for receiving the disintegrated curd and a salt dosing device for continuously supplying salt to the 6 provided. curd. The plant according to the invention is characterized in that the conveyor belt is connected to a weighing device for continuous weighing of the curd conveyed and that the salt dosing device is adapted to dose salt in quantities whose weight is controlled continuously as a function of the measured weight of the curd and conveying speed of the conveyor belt. Such a plant ensures particularly uniform distribution of the salt in the curd.

Særlig hensigtsmæssigt kan ifølge opfindelsen transportbåndet 5 udmunde ved indgangen til en blåndeindretning, og saltdoseringsindretningens udløb være placeret ved blandeindretnin-gens indgang.In particular, according to the invention, the conveyor belt 5 can open at the entrance to a mixing device and the outlet of the salt dosing device may be located at the entrance of the mixing device.

Opfindelsen forklares nærmere nedenfor under henvisning til tegningen, som skematisk viser en del af et anlæg ifølge op-10 findelsen til kontinuerlig behandling af ostemasse.The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, which schematically shows part of a plant according to the invention for continuous treatment of curd.

Det på tegningen viste anlæg omfatter en afdrænings- og modningssektion, som er vist ved det generelle henvisningstal 1, en vejesektion, som er vist ved det generelle henvisningstal 2, en saltnings- og blandesektion, som er vist ved det gene-15 relle henvisningstal 3, samt en endelig modningssektion, som er vist ved det generelle henvisningstal 4. Afdrænings- og modningssektionen 1 omfatter på almindelig kendt måde et antal oven over hinanden anbragte transportbånd 5, 6 og 7, hvortil ostemasse tilføres på almindelig kendt måde fra en 20 ostningstank, idet ostningstanken udtømmes på et øverste bånd 5 og udsættes for en afdræning og modning under passage fra det ene bånd til det efterfølgende bånd via skråtstillede ledeplader 8. Fra det nederste bånd 7 føres ostemassen over i en skematisk vist mølle 9, hvori den efterhånden sammensmel-25 tede ostemasse sønderdeles til dannelse af små chips, som via to koaksialt placerede skruesnegle ved 10 føres frem til en udløbstragt 11, som er placeret centralt imellem skruesneglene, set på tværs af transportbåndenes fremføringsretninger.The plant shown in the drawing comprises a drainage and ripening section shown by the general reference numeral 1, a weighing section shown by the general reference numeral 2, a salting and mixing section shown by the general reference numeral 3 and a final ripening section shown by the general reference numeral 4. The drainage and ripening section 1 comprises, in a generally known manner, a plurality of superimposed conveyor belts 5, 6 and 7 to which curd is supplied in a generally known manner from a cheese tank, the cheese tank being discharged onto an upper belt 5 and subjected to drainage and maturation during passage from one belt to the subsequent belt via inclined baffles 8. From the lower belt 7, the curd is transferred to a schematically shown mill 9 in which it is eventually merged. 25 curds are decomposed to form small chips which, via two coaxially located augers at 10 island funnel 11, located centrally between the screws, seen across the conveying directions of the conveyor belts.

Fra udløbstragten 11 i afdrænings- og modningssektionen 1 30 strømmer ostechipsene over på et forholdsvis smalt transportbånd 12 i vejesektionen 2. Dette transportbånd er på almindelig kendt måde forsynet med sidestyr og medbringere til hindring af skridning af ostechipsene samt tilknyttet en for- DK 171322 B1 4 delerindretning 13 til fordeling af ostechipsene forholdsvis jævnt ud over transportbåndet 12. Transportbåndet 12 er tilknyttet en vejebro 14 i en almindelig kendt vejeindretning 15, som er indrettet til at veje det produkt, som befinder 5 sig inden for et passende stykke, fortrinsvis 4 m, af transportbåndet 12. Efter at have passeret vejebroen 14 føres ostechipsene frem til saltnings- og blandesektionen 3, hvor det endeløst tildannede transportbånd 12 udtømmer ostechipsene i det indre af en blandeindretning 16, som har form af 10 en i hovedsagen cylindrisk tromle med indadragende medbringe-re, som ved rotation af tromlen sikrer blanding af tromlens indhold efterhånden, som dette bevæger sig fra tromlens indgang 17 frem til dens udgang 18.From the outlet funnel 11 in the drainage and ripening section 1 30, the cheese chips overflow to a relatively narrow conveyor belt 12 in the weighing section 2. This conveyor belt is in a generally known manner provided with side guides and drivers for preventing the spreading of the cheese chips and associated with a pre-load. dividing device 13 for distributing the cheese chips relatively evenly over the conveyor belt 12. The conveyor belt 12 is connected to a weighing bridge 14 in a generally known weighing device 15 which is adapted to weigh the product which is within a suitable piece, preferably 4 m, of the conveyor belt 12. After passing the weighing bridge 14, the cheese chips are advanced to the salting and mixing section 3, where the endlessly formed conveyor belt 12 discharges the cheese chips into the interior of a mixing device 16, which is in the form of a generally cylindrical drum with inwardly engaging re, which when rotating the drum ensures mixing of the contents of the drum after as it moves from the input 17 of the drum to its output 18.

I umiddelbar nærhed af enden af transportbåndet 12 ved blan-15 deindretningens 16 indgang 17 er der anbragt en saltdoseringsindretning 19 af almindelig kendt type. Denne saltdoseringsindretning 19 er indrettet til at lede salt ud igennem et udløb 20 i vægtmængder, der reguleres i afhængighed af vejningen af ostemassen på transportbåndet 12 ved vejeindret-20 ningen 14, 15 under hensyntagen til transportbåndets hastighed og vejeindretningens afstand fra saltdoseringsindretningens 19 udløbsmunding 20. Denne styring af salttilførslen til ostemassen sikres på almindelig kendt måde ved hjælp af en ikke vist elektronisk styreindretning.In the immediate vicinity of the end of the conveyor belt 12 at the entrance 17 of the mixing device 16, a salt dispensing device 19 of a generally known type is arranged. This salt dosing device 19 is adapted to pass salt through an outlet 20 in weight quantities which is controlled in dependence on the weight of the curd on the conveyor belt 12 at the weighing device 14, 15 taking into account the speed of the conveyor belt and the distance of the weighing device from the outlet mouth of the salt dosing device 19. This control of the salt supply to the curd is ensured in a generally known manner by means of an electronic control device (not shown).

25 Saltdoseringsindretningens 19 udløb 20 er placeret således over enden af transportbåndet 12, at saltet tilføres ostechipsene under deres fald ned i blandeindretningen 16.The outlet 20 of the salt dosing device 19 is positioned over the end of the conveyor belt 12 so that the salt is fed to the cheese chips during their fall into the mixing device 16.

Under opholdet i blandeindretningen 16 blandes salt og oste-chips yderligere, idet opholdstiden i blandeindretningen 16 30 kan reguleres ved regulering af tromlens hældning og hastighed på almindelig kendt måde.During the stay in the mixer 16, salt and cheese chips are further mixed, the residence time of the mixer 16 30 being adjustable by regulating the slope and speed of the drum in a generally known manner.

Efter blandingen passerer tromlens indhold ud igennem udgangen 18 og ned på et transportbånd 21 i den endelige mod DK 171322 B1 5 ningssektion 4, hvor ostemassen normalt holdes i fra 20 til 30 min., inden der på almindelig kendt måde sker yderligere forarbejdning af osten, hvorved den samles i store blokke som vakuumemballeres på almindelig kendt måde.After mixing, the contents of the drum pass out through the output 18 and down onto a conveyor belt 21 in the final against DK 171322 B1 5 section 4, where the curd is usually held for from 20 to 30 minutes before further processing of the cheese in a generally known manner, thereby assembling it into large blocks which are vacuum-packed in a generally known manner.

5 Det beskrevne anlæg er opbygget af almindelige kendte komponenter, idet afdrænings- og modningssektionen som nævnt er af almindelig kendt type med en båndbredde på normalt 3,5 m. Transportbåndet i vejesektionen 2 er forholdsvis smalt, idet det har en bredde på 0,6 m. Vejeindretningen 15 med vejebroen 10 14 er også af almindelig kendt type. En sådan vejeindretning kan f.eks. købes i det danske firma TEKFA A/S, og vejebroen 14 har passende en sådan længde, at der foretages vejning over 4 m på transportbåndet 12. Registreringen af vægten sker hensigtsmæssigt 12 gange pr. sek.The plant described is made up of common known components, the drainage and maturation section as mentioned above being of a generally known type with a bandwidth of normally 3.5 m. The conveyor belt in the weighing section 2 is relatively narrow, having a width of 0.6 m. The weighing device 15 with the weighing bridge 10 14 is also of generally known type. Such a weighing device can e.g. is purchased in the Danish company TEKFA A / S, and the weighing bridge 14 is suitably of such length that weighing over 4 m is carried on the conveyor belt 12. The registration of the weight is conveniently done 12 times per day. SEC.

15 Også saltdoseringsindretningen er som nævnt af en almindelig kendt type, som indeholder en såkaldt differentialvægt. En sådan saltdoseringsindretning kan også købes af det nævnte danske firma TEKFA A/S og er almindelig kendt til dosering af andre produkter, såsom mel i bagerier m.v.The salt dosing device is also, as mentioned, of a generally known type which contains a so-called differential weight. Such a salt dosing device can also be purchased from the Danish company TEKFA A / S and is generally known for dosing other products, such as flour in bakeries etc.

2 0 Ved brug af den beskrevne del af anlægget ledes som nævnt ostemassen efter afdræningen og modningen i afdrænings- og modningssektionen 1 via møllen 9 ud på det forholdsvis smalle transportbånd 12. Under passagen af vejebroen 14 i vejeindretningen 15 sker der en kontinuerlig vejning af de i møllen 25 9 fremstillede ostechips og i afhængighed af den målte vægt og transportbåndets 12 hastighed, iblandes ostechipsene vægtmæssigt afpassede mængder af salt ved saltdoseringsindretningen 12. Saltet og ostechipsene blandes yderligere i blande-indretningen 16. Det endelige produkt har et saltindhold med 30 en forholdsvis lille standardafvigelse. Ved den beskrevne dosering af saltet kan man dels opnå en jævn fordeling af saltet i ostemassen i afhængighed af dennes massefylde. Ved doseringen af saltet kan man også styre fugtighedsindholdet, idet saltet medfører udtrækning af væsken i osten under den *As mentioned, when using the described part of the plant, the curd after the drainage and maturation in the drainage and ripening section 1 is carried out via the mill 9 onto the relatively narrow conveyor belt 12. During the passage of the weighing bridge 14 in the weighing device 15, a continuous weighing of the cheese chips made in the mill 25 9 and, depending on the measured weight and the speed of the conveyor belt 12, the cheese chips are mixed by weight proportional amounts of salt in the salt dosing device 12. The salt and cheese chips are further mixed in the mixing device 16. The final product has a salt content of 30 small standard deviation. In the described dosage of the salt, a uniform distribution of the salt in the curd can be achieved, depending on its density. In the dosing of the salt, the moisture content can also be controlled, since the salt causes the extraction of the liquid in the cheese during the *

Claims

5 The final adjustment of the salt dosing device in relation to the measured values at the weighing device 15 takes place during the run-in and on the basis of experience, e.g. variations in the quality of milk can have an effect on this. Also, variations in the amount of solids in the cheese chips can be taken into account when adjusting after running the plant. Any irregularities in the final packaged cheese product in terms of salt content and moisture content are further smoothed by diffusion by itself. The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment that many changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, e.g. For example, other weighing devices and salt dosing devices than those mentioned may be used, and the mixing device may be of a different type than that described. 20 Patent claims

A method of continuous salting of curd, in which method the curd before salting is broken into small pieces and distributed on a conveyor belt (12), on which it is fed to a salt dosing device (19) where salt is dosed as a function. of the added amount of curd, characterized in that the disintegrated cheese mass of the conveyor belt (12) is continuously weighed and that the salt is then continuously dosed in quantities as a function of the weighing results and the conveying speed of the conveyor belt (12).

Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the salt is dosed continuously, adjusted according to its weight.

An apparatus for carrying out the method of claim 1, comprising an apparatus for dividing the curd into smaller pieces, a conveyor belt (12) 5 for receiving the fragmented curd, and a salt dosing apparatus (19) for continuous application of salt to the feed curd, characterized in that the conveyor belt (12) is connected to a weighing device (14, 15) for continuous weighing of the feed curd, and that the salt dosing device (19) is arranged to dose salt in quantities if weight is continuously controlled as a function of the measured weight of the curd and the conveying speed of the conveyor belt (12).

System according to claim 3, characterized in that the conveyor belt (12) opens at the entrance to a mixing device (16) and the outlet (20) of the salt dosing device (19) is located at the entrance (17) of the mixing device (16). ).