FR2478951A1 - PROCESS AND PLANT FOR PROCESSING CHEESE WITH BRINE - Google Patents

Abstract

PROCESS BY WHICH THE DISMOLDED CHEESES ARE SUBJECT TO TREATMENT WITH A BRINE SOLUTION, AFTER THEY ARE DRY AND SUBJECT TO MATURATION. PROCESS CHARACTERIZED IN THAT THE BRINE TREATMENT IS CARRIED OUT BY WATERING THE BRINE SOLUTION IN AN INSTALLATION INCLUDING A MOBILE RACK 1 CONSISTING OF SEVERAL STAGES OF SUPPORTS 2 OF A STRUCTURE PERMEABLE TO LIQUID, WITH SIEVE 3, AND A WATERING INSTALLATION WITH PERFORATED PIPES 5 AND DEFLECTORS 6 FOR THE BRINE DISTRIBUTED ON THE ROWS OF CHEESE. PROCEDURE BY WHICH THE VARIOUS TREATMENTS ARE APPLIED TO THE CHEESES REMAINING IN PLACE ON THE SAME RATELIERS.

Description

The present invention relates to a method of treating

  cheese, by which, after pressing the compo-

  In a suitable mold, and, if desired, circulating molded cheeses, they are subjected to a treatment with a brine solution for a predetermined time, after which they are pre-dried.

  and subject to a process of final maturation.

  The purpose of treatment with brine is to

  influence the taste, the characteristics of ripening and

  cheese conservation, and also to improve the

  and the dimensional stability of the cheese.

  The processing of cheeses by brine can be carried out in different ways. The old known method involved the use of large concrete tanks filled with brine solution, in which the cheeses

  floating. The introduction and the exit of the cheeses

  manually, so that this process involved a

  considerable labor expenditure. Another disadvantage

  of this brine treatment process was that the tanks occupied a large space, due to the fact that

  that only the surface of the contents was used,

  These tanks are expensive. In addition, this

  process resulted in large differences in

liquid brine.

  In order to make better use of the vats

  treatment, a so-called deep-dipping process was proposed.

  in which the cheeses were introduced and moved in layers through a flowing brine. In this

  system, the cheeses are placed on horizontal sieves

  rates that are superimposed in cages. Once filled with cheese, these cages are lowered inside the

  brine tank, so that the cheeses are

  wind arranged in rows superimposed in the tank.

  This process also results in differences in concentration in the brine bath, particularly around cheeses, these differences in concentration being

  caused by diffusion phenomena around cheeses.

  In reality, an interaction develops between the mold

  cheese and the salt of liquid brine.

  This results in a decrease in the salt concentration around the cheeses compared to the rest of the liquid bath,

  which results in a stagnation of the treatment process.

  In another method of treatment with brine, a mechanized surface system is used, in which very deep drawers or deep racks are used, the cheeses being introduced into these drawers and removed, in a single layer at the same time. average of the flow of the liquid brine. Since, in this case, a small portion of each cheese protrudes above the liquid, the cheeses must be regularly immersed by means of diving trolleys, or their surface must be kept wet by

watering with brine.

  Although the above processes have generally given good results in brine treatment, they have the same disadvantages, namely - a significant capital investment in land, buildings, ponds and equipment - significant quantities brine solution - after processing, cheeses must be transferred to racks for ripening and further processing - brine contamination by cheese particles

  which remain suspended in the bath.

  The object of the invention is to create a treatment method by which the above disadvantages are

avoided, at least in part.

  For this purpose, the process according to the invention is characterized in that the treatment with liquid brine is carried out by watering the cheese with brine. According to one embodiment of the installation for the application of the method of the invention, the cheeses are placed directly after molding and pressing, in mobile racks comprising a series of structural stages, at least locally permeable to liquid, and the solution is poured by sprinkling on the placed cheeses

on the floors.

  According to one embodiment of the process of the invention, the cheeses are placed in mobile racks, in which they are subjected to treatment with brine, after which they are transported and predried in a room provided for this purpose, and they are finally subject to the ripening process in the warehouse room, the cheeses remaining in the racks during all operations

  later. Treatment with brine, pre-drying

  lable and ripening are thus carried out entirely on

  one and the same support unit.

  According to one embodiment of the method of the invention, the racks loaded with cheese are moved under a fixed watering device for treatment with the brine solution, this device being a fixed part of

  the treatment plant according to the invention.

  The invention provides for the use of a mobile rack comprising a series of structural stages, at least locally permeable to the passage of the liquid from the solution which is discharged at least locally over these supports.

of cheeses.

  Preferably, each structure comprises sieves made of flexible wires and arranged near each other, in the freely suspended state. It is thus ensured that

  particular during the action of the brine, the original form

nale cheeses are preserved.

  The process according to the invention also provides the possibility of increasing the capacity of the brine tank system by depositing the moving or stationary racks.

  and the watering devices above the tanks. The fro-

  The mages are then impregnated with the brine solution

  tanks, which, after conditioning, is pumped

  by the watering system above the racks.

  The application of the process according to the invention allows the use of a relatively small amount of brine solution, whereby the brine solution can be maintained in the desired condition.

  concentration of cooking salt, in temperature, concentration

  Calcium content, pH value, and purity or clarity.

  Since, in addition, the liquid on the cheeses is continuously renewed, absorption is achieved.

  fast and uniform salt in cheeses.

  Tests carried out with this method have shown a considerable saving of time compared to traditional methods. In addition, this process gives the possibility to give the whole production of a day exactly the

  same duration of treatment, while it is also possible

  to make the process automatically discontinuous at all

desired moment.

  According to a variant of the process according to the invention

  In the same way, treatment with agents which penetrate the crust of the cheese, which may or may not be soluble in water, is applied simultaneously with the treatment with a brine solution by watering, such as agents which are not soluble in water.

  are not normally contained in the brine solution.

  In a particular way of applying the procedure

  In accordance with the invention, a treatment is applied with at least one insoluble agent in the water penetrating the crust of the cheese, simultaneously with the brine solution treatment. Thus, for example, the usual surface treatment with fungicides, such as sorbates and natamycin, which is often carried out after the brine treatment by applying a coating on the crust of the cheese, such as a cheese plastic, can be combined with the brine treatment according to the invention, by incorporating the fungicidal product in the brine solution itself, the additional surface treatment

habitual being deleted.

  In the processes of the prior art, such a combination of treatment with brine with the treatment

  insoluble agents has raised

  because these agents do not form a stable suspension with the brine solution. This problem

  does not arise with the process according to the invention.

  The process of the invention can be applied with a lower investment capital than that which is

  need for the application of other known methods.

  In the process of the invention, the cheeses can

  may be placed on racks of the type described in Dutch patent application No 77 00794 or in sieves

  such as those described in the application for patent

  Dutch vet No 73 13365 or any other medium such as

  those described in Swiss Patents Nos. 494,529 and 488,391.

  Such racks, screens, mats or the like may be mounted in frames of wood, metal, or plastic that can be placed by hand on a transport wagon. In addition, they can be mounted on trolleys or on transport units sliding on

rails or hanging on rails.

  The process of the invention can be used for the treatment of different kinds of cheese, and for

  cheeses of varying commercial qualities.

  The invention is described in more detail below with the aid of some examples, with reference to the appended drawing.

  This drawing shows a mobile rack 1 comprising

  ten tiers of supports 2 on which, in cheese sieves 3, were placed four rows of each six cheeses. The mobile rack shown in the figure

  has been brought under spray hoses 5. Au-

  above these pipes 5 are shown deflectors

  semi-cylindrical 6 distribution of irrigation water.

Example I

  Several frames, of the same construction as the one belonging to the rack shown in the drawing are equipped with supports with cheese sieves, in which were placed commercial brand "Edam" cheeses with a weight of 1.8 kilograms. The racks thus furnished were placed under the watering installation comprising pipes of internal diameter of about 7 centimeters, which are provided on their upper part with perforations of 5 millimeters in diameter. Above these tubes

  find the semi-cylindrical baffles made of sheet steel.

  The racks consisted of ten superposed rows of supports comprising four longitudinal rows of six

cheeses each.

  The flowing brine was collected on the

  expensive rack housing, made of material resistant to the action of salt, and in which were formed channels or channels ending in a small tank, from which the brine was pumped and transmitted, through a

  heat exchanger, at the sprinkler system.

  The salt content of the cheeses was verified by the known Van der Brug process using a so-called Volhard titration, as described in the publication "Voorschriften voor het Onderzoek in de Laboratoria van Zuivelfabrieken" (Guidelines for laboratory tests in dairies), 1962 edition, pages 60 and 61 (publisher:

Royal Netherlands Federation).

  Three ways to express the salt content in cheeses are known, namely: a) calculated in relation to the weight of the cheese as such (Zk) b) calculated with respect to the dry weight of the cheese (Zdk)

  c) calculated with respect to cheese moisture (Zw).

  The relationship between these different values is expressed by the formulas given in the book "Cheese Making"

  by the National Foundation for Education.

  Food Trials, Apeldoorn, Holland, 1974, namely Zw x Wk Zk x 100 Zk x 100 Zk = Zdk = Zw = 100 - Wk Wk formulas in which Wk represents the water content of the cheese. Applying the invention in this example, the same salt content of 2.30%, expressed as Zk, was obtained in 60 hours, instead of 72 hours for the treatment

in vats.

Example

  Use of the same method as in Example I, with instead of cheese "Edam" cheese type "Gouda" subjected to treatment by sprinkling brine. Cheeses

  were sifted in sieves, and

  versalement to the axis of the rack. It has been found that salt

  was distributed in a perfectly uniform manner in the

  mages with a value of Zk equal to 2%.

Example III

  Using the same method as in Example I, instead of mobile racks, racks were used installed above an existing brine tank and supported on the edges thereof. The solution for spray treatment was taken from the tank which

contained "Edam" cheeses.

  In this process, the tank has a dual function, namely, on the one hand, that of a brine tank for cheese, and, on the other hand, a brine tank for the sprinkler system. The solution from the tank was passed through a filter, and then pumped through a heat exchanger to the sprinkler. The solution contained in the tank was tested regularly for its salt content, its pH value, and its calcium content,

  and was adjusted, if necessary, to the desired levels.

  The results obtained with cheeses watered in this manner were absolutely identical to those described in Example I.

Example IV

  The process described for Example I was followed

  as a whole, but pimaricin has been

  pension in brine in a proportion of 20 ppm.

  The brine treatment was continued for 60 hours.

  After this, the cheeses were pre-dried for 15 days and allowed to ripen. Then they were transported to the central store where they were left for 30 days. During this shopping, the cheeses

  were compared to cheeses that have been subjected to

  normally, ie with two dough coatings

  of cheese containing pimaricine.

  The results are summarized in the following table in which the characteristic indices of result are as follows: 4 = clear growth of mold = slight local growth of mold 6 = just a certain initial development of mold 7 = no development of mold Table: Development of cheeses . of mold on the crust of Directly after After treatment stay the entrance in 30 days in the central store central store A. Watering with a

solution of

  mildew containing pimaricine, not plastic 6.9 59

B. Treaties normal

7.0 6.2

Claims (10)

-R E V E N D I C AT IO N S-   A process for the treatment of cheeses with brine, wherein after pressing the curd composition into suitable molds and removing the cheeses formed, they are subjected to a treatment with a brine solution for a predetermined time, then pre-dried and subjected to a maturing process, characterized in that the treatment with brine is carried out by   watering the brine solution over the cheeses.   Process according to Claim 1, characterized in that, directly after the pressing and the mold outlet, the cheeses are placed in mobile racks comprising a series of support structure stages at   less locally permeable to liquid, the solution of   sprinkling over the placed cheeses on the floors.   3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized in that the racks with cheeses placed on them are moved and brought under a fixed watering plant provided for treatment with the solution brine.   4. Process according to any one of the claims   1 to 3, characterized in that after the treatment with the brine solution, the cheeses are transported,   allowed to dry and allowed to ripen, in the racks themselves. same.   5. Process according to any one of the claims   1 to 4, characterized in that the cheeses are placed in racks comprising means for watering   with the brine solution over the cheeses.   6. Process according to any one of the claims   1 to 5, characterized in that, simultaneously with the treatment with brine solution by sprinkling, a treatment is applied with agents penetrating the crust of the cheese, which agents may be soluble or insoluble in water, and consisting of ingredients not   normally contained in the brine solution.   7. A process according to claim 6, characterized in that simultaneously with the sprinkling treatment with the brine solution is applied a treatment with at least one water-insoluble agent, penetrating the cheese crust.   8. Process according to one of claims 6 and 7,   characterized in that the agent penetrating the crust of the cheese is a fungicidal product.   9. Installation for the application of the process   according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized   rised by a mobile rack (1) comprising a series of steps   of supports (2) of at least locally permeable structure   liquid, and means (5-6) for watering with a   brine solution at least locally over these ges.   10. Installation according to claim 9,   characterized in that each support comprises a screen (3) made of flexible wires, these screens being arranged side by side at the state freely suspended.