GB2082890A - Preparation of simulated cheese - Google Patents

Abstract

A cheese like food product closely resembling a bland flavored cheese is prepared with the major or substantially sole protein source being dry rennet casein. A fat, constituent, water and minor amounts of a calcium sequestering agent e.g. sodium citrate and optionally lactic acid are commingled in a mixing zone and thereafter the dry rennet casein is added while the mixture is agitated until fully hydrated and the fat emulsified. Thereafter the emulsion is heated, minor ingredients added, and the product is cooled and packaged. Also disclosed is a process for hydrating amounts of dry rennet casein in excess of 10% by weight of the water available by mixing the casein with water in the presence of a calcium sequestering agent.

Description

SPECIFICATION Preparation of simulated cheese The present invention relates to a novel food product and process of manufacture thereof: and more specifically relates to a simulated cheese, e.g. a cheese resembling mozzarella cheese, having dry rennet casein as its principle protein ingredient, and a process for commingling the ingredients and hydrating the dry rennet casein.

Cheese has traditionally and historically been manufactured from the milk of cows, goats, sheep and other animals. Because of dietary problems and also the cost of natural milk there have been many 'substitute products developed which resemble cheese and are known as cheese analogs, imitiation cheese, filled cheese and simulated cheese, and which use non-milk ingredients and/or certain milk derivative or milk by-products. (Imitation cheese utilizing fat derived from a non-dairy source is sometimes referred to as a "filled cheese".) Such products have been developed using vegetable or animal fats substituted for milk fats, and/or vegetable or animal protein substituted for milk protein.

Often the substituted ingredients have characteristic flavors that are imparted to the simulated product and which are not typical of the cheese being simulated. In some instances those characteristic flavors have been overcome by the addition of certain ingredients such as salt and artificial flavorings including strong cheese flavor material.

However, where the cheese to be simulated normally has a bland or mild flavor, such as mozzarella cheese, it has not been effective to mask the characteristic flavors of substitute ingredients.

For example, there have been a number of simulated cheeses which utilize either acid casein or a caseinate as all or a major part of the protein source. U.S. patent No. 4,016,298 to Kasik, et al. teaches the production of a "cheese extender" from neutralized acid casein (about 25 percent of the ingredients) first mixed with a vegetable fat and then water and other ingredients including salt, lactic acid and lipolyzed oils to resemble mozzarella cheese. Also, U.S. PATENT No. 4,110,484 to Rule, et al. teaches the production of an imitation cheese from dry caseinates (about 25.5% of the ingredients) mixed with vegetable oil and water, an acidulant (such as lactic acid) and flavorings to resemble mozzarella cheese.

It is notable that Rule, et al. suggest the prior imitation cheeses have included about 1 5-33% protein ingredients (caseinates).

While these examples of prior art result in nutritious products it is believed that their resemblance to mozzarella cheese is mainly in the physical consistency of the product rather than flavor which is noticeably affected by the typical characteristics of acid casein (dependent on the acid used) and caseinates (a yluey-casein flavor) and not completely overcome by the added flavor ingredients. Indeed, the flavor ingredients themselves are not typical of the traditional and desirable bland flavor found in good mozzarella cheese.

Also, the acid casein and caseinate ingredients impart other physical characteristics that are foreign to mozzarella cheese and which may be undesirable where the product is employed with other foods. For instance, mozzarella cheese is often used.as a topping that melts smoothly while retaining its natural light color when making pizza. However, imitation cheese employing caseinates are found to have a tendency to puff and brown when cooked on a pizza crust.

Moreover, the mechanical handling of caseinates poses some problems as they tend to be very light and dusty (being less dense than milk powder). Yet, both caseinates and acid casein are relatively soluble in water when mixed in appropriate equipment and, therefore, are easy to hydrate and mix with the other ingredients required to make a simulated cheese.

Prior to the present invention dry rennet casein was not regarded as a suitable protein source for simulated cheese because of an extreme difficulty in hydrating the material. Indeed, as disclosed in U.S.

patent No. 4,096,586 to Badertscher, et al. the preparation of no more than a 10% solution of rennet casein in water requires hydration for ten minutes and adjustment of pH with addition of a citrate and phosphate solubilizing agent. However, as noted before, imitation cheese requires protein well in excess of that amount. Yet the known bland flavor and low cost of rennet casein would make it an ingredient of choice for simulated cheese. Nevertheless, prior to the present invention it has not been known to so employ rennet casein as a major protein source in such a food product. See also Roeper J.

"High-Calcium Phosphate Casein Products For Use In Food Systems", New Zealand Journal of Dairy Science,and Technology, 1976.

In general, the present invention provides a simulated cheese composition comprising an edible fat, water and in excess of 10% of the weight of said composition of a dry rennet casein as the principle protein source and minor amounts of at least one calcium sequestering agent. The protein content of the composition is preferably 1 5% or more, e.g. in the range of about 1 5-33%, of the weight of the cheese product.

The dry rennet casein preferably provides more than 15% e.g. more than 20% and most desirably about 22% of the product weight. The remainder of the product is suitably made up of a suitable oil or fat amounting to about 1235% of the product by weight, water amounting to about 4050% preferably 4549% by weight, and minor amounts of sodium citrate, lactic acid and other food additive materials including salt.

The invention includes a process for the manufacture of a simulated cheese composition said process comprising: hydrating dry rennet casein in an amount in excess of 10% of the product weight by agitating same in water in the presence of at least one calcium sequestering agent; emulsifying the water and hydrated casein with a fat; heating the emulsion; and cooling the product.

Preferably minor amounts of sodium citrate and lactic acid are first dissolved in the water. the rennet casein is then added in the presence of the oil or fat ingredient and the mixture is agitated for several minutes while heated. The remaining ingredients are then added and mixed while further heating the product; and the warm mixture is packaged and cooled.

The invention includes a process for hydrating amounts of dry rennet casein in excess of 10% by weight of the water available which process comprises mixing dry rennet casein with water in the presence of at least one calcium sequestering agent.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of illustration.

Incorporation of dry rennet casein as the major and preferably sole protein ingredient in simulated cheese is highly advantageous because of the very bland flavor characteristic of that material. Thus, nearly any type of cheese may be simulated because the other principle ingredients, water and fat, may readily be obtained with very little if any flavor, and the desired product flavor and cost may be constructed from relatively smaller amounts of flavor contributing materials rather than relatively larger amounts of flavor materials chosen to suppress or mask the protein ingredient.

Simulated cheese of pH 5.1-6.0 and having the following composition ranges may be produced: Salt O to 2.5% Moisture 40 to 60% Fat 1 5 to 40% Protein 1 5 to 33% The protein range of the foregoing product will include at least 10% to 33% from rennet casein and the remainder not exceeding 15% may be from other sources, such as calcium caseinate, and sodium caseinate, and combinations thereof, potassium caseinate, magnesium caseinate, lactic acid casein, and hydrochloric acid casein. The fat component may be chosen from a variety of animal and vegetable sources, and combinations thereof which are bland in flavor and have a Wiley melting point of up to 135. The melting point characteristic of the fat chosen will affect the relative softness or firmness of the resulting cheese.It is preferred that the fat be largely a hydrogenated vegetable fat having a Wiley melting point of 118-122, although up to about 10% of the fat may be taken from other sources including butter fat which is sometimes desirable to impart flavor, texture, mouth feel and melt control.

Additional minor amounts of calcium sequestering agents, preferably about 1.75% (ranging from 1.03%) hydrous sodium citrate and about .26% (ranging from 0.00.5%) anhydrous citric acid are used in the manufacturing procedure and will be present in the final product. Also, about 1.05% (ranging from 0.751.5%) lactic acid is utilized to maintain pH 5.4-5.7. Other acidulents as acetic acid, phosphoric acid, etc., and combinations of acids may be used for that purpose. Additional ingredients in minor amounts, largely for taste and preservative properties, may be incorporated including lipolized cream, sorbic acid and, if desired, other commercially available artificial flavor vitamin and mineral fortifiers.

Unlike the production of natural cheese, the manufacture of a simulated cheese need not involve the loss of liquids. That is, there need not be an expression of whey or other liquid during formation of a curd. And there need not be any significant time consuming ripening of the product. Instead, in the manufacture of simulated cheese in accordance with the present invention, substantially all of the ingredients including water introduced during the manufacturing process will be retained in the final product; and the product is immediately ready for consumption after cooling.

The manufacturing process is essentially one of mixing and cooking to produce a stable emulsion of the ingredients. The formation of a water and oil or fat emulsion aided by food emulsifiers has not been a problem. However, it has been necessary to first solubilize the protein ingredient in the liquid phase before forming the emulsion. Thus, heretofore the protein ingredient has been limited to those known to be highly soluble or easily dispersed and suspended in water. Dry rennet casein has not heretofore met that requirement.Moreover, it has been found that the nature of the emulsion, possibly the degree to which the casein is broken up and distributed, has a bearing on the texture and body of the final product It has now been discovered that relatively great amounts of dry rennet casein, in excess of 10% of the water phase, may be hydrated and well dispersed by agitating the mixture in the presence of a minor amount of a calcium sequestering agent (i.e. an agent for sequestering calcium). Sodium citrate is a sequestering agent of choice and is of additional advantage as it remains present to later act as an emulsifying agent. Hydration and dispersion of the dry rennet casein is further enhanced by the addition of a small amount of citric acid which has been found, in combination with sodium citrate, to serve as a stronger sequestering agent than sodium citrate alone. However, the amount of citric acid is critical to the texture of the final simulated cheese product in that it has also been found that increased amounts of citric acid will reduce or eliminate the chewy texture that is desired when simulating mozzarella cheese. As previously indicated the amount of sodium citrate should range from 1 .0-3.0% and citric acid may range from 0.0-0.5% of the product mix.

Accordingly, the preferred procedure is to first introduce a portion of the water into a mixing zone and dissolve therein about 1.75% of sodium citrate (by weight based on the total product batch) along with about .26% anhydrous citric acid (if desired). The precise amounts of sodium citrate and citric acid will largely depend on the texture desired in the end product and should be established in trial batches. Also, ,about 1.05% lactic acid (88%) is added as an acidulent to obtain a pH of about 5.5-5.7 which will hinder bacteria growth (without the addition of lactic acid the product would have a pH of about 6.5 which would be conducive to bacteria growth).

More water is added and the dry rennet casein is added while moderately agitating the mixture and blending is continued for about five minutes or until the casein is completely hydrated and dispersed. The amount of water may be the balance of total requirements or it may be somewhat less if the product is to be subsequently heated by direct steam injection.

The hydrated rennet casein-water mixture is then cooked, preferably by direct steam injection to 165-1 700F.

Preferably the preceding steps are conducted in the presence of most of the selected fat or oil ingredient. That is prior to the introduction of dry rennet casein the fat or oil, with the possible exception of a small amount of butterfat materials, is placed in the mixing zone whereby during agitation of the mixture and hydration of the casein an initial emulsion is formed aided by the emulsifying properties of the sodium citrate and the casein itself.

After the initial emulsion is raised to 1 65-1 700 F. the remaining ingredients, if any, such as sorbic acid, lipolized cream, color, flavor vitamin and mineral supplements, but excluding salt, are added and the mixture reheated to 165-1 700 F. during further agitation.

Salt (sodium chloride) in an amount of about 1% to 2% is blended into the emulsion last after reheating the mixture. The sequence of this step may be related to the mixing and cooking equipment employed and is significant to the ease with which the product may be mixed during cooking. It has been found that if salt is added earlier while using a Damrow cooker (according to the following example) the product becomes very heavy and difficult to mix during cooking.

The completed product is then formed in package shape while plastic, and cooled to an internal temperature of about 450F. in less than 24 hours and preferably as rapidly as possible.

A specific example of this preferred production of a simulated mozzarella cheese is as follows: EXAMPLE A Damrow horizontal cooker (570 Ib. capacity), was prepared for operation and the following quantities of ingredients assembled: Ingredient Weight -- Ibs. % By Weight Rennet Casein 120.00 22.27 (New Zealand 30 mesh) Water 215.75 37.86 s Sodium Citrate, Hydrous 10.00 1.75 Citric Acid, Anhydrous 1.50 .26 Lactic Acid (88%) 6.00 1.05 Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat 140.00 24.56 (Swift Cream brand partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil) Plastic Cream 80% Butterfat 17.00 2.98 (standardized product) Lipolized Cream 5.50 .98 (Miles L 22 brand) Sorbic Acid 1.00 .18 Salt 8.00 1.40 Artificial Flavors .80 .14 Vitamin-Mineral Fortifier .41 .07 (Hoffmann-LaRoche) In addition to the foregoing materials 37 Ibs. (6.5%) of water in the form of steam condensate (added to the batch by direct steam injection heating) is allowed for in caiculating the total batch.

The vegetable fat is in a plastic form and is first added to the Damrow cooker and the auger run at moderate speed to seal the cooker discharge with the fat. This has been found helpful in preventing the formation of casein clumps at the discharge end of the cooker where auger agitation is poor.

About 12% (25 Ib.) of the water is introduced into the cooker and all of the sodium citrate, citric acid and lactic acid is added and dissolved therein. The balance of the liquid water is then added. The auger is operated at moderate speed and all of the dry rennet casein is slowly added and blended for about 5 minutes to full hydration. Steam is injected while auger continues to run and until the mix reaches 1650--1700F. Thereafter, the steam is turned off and the sorbic acid, plastic creams, lipolized cream, color, flavor and vitamin-mineral materials are added while the mass is agitated; and the mixture is reheated to 1 65-1 700 F. by steam injection.

The salt is then blended into the mix. The warm product has a heavy bread dough like texture and a rich cream color. There are no signs of free oil, yet the product will release from the equipment easily.

The warm product is divided into blocks weighing about 5, 20 and 40 pounds and cooled to 450F.

within 24 hours.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. A simulated cheese composition comprising an edible fat, water and in excess of 10% of the weight of said composition of a dry rennet casein as the principle protein source and minor amounts of at least one calcium sequestering agent.

2. A composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said dry rennet casein is present in excess of 15% of the weight of said composition.

3. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the said dry rennet casein is the only source of protein.

4. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or a calcium sequestering agent present is sodium citrate.

5. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim having a bland flavor.

6. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the edible fat is substantially made up by hydrogenated vegetable fat having a wiley melting point of 118 to 122.

7. A simulated cheese composition substantially as hereinbefore described in the example.

8. A process for the manufacturing of a simulated cheese composition said process comprising: hydrating dry rennet casein in an amount in excess of 10% of the product weight by agitating same in water in the presence of at least one calcium sequestering agent; emulsifying the water and hydrated casein with a fat; heating the emulsion; and cooling the product.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8 wherein salt is added to the mixture.

10. A process as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the dry rennet casein is in excess of 15% of the product weight.

11. A process as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the dry rennet casein is the only protein source in the product.

12. A process as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein the calcium sequestering agent present is sodium citrate.

1 3. A process as claimed in claim 12 wherein the calcium sequestering agent is sodium citrate in an amount of from 1.0 to 3.0 /0 of the product mix, and wherein the sodium citrate and an amount of lactic acid to result in a product of pH 5.5-5.7 are added to a major portion of the water prior to the introduction of the dry rennet casein.

14. A process as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13 wherein the fat is present during the hydration of dry rennet casein in water.

1 5. A process for making a simulated cheese composition substantially as hereinbefore described in the Example.

1 6. A simulated cheese product produced by a method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to

1 5.

1 7. A process for hydrating amounts of dry rennet casein in excess of 10% by weight of the water available which process comprises mixing dry rennet casein with water in the presence of at least one calcium sequestering agent.