GB858340A - Improvements in or relating to cheese making - Google Patents

Abstract

858,340. Cheese. TRIGGS, W. W. (Ched-OMatic Corporation). May 8, 1959, No. 15839/59. Class 84. To a suspension of curds in whey intially having an acid content of between 0À16 and 0À25% and a temperature favourable to acid development, pressure is applied and increased while removing whey from the suspension, and the amount and rate of increase in pressure is correlated to the rate of acid development in such manner as to achieve a reduction in moisture content to between 35 and 40% and an increase in acid content to between 0À50 and 0À80% The amount and rate of increase in pressure may be correlated to achieve an increase in acid content to between 0À60 and 0À75% in at least 130 minutes. Drained curds are delivered through a filling pipe 13 into a whey expulsion press 10 for applying controlled pressure to the curds, having a perforated bottom plate 20 for draining off the whey upon downward movement of a hydraulically actuated platen 11 ; whey is expelled also by flowing through the screens 16, 19 of the platen into a chamber 17 from which it is siphoned out. In the loading position of the press the perforations 21 in the plate 20 are sealed against any substantial leakage of whey by upstanding plugs 23 provided on a vertically movable plate 22 which is lowered prior to the application of pressure from the platen. During the pressing, periodic or continuous acidity determinations are made to complete the rate of acid development with the moisture content. After expulsion of the whey, the plate 22 is raised to close the perforations 21 and a hydraulic cylinder 31 is actuated to advance a horizontal knife member and partition 30 through the pressed curd ; a vertical knife 36 is elevated by hydraulic cylinders 37, Fig. 3 (not shown), to its upper, retracted position, an extension piston 32 is advanced several inches, and the knife 37 is thereupon lowered to cut off a block of pressed curd 39. The sequence of operations is repeated until the entire curd block in the press has been extruded, cut and deposited on the conveyer 40. The blocks of curd are passed under a hood maintained at 98-102‹F., are flattened by a series of four rollers, shredded, washed by a spray of water at 100‹F., are deposited in a brine solution at 90-110‹F. having a salt concentration of at least 5% and are removed from the brine by a screw " conveyer " when a salt concentration in the curd of 1À5-2À0% has been achieved, e.g. after one minute, Fig. 5 (not shown). In an alternative embodiment Fig. 6, (not shown), the shredded curd is sprayed with saturated brine.