JP2816315B2 - Cheese curd manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously producing cheese curd used for producing various kinds of cheese.
More specifically, a reaction of acid generation by a lactic acid bacterium starter necessary for the production of cheese curd and coagulation by a milk-clotting enzyme (conversion of kappa casein to para-kappa casein)
The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously producing cheese curd from concentrated milk by ultrafiltration without requiring a time to cause the production of cheese curd.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cheese curd has been prepared by adding a lactic acid bacterium starter and a milk-clotting enzyme to milk, and utilizing their respective functions. However, the preparation method requires rigorous card making conditions and skill specific to each type of cheese. In addition, there is a problem that so-called card making from the addition of a lactic acid bacterium starter or a curdling enzyme to the curdling-type filling takes a long time. In order to mass-produce curd, batch production by large-scale equipment such as a cheese vat is required. For this reason, attempts to use concentrated milk or ultrafiltered milk have been proposed in the past, but have not solved the above-mentioned problems.

[0003] By the way, production of cheese using ultrafiltration-treated milk has been attempted in France. This method involves adding a lactic acid bacterium starter and a milk-clotting enzyme to ultrafiltration milk, and sequentially preparing the milk in a plurality of containers. It has been disclosed that continuity has been achieved by a small batch continuous system for solidifying and discharging, or a belt conveyor system for conveying at a speed commensurate with the solidifying time (Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-501932). The production of curd by a direct acidification method in which an acid is added to milk is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-37829.

[0004]

The above-mentioned method which has been tried in France is time-consuming because the lactic acid bacterium starter and the milk-clotting enzyme are added to the ultrafiltered milk. The direct acidification method in which an acid is added is not suitable for continuation since it is necessary to allow the curd to stand at the time of heating when the curd is generated. In view of the above problems in the method of preparing cheese curd, the present applicant has previously prepared a method of preparing cheese curd (Japanese Patent Application No. 61-241972, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-48218).
No.).

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cheese curd manufacturing apparatus created to solve the problems found in conventional cheese preparation methods using a lactic acid bacterium starter and a milk-clotting enzyme. The purpose of the cheese curd is that it does not require the reaction (cultivation) time of a lactic acid bacterium starter and the action time of a milk-clotting enzyme for the production of curd essential for conventional cheese preparation, and is used for various cheeses from concentrated milk. In other words, an object of the present invention is to provide a specific apparatus for carrying out the above-mentioned method for preparing a cheese curd filed by the present applicant.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a tank provided with an inlet for warm water for heating concentrated milk, and an outlet for cheese curd solidified by warm water and an outlet for warm water. On the other hand, a configuration is adopted in which the opening end of a nozzle for ejecting concentrated milk is positioned below the hot water inlet. The nozzle for ejecting the concentrated milk has a narrow opening or a porous body, and the nozzle for ejecting the concentrated milk has a cooling layer or a heat insulating layer around its flow path. And a straightening plate device is arranged below an inlet of hot water for heating the concentrated milk. Further, the U-shaped outflow pipe connected to the outlet of the hot water tank is configured such that an opening end for discharging hot water and cheese curd is at the same height as or higher than the hot water tank. I have.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a cheese curd manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the cheese curd manufacturing apparatus of the present invention comprises a hot water tank (a) into which hot water flows in and out, and a jet nozzle (b) for jetting concentrated milk into the hot water tank (a). It is composed of The hot water inlet (1) for the hot water tank (a) is opened to the tank body (2) on the upper wall (3) deviated from the vertical center line (x)-(x). Although not shown, the inflow port (1) is connected to a stored hot water tank. The hot water outlet (4)
It protrudes downward from the position of the center line (x)-(x) following the inclined bottom surface portion (5) of the tank body (2).

On the upper wall (3) of the tank body (2), an ejection nozzle (b) for ejecting concentrated milk (m) is located at the position of the center line (x)-(x). ). The open end (6) of the jet nozzle (b) is always open even if the open end (7) of the hot water inlet (1) protrudes inward from the upper wall (3). It is provided below the opening end (7). The above-mentioned jet nozzle (b) has an opening end (6) at its lower end in a narrow slit shape or a porous shape, and has a cooling fluid around the flow path (8) of the concentrated milk (m). The layer (9) or the heat insulating layer is surrounded. Shown is a cooling layer (9) through which cooling water (10) circulates. The hot water outlet (4) on the center line (x)-(x) together with the hot water (h) in the tank body (2) and the cheese curd (n) molded in this hot water (h) and Since the whey flows out, the diameter of the flowing water is larger than that of the inlet (1). The thing shown in FIG. 2 is that the ejection nozzle (b ′) of the concentrated milk (m) has a porous open end (6 ′), and the other structure is the same as that of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, a hot water flow straightening plate (c) device is provided below the hot water inlet (1).
As shown in FIG. 3, the current plate (c) device has (a) a large through-hole (1) depending on the size of the through-hole through which the hot water (h) passes.
1 ₁₎ of the rectifying plate (c _1), is constructed from (rectifying plate B) NakaToruana (11 ₂₎ (c _2), the rectifying plate (c ₃ (iii) ShoToruana (11 _3)), These holes are concentric,
In addition, they are arranged in a vertical and horizontal order. By such a current plate (c ₁ ), (c ₂ ), (c ₃ ), the inflow port (1)
The hot water (h) flowing from the rectifier plate (c ₁ )
It is refracted by (c ₂ ), and its flow is rectified and descends in a still water state without waving.
The hot water (h) flow straightening plate (c) device is not limited to three as described above, and various sizes and arrangements of through holes can be considered. The opening of the hot water inlet (1) may be a side wall between the upper wall (3) and the current plate (c ₁ ).

As shown in FIG. 4, a U-shaped outflow pipe (d) is connected to the outflow port (4) of the tank body (2). The outflow pipe (d) has a U-shaped end that is at the same height as or above the tank body (2) and has an open end (1).
2) is open downward. Tank body (2)
The hot water (h) inlet (1) is connected to the upper storage tank (not shown) as described above. A mesh plate (e) is obliquely provided below the opening (12), and the warm water (h) and whey flowing out from the opening (12) of the outflow pipe (d) are filtered by the mesh plate (e). Through which the cheese curd (n) is collected by the mesh plate (e). Instead of the mesh plate (e), a mesh conveyor may be used.

The conditions for operating the apparatus of the present invention, that is, the concentrated milk (m) ejected from the ejection nozzle (b) of the apparatus of the present invention into the warm water (h) of the tank body (2) are as follows. Is prepared. First, the milk is sterilized, cooled, and then concentrated by ultrafiltration or the like to obtain a concentrated milk of 2 to 6 times. Next, the concentrated milk is cooled to 10 ° C. or lower, and then an acid such as lactic acid or citric acid is added to adjust the pH to 4.8 to 5.8. The concentrated milk prepared as described above is immediately jetted from the jet nozzle (b) of the apparatus of the present invention to the hot water (h) in the hot water tank (a). Tank body (2) of this hot water tank (a)
Is supplied with hot water at 45 to 95 ° C. from a hot water inlet (1) connected to an upper storage tank (not shown), and a U-shaped outlet pipe (d) from a lower outlet (4). It is designed to flow through.

Low-temperature concentrated milk (m) ejected from a slit or porous opening (6) at the tip through an ejection nozzle (b) into hot water (h) at 45 to 95 ° C. in a tank body (2). Is instantaneously heated in contact with hot water (h), concentrated milk (m) is instantaneously solidified to produce cheese curd (n), and this cheese curd (n) has finished heat exchange. The hot water (h ′) and the whey are discharged to the outside through the upper opening (12) through the U-shaped outflow pipe (d) together with the whey. At this time, the hot water (h ') and whey are collected downward through the filter of the mesh plate (e), and the cheese curd (n) is collected by the mesh plate (e).

When the concentrated milk (m) is heated in warm water (h), it is necessary that the time required for the temperature rise be short. In the apparatus of the present invention, the concentrated milk (m) is diluted with warm water (h) to cause poor coagulation or to cause the curd to be dispersed into fine particles. The contact area between the low-temperature concentrated milk (m) ejected and the hot water (h) is widened by forming the opening (6) at the tip end into a slit having a width of several mm or arranging a large number of nozzles having a small diameter. We try to increase the exchange rate.

The jet nozzle (b) has an opening (6) at its tip projecting into the tank body (2). This is located below the hot water inlet (1) and is ), The concentrated milk (m) needs to be ejected to the place where the hot water (h) is rectified through the rectifying plate (c) device, that is, the position below the rectifying plate (c) device. Because. As described above, the fact that the ejection nozzle (b) protrudes into the tank body (2) means that this protruding portion is heated by the warm water in the tank body (2),
Since there is a possibility that the concentrated milk (m) solidifies in the ejection nozzle (b) and blocks the inside of the nozzle, the periphery of the flow path (8) of the ejection nozzle (b) is used as a cooling layer (9) to form a cooling water. (1
0) is circulated to prevent the temperature in the flow path (8) from rising. The cooling layer (9) may be a heat insulating layer surrounded by a heat insulating material.

Below the hot water (h) inlet (1) provided on the upper wall (3) of the tank body (2), three flow straightening plates (c) having through holes different in size from large, medium, and small in sequence. _1), (c _2),
(C ₃ ) is refracted and flows, and the large, medium, and small holes (11
₁ ), (11 ₂ ) and (11 ₃ ) are sequentially passed, so that the flow of the hot water (h) from the inflow port (1) is rectified. The hot water (h) and the heat-exchanged hot water (h ′) are supplied from a storage tank (not shown),
Filling the tank body (2) and the U-shaped outflow pipe (d),
The position of the opening (12) at the end of the outflow pipe (d) is above the tank body (2). However, by setting the position of the opening (12) above the tank body (2), the tank can be easily formed. The inside of the main body (2) can be filled with warm water (h). With these structures, concentrated milk (m) from the jet nozzle (b)
Squirt into the warm water (h) becomes stable, and a homogeneous cheese curd (n) is obtained. When a spiral pipe or a cushion tank is used instead of the U-shaped outflow pipe (d) connected to the outlet (4) of the hot water tank body (2), the hot water tank body (2) By adjusting the inflow amount of the hot water (h) with respect to the water and the discharge amount from the spiral tube, the cushion tank, and the like, care is taken so that the hot water (h) in the hot water tank body (2) does not fluctuate. There is a need.

[0016]

According to the cheese curd manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, concentrated milk is ejected to a tank provided with an inlet and an outlet for warm water for heating the concentrated milk below the inlet of the warm water. The concentrated milk prepared in advance is ejected into the hot water in the tank body with the ejection nozzle, so that the concentrated milk is instantaneously exchanged with heat. Is coagulated to produce a cheese curd. This is because it does not require the reaction (cultivation) time of the lactic acid bacterium starter and the action time of the milk-clotting enzyme, which are essential for the production of curd in conventional cheese production.
A cheese curd used for various cheeses can be easily produced from concentrated milk in a short time. This can be accomplished continuously and in a short time by automating the production of cheese curd, which has traditionally relied on manual work, and uniform cheese quality and low cost can be easily achieved.

By locating the open end of the concentrated milk jet nozzle below the hot water inlet to the hot water tank, concentrated milk is spouted where disturbance due to the inflow of hot water is reduced. Quality is equalized in card generation. Furthermore, since the flow straightening device is disposed below the hot water inlet, the inflowing hot water is rectified in the flowing water, and a U-shaped outflow pipe is connected to the outlet of the hot water tank. Since the height of the hot water tank is equal to or higher than that of the hot water tank, the inside of the hot water tank body is completely filled with hot water, and a higher quality cheese curd can be obtained without generating unnecessary turbulence under the flow of concentrated milk.

Further, since the concentrated milk jet nozzle is provided with a cooling layer or a heat insulating layer around its flow path despite being projected into the warm water of the tank body, the concentrated milk in the flow path is not provided. Milk does not clog and block the nozzle. Furthermore, since the concentrated milk ejection nozzle is configured with a narrow slit or a porous body at the opening end, the concentrated milk to be ejected has a large contact area with hot water, and heat exchange between the concentrated milk and the hot water. The rate is higher, the condensation is faster and the production efficiency of cheese curd is better.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a relationship between a hot water tank and a concentrated milk nozzle in the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 1 except that the opening end of the ejection nozzle is different.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are plan views of each rectifying plate constituting the rectifying plate device. FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the whole in which a U-shaped outflow pipe is connected to an outlet at the lower end of the hot water tank.

[Explanation of symbols]

a Hot water tank b Spout nozzle c Rectifier plate d Outflow pipe e Mesh plate h Hot water m Condensed milk n Cheese card xx Center line 1 Inlet 2 Tank body 3 Top wall 4 Outlet 5 Inclined bottom part 6 Opening 7 Opening 8 Flow Road 9 Cooling layer 10 Cooling water 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , 11 ₃ Through-hole 12 Opening

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A23C 1/00-23/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A concentrated milk is spouted below a hot water inlet into a tank having an inlet for warm water for heating the concentrated milk, and an outlet for a cheese curd solidified by the warm water and an outlet for the warm water. An apparatus for producing a cheese curd, characterized in that an opening end of a nozzle for performing the operation is positioned. 2. The cheese curd producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle for ejecting the concentrated milk has a narrow slit or a porous body at an open end. 3. The cheese curd according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle for ejecting the concentrated milk has a flow path surrounded and bent by a cooling layer or a heat insulating layer. Manufacturing equipment. 4. The cheese curd producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a current plate is provided below an inlet of hot water for heating the concentrated milk. 5. The U-shaped outflow pipe connected to the outlet of the hot water tank has an open end for discharging hot water and cheese curd at the same height as or higher than the hot water tank. The cheese curd manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cheese curd is manufactured as follows.