MX2010014476A

MX2010014476A - Apparatus and method for producing a strip of spun cheese by means of negative pressure.

Info

Publication number: MX2010014476A
Application number: MX2010014476A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Daniel David Chavez Valdez; Emilio Mendez Merino
Original assignee: Sigma Alimentos Sa De Cv
Priority date: 2010-12-21
Filing date: 2010-12-21
Publication date: 2012-06-21
Also published as: WO2012087102A3; WO2012087102A2

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing strips of spun cheese from a paste of hot cheese. The apparatus is formed by: a hopper for housing the hot cheese paste; at least one nozzle connected at the lower part of the hopper; a vacuum chamber hermetically connected to the nozzle in order to generate a negative pressure that stretches the hot cheese paste in order to form a strip of spun cheese as it passes through the nozzle; and a container of cold liquid, connected to the vacuum chamber in order to receive the strip of spun cheese. The method consists in: supplying the hot cheese paste to at least one nozzle; by means of negative pressure, stretching the hot cheese paste through the nozzle in order to form a strip of spun cheese; and cooling the strip of spun cheese as it leaves the nozzle.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PREPARING A STRIP OF CHEESE THREADED BY NEGATIVE PRESSURE TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the manufacture of spun cheese, better known by its term in Italian as "pasta filata", more particularly it refers to an apparatus and method that facilitates the processing of a strip of spun cheese by the use of negative pressure .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Spun or filata cheeses are cheeses in which the curds are worked to develop a fiber or texture in the form of a strand, this characteristic can be explained by the structural arrangement that the casein molecules undergo when subjecting the paste to high temperatures and mechanical work, which is developed during the kneading, and the rise of temperature by the supply of hot water.

The continuous action of the kneading, either mechanical or manual, to which the paste is subjected, guides and aligns the proteins, which favors the establishment of chemical bonds of different nature between the contiguous molecules of the aligned proteins, an example of which they are the hydrogen bridges that will keep them together.

Subsequently, the already stabilized cheese paste is stretched to form cheese strips, which are usually rolled into balls or skeins to give the cheese characteristic shape, for example, Oaxaca-type cheese.

In an artisanal way, said strips were obtained through manual work, which consists in handling the hot pasta with the hands and stretching until achieving strips of the desired size, obviously a job that puts at risk the health of the people dedicated to this activity, besides there is a significant reduction in the performance of the product.

The spinning of the cheese paste is important since the presentation of the finished cheese is a ball or skein that is made precisely by rolling the strip, this is the characteristic with which the cheese is identified by the final customer.

A large number of machines, devices and systems have been developed to industrialize the production process of spun cheese strips, mostly through the use of extruders.

Examples of current systems and methods for making spun cheese strips are described in the following patent documents: Meyer Matthew, in US Pat. No. 4,288,465, discloses a process for making a cheese product having longitudinal fibrous texture properties formed from a cheese capable of forming a fibrous texture when stretched, the process consisting of extruding a strip continuous of client cheese by means of a screw extruder, to which a longitudinal pulling force is continuously applied at the time of exiting the extruder through the use of a pulley mechanism to induce properties of fibrous texture to the strip as well as to reduce its cross section Then the cheese strip is cooled.

In the US patent document US-5, 792,497 to Abler, a machine for forming cheese into strips is described, this by the use of augers, which take the cheese paste to an extrusion head to transform the cheese paste In strips of cheese, the effect achieved is a string of fibrous cheese.

On the other hand, in US Patent No. 5,967,026 to Nelles, a machine that makes cheeses from a spun cheese is described, said machine has at least four chambers with hot water to cook the pasta as it passes. by them, and therefore also require hoppers, worm worms and engines to work and transport the mixture, so they are very complex because of the many parts that compose it.

The disadvantage of the techniques described above using extruders that push the hot cheese paste through extrusion heads, either by pressure exerted by augers or some other pushing mechanism, is that they give rise to strips of pasta cheese more dense with a pasty consistency and a lower fibrous or spun texture compared to the cheese strips elaborated in an artisanal way. This effect of lower fibrous texture is due to the pressure to which the cheese paste is subjected as it is extruded, which prevents the formation of fibers or texture in the form of strands.

It is therefore necessary to provide an apparatus and method for producing strips of spun cheese that avoids extrusion by thrust and thus emulates a hand-held pulling process to thereby produce a strip of cheese of fibrous consistency.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION In view of what has been described above and with the purpose of solving the constraints encountered, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste capable of forming a fibrous texture when it is stretched, the apparatus is formed by a hopper to contain the hot cheese paste, at least one nozzle connected to the bottom of the hopper, a vacuum chamber connected hermetically to the nozzle to generate a negative pressure that stretches the hot cheese paste to forming a strip of spun cheese as it passes through the nozzle, and a container with cold liquid connected to the vacuum chamber to receive the strip of spun cheese.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste capable of forming a fibrous texture when being stretched, the method consists in feeding the hot cheese paste to at least one nozzle, vacuum the hot cheese paste through the nozzle to form a strip of spun cheese, and cool the spun cheese strip as it exits the nozzle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The characteristic details of the invention are described in the following paragraphs in conjunction with the accompanying figures, which are for the purpose of defining the invention but without limiting the scope thereof.

Figure 1 illustrates a top perspective view of the front of an apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a top perspective view of a hopper embodiment of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a top perspective view of an embodiment of a nozzle holder box of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the back of an embodiment of a nozzle holder box of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention.

Figure 5 illustrates a top perspective view of an embodiment of a vacuum chamber of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention.

Figure 6 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of the vacuum chamber of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention.

Figure 7 is illustrated in a perspective view of the operation of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an apparatus and method for making a cheese strip having a longitudinal fibrous texture obtained from an almond cheese paste capable of forming a fibrous texture when it is stretched.

Figure 1 shows a top perspective view of the front of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste. The apparatus 10 is formed by a hopper 20, a nozzle holder box 30, a vacuum chamber 40 and a container 50.

The hopper 20 serves to contain the risotto cheese and is formed by a right side wall 21, a left side wall 22, a front side wall 23 and a rear side wall 24. The hopper 20 is preferably made of aluminum or stainless steel .

The nozzle box 30 houses and supports a plurality of nozzles (not shown) and is connected to the bottom of the hopper 20. The nozzle holder box 30 comprises a right side wall 31, a Left side wall 32, a front side wall 33, a rear side wall 34, a bottom wall 35 and an upper wall 36 (shown in Figure 3), in the left side wall 32 is located a hole 37 and a hole 38. The nozzle holder box 30 is preferably made of aluminum or stainless steel.

The vacuum chamber 40 is hermetically connected to the lower part of the nozzle box 30 and to their respective nozzles (they are shown). The attachment of the vacuum chamber 40 and the nozzle box 30 is carried out by means of the use of clips 70. The vacuum chamber 40 is formed by a housing 45, a vacuum pump 170 (see Figures 5 and 6) and a column of liquid (not shown).

The housing 45 is of the hollow column type formed in this embodiment by a right side wall 41, a left side wall 42, a front side wall 43 and a rear side wall 44 and which by its upper edge is hermetically connected to the lower part of the nozzle box 30. The housing 45 is of sufficient length to contain the column of liquid acting as the lower seal for the vacuum chamber 40, so that between the lower part of the nozzles (upper edge of the housing 45). ) and the level of the liquid column forms a free space to exert a negative pressure by the vacuum pump 170. The vacuum pump 170 (not shown) is hermetically connected to the housing 45 through the conduits 46, 47 and 47 'which are located above the level of the liquid column (not shown) and can be a mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or manual pump.

In the lower part of the vacuum chamber 40 is located a container 50 for receiving the strip of spun cheese being processed and for containing the liquid that acts as a lower seal for the vacuum chamber 40 and which in turn also serves for cooling the strip of spun cheese being processed. The volume of the container 50 must be greater than the sum of the volume of the liquid column inside the vacuum chamber 40 and the volume of the spun cheese strips received. The liquid contained in the container 50 is preferably cold and may be water or brine. The container 50 is preferably made of aluminum or stainless steel.

Figure 2 illustrates a top perspective view of a hopper embodiment of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention. In an embodiment of the invention, the hopper 20 has a first convection heater by circulation of hot fluid for the purpose of keeping the cheese paste contained therein warm. The first heater is formed by a jacket 15 of aluminum or stainless steel composed of a left side wall 16, a right side wall 17, a front side wall 18 and a rear side wall 19. The jacket 15 has a shape similar to the hopper 20 but of slightly smaller dimensions to be placed inside the hopper 20 and to leave a uniform clearance between the walls 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the hopper 20 and the walls 16, 17, 18 and 19 of the jacket 15 respectively. In said free space a hot fluid is circulated through holes 26 and 27 located in the side walls 21 and 22 of the hopper 20. The surrounding hot fluid in the free space between the hopper 20 and the jacket 15 can be hot water , hot air or steam. Also, instead of the first convection heater by means of hot fluid circulation, convection heater by electrical resistance or ultrasound can be used.

Now in Figures 3 and 4 there is illustrated a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of a nozzle holder box of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention. The nozzle box 30 has a plurality of larger holes 80 in its upper wall 36 and with a plurality of smaller holes 90 in its lower wall 35 (shown in Figure 4) to hold a plurality of nozzles 110. Between each larger orifice 80 and the corresponding smaller orifice 90 is positioned a nozzle 110 formed by a generally conical body with an upper end 120 and a lower end 130 such that the upper end 120 is firmly inserted in the larger orifice 80 and the lower end 130 is introduced. firmly in the smaller hole 90. The ends should be attached to the plates so that it does not come into contact with the heating means.

In one embodiment of the invention, the nozzle holder box 30 has a second convection heater by circulation of hot fluid for the purpose of keeping the nozzles 110 and the cheese paste passing through them hot. The second heater is formed by a gap between the walls 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 of the nozzle box 30 and the walls of the nozzles 110. In said free space a hot fluid is circulated through the holes 37 and 38 located in the left side wall 32 of the nozzle box 30. The surrounding hot fluid in the free space can be hot water, hot air or steam. Also, instead of the second convection heater by means of hot fluid circulation, convection heater by electrical resistance or ultrasound can be used.

In a second alternative, a heating duct 100 is located in the inner lower part of the nozzle box 30 where one of its ends is connected to the hole 38 located in the side wall 32, on the external part of the side wall 32 connects in the hole 38 one of the ends of the conduit 39, said heating conduit 100 has a plurality of small holes (not shown) which spray the hot nozzles 110 with hot fluid.

The first heater of the hopper 20 and the second heater of the nozzle box 30 can be interconnected in such a way as to take advantage of the same circulation of hot fluid.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a top perspective view and a top view of a vacuum chamber embodiment of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention. In the vacuum chamber 40 a hole 48 is located in the left side wall 42, a hole 48 'in the right side wall 41, a hole 49 in the front wall 43, a duct 47 located on the left side wall 42, a duct 46 located on the front wall 43 and a duct 47 'located on the right side wall 41, where said duct 47 is inserted in the hole 48, said duct 46 is inserted in the hole 49, said duct 47' is inserted in the hole 48 '.

Where said conduits 46, 47 and 47 'are connected at one end to the vacuum chamber 40 and at the other end to the vacuum pump 170.

In FIG. 7, the operation of the apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste according to the invention is illustrated in a perspective view. A hot cheese paste 150 is deposited in the hopper 20, in particular in the jacket 15, such that the hot cheese paste 150 feeds each of the nozzles 110 of the nozzle holder box 30. The hot cheese paste 150 It is maintained in a temperature range between 50 ° C to 70 ° C by circulating hot liquid through first heater described above.

The container 50 is filled with a sufficient quantity of liquid 165, preferably cold, which allows to form a column of liquid inside the vacuum chamber 40 and cool the spun cheese strips when they are received.

The vacuum pump 170 of the vacuum chamber 40 is operated to generate a negative pressure inside it. This negative pressure lifts a column of liquid 140 into a vacuum chamber 40 from the liquid 165 contained in the container 50 and allows the hot cheese paste 150 to be drawn through the nozzles 110. As the cheese strips are formed spun 160, these are being cooled as they pass through the liquid column 145 to reach the container 50 for collection.

The negative pressure of the vacuum chamber 40 is controlled according to the number of nozzles 110 that are running, the temperature of the hot cheese paste and the amount of cheese volume per unit time passing through the nozzles. 110 Said negative pressure generates a suction force which stretches the cheese paste 150 through the nozzles 110 thus forming the spun cheese strips 160 and providing them with a fibrous texture.

The negative pressure generates a pulling force on liquid 165 contained in the container 50, which results in the level of the liquid column 145 rising, thus shortening the distance traveled by the spun cheese strips 160 to the column of liquid 145, which is where the spun cheese strips 160 are cooled.

The liquid 165 of said liquid column 145 is kept cool by the recirculation of the liquid by known cooling systems.

The spun cheese strips 160 are removed from the container 50 either manually or automatically.

An exemplary embodiment for determining the negative pressure and the liquid column height required to make the spun cheese strip according to the present invention is illustrated in the following Table 1.

Table 1 Based on the embodiments described above, it is contemplated that modifications to these described embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments will be considered obvious to a person skilled in the art of the art under the present disclosure. It is therefore contemplated that the claims encompass said alternative embodiments that are within the scope of the present invention or their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste capable of forming a fibrous texture when stretched, characterized in that it comprises: a hopper for containing said hot cheese paste; at least one nozzle connected in the lower part of said hopper; a vacuum chamber tightly connected to said nozzle to generate a negative pressure that stretches said hot cheese paste to form a strip of spun cheese as it passes through said nozzle; Y a container connected to said vacuum chamber for receiving said strip of spun cheese.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a first heater connected to said hopper.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said first heater is hot water, hot air, steam, electrical resistance, ultrasound or combinations thereof.

The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said hopper in its upper part works under atmospheric pressure.

The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a second heater connected to said nozzle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said second heater is hot water, hot air, steam, electrical resistance, ultrasound or combinations thereof.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said nozzle is interchangeable.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said vacuum chamber operates at a negative pressure.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said vacuum chamber comprises: a hollow column type casing hermetically connected at its upper part to said nozzle; a vacuum pump connected hermetically to said housing; Y a column of liquid that acts as a lower seal of said casing.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said column of liquid has a fixed or variable level.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said column of liquid is cold.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said vacuum pump is mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, manual or a combination of these.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said vacuum pump is automatic, manual or semi-automatic.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said vacuum chamber operates at a determined negative pressure as a function of the fluidity of said hot cheese paste.

15. A method for making strips of spun cheese from a hot cheese paste capable of forming a fibrous texture when stretched, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: feeding said hot cheese pasta to at least one nozzle; drawing said hot cheese paste by negative pressure through said nozzle to form a strip of spun cheese; Y cooling said spun cheese strip as it exits said nozzle.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that said hot cheese paste has a temperature of 50 ° C to 70 ° C.

17. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that said negative pressure is determined as a function of: fluidity of said hot cheese dough; temperature of the hot cheese paste; number of nozzles; Y volume of hot cheese per unit of time that passes through the nozzles.