MXPA99011243A - Apparatus and method for the manufacture of reduced and low-fat pasta filata cheese - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and process for producing reduced and low-fat, high-quality pasta filata cheese incorporates a ricebased cheese substitute into freshly manufactured pasta filata cheese through a kneading, spraying process that preserves the integrity of the cheese's fiber structure.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING CHEESE PASTE THREAD WITH LOW FAT CONTENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the production of low-fat cheeses (known as cheeses pasta filata) such as mozzarella cheese.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The pasta filata cheeses (cheese curd) are Italian type cheeses in which the curd is worked to develop a fiber or texture in the form of a strand that provides an elasticity in the finished cheese, desired by consumers. x The spiced pasta cheeses are kneaded while the cuaj.ada is still in the plastic state, to develop the desired texture. This kneading was originally carried out by hand, but now it can be done by motor-driven stretch machines. In such a stretcher, the REF .: 32266 propellers that fit loosely into a hopper, stretch and compress the cheese curd as it is transported along the extension of the hopper. Stretching develops fiber or string-like quality for which pasta filata cheeses are valuable. The kneading process is conducted at approximately 60 ° C (140 ° F) enough to provide plasticity to the cheese, but below the melting point of the cheese where the fiber structure of the cheese could be lost through melting. Once the cheese structure has been developed, the cheese curd is transferred to a molding / chilling system that divides the curd into blocks and cools it. Stretchers and moulder / coolers, suitable for this purpose are also commercially available from the JOHNSON / Nelles Corporation of Windsor, Wisconsin. The blocks of cheese can then be transferred to a salting pit or brine in which the cold brine cools and floats the blocks to prevent deformation during the remaining cooling process. Cooling in cold brine also adds some salt to the cheese. When the core of the cheese block reaches approximately 7 ° to 13 ° C (45 to 55 ° F) and has the desired salt content required by industry from 1.2 to 1.7%, it can be packaged. The interest in low and reduced fat foods has led to the development of pasta filata cheeses that incorporate cheese substitutes with reduced fat content. Such substitutes are mixed in the milk used to generate the curd for the pasta filata cheese, before its fermentation, or they can be mixed in the finished spun pasta by grinding the spun pasta and mixing it with the substitute, then melting the ingredients mixed together While these products are often referred to as spun-type cheeses, their texture and quality make them easily distinguishable from true spun-off cheeses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to the resolution of the problems discussed above and to the provision of a low-fat, high-quality spun-off cheese (filata pasta cheese).

This problem is solved by an apparatus comprising the features according to claim 1 and a method of manufacturing pasta cheese with a reduced content of fat, comprising the characteristics according to claim 10. Subclaims 2 to the 9 are directed to additional modalities of the apparatus. Subclaims 11 through 15 are directed to further method steps. The present invention provides a method for incorporating a cheese substitute, such as one based on rice, into a spun-off cheese without damaging its fiber structure and therefore its texture. In the invention, the cheese substitute is sprayed in liquid form onto the surface of the spun pasta curd as it is kneaded. The kneading is carried out without cutting or melting the cheese. Although the inventors do not wish to be compromised by any theory, it is believed that a microscopic coating of the fibers of the cheese is obtained, and that this coating, as opposed to the cutting of the fibers, preserves the elasticity and texture of the pasta filata cheese. It is further believed that the addition of the rice-based cheese substitute to the finished spun-off cheese alone makes the substitute less likely to adversely affect the formation of. the structure of the cheese, in contrast to the methods that add the substrate before the fermentation. Specifically, the present invention provides in one embodiment, an apparatus for the manufacture of a low-fat spun-off pasta cheese, from a combination of standard spun-off cheese and a rice-based cheese substitute. The apparatus includes a kneader having a kneading container that includes a reception opening that accepts the standard spun-flat cheese. A motor-driven kneader is placed inside the kneading container to alternately stretch and compress the standard spun-off cheese, without substantially cutting the fibers. A spray head directed into the kneading vessel and connected to a controlled pump portion receives a rice-based cheese substitute and forces it under pressure to coat the surface of the kneaded cheese. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for incorporating a cheese substitute into spun-off cheese without adversely affecting the formation or integrity of the cheese fibers. It is believed that the kneading action incorporates the substitute along the surface of the cheese fibers without fundamentally affecting the fibers themselves. The kneading container may include a heating jacket, heated to a temperature of 59.9 ° C to 65.5 ° C (140-150 ° F). Still another objective of the invention is to preserve the temperature at which the fibers were originally formed in the spun-dough manufacturing process, to promote the incorporation of the substitute without loss of the fiber structure. The kneader may comprise at least one helix and typically two counter-rotating helices substantially parallel and intermeshing. The kneading container can be an elongated hopper wherein the receiving opening is positioned at one end of the hopper, and wherein the opposite end of the hopper includes an exit opening. The propeller may rotate to advance the standard combined spun-dough cheese, and the rice-based cheese substitute, along the hopper from the receiving opening to the exit opening in a substantially continuous base as the cheese is stretched and compressed. Thus, yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a process for the production of high quality, low fat content spun-off cheese that can be made in a substantially continuous base. The apparatus of the present invention can be easily placed between a spinning pasta machine and a shaping cooler and the brine tank without significant change in these pre-existing pieces of equipment. The apparatus may include a macerator to receive the rice substitute based on rice, in solid form and liquefying it for the reception by the pump. The macerator may include a heating jacket to heat the rice-based cheese substitute at 84.9 ° C - 87.7 ° C (185-190 ° F) before reception by the spray head. Thus, a further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for producing low-fat reduced-fat pasta cheese, which can accept previously prepared blocks of rice-based cheese substitute and liquefy them and heat the substitute as necessary. The rice-based substitute always contains rice carbohydrates. It is well known to classify the carbohydrate according to its origin. Thus, it can be found with laboratory equipment if the carbohydrate is of rice origin, and if the carbohydrate used in a pasta filata cheese is rice. The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In this description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof and in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration. However, such an embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention, and reference should therefore be made to the claims to interpret the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIVERSE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a simplified perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention, for producing a low-fat spun-off pasta cheese, showing a multiple-propeller heating system, for the rice-based cheese substitute, and a nozzle of dew placed on a hopper receiving standard spun-off cheese, and communicating with a kneading container extending in the upward direction; Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the kneading container and the spray nozzle of Figure 1, taken along lines 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the internal helix and the path of the spun-off cheese standard inside the hopper that opens in an upward direction; Figure 3 is a fragmentary, detailed cross-sectional view, taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 1, showing two kneading helices within the kneading chamber of Figure 2 in a counter-rotating, geared configuration; and Figure 4 is a block diagram of the apparatus of Figures 1-3 showing the path of the rice cheese substitute and the standard spun-off cheese during the process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Apparatus and process Referring now to Figures 1 and 4, an apparatus 10 for the manufacture of low fat cheese includes a motor-driven shredder 12 of conventional design having a chute 14 sized to receive blocks of a cheese substitute. 16, based on rice, whose preparation will be described in detail later. A propeller 18 (shown in FIG. 4) is placed inside the shredder 12 and driven by the motor 20 to force the rice substitute 16 based on rice, semi-solid, beyond a cutting head 21, to be macerated and extruded as is. indicated by the arrow 22 for reception by a second hopper 24. The second hopper 24 opens at one end of a tubular heating chamber 26 which includes a second propeller 28 driven by the motor 30, to move the cheese substitute 16 , based on macerated rice, along the length of the tubular heating chamber 26 from the hopper 24 to an outlet gate 31 at the opposite end of the tubular heating chamber 26. The tubular heating chamber 26 is lined by a concentric water liner 32 through which hot water is passed 34. The hot water 34 is at a temperature such as to heat the cheese substitute 16, based on rice, macerated, at approximately 48 .8 ° C (120 ° F) as it passes along the tubular heating chamber 26. When the rice substitute 16 based on rice reaches the outlet gate 31, it is sufficiently liquefied so that it can be received by a dosing pump 36 of conventional design, which provides a precise volume flow of the cheese substitute 16 based on rice, inside the connecting tube 38 leading to a second tubular heating chamber 40. The second tubular heating chamber 40 is similar under construction to the tubular heating chamber 26 having a generally cylindrical internal diameter retaining a third helix 42 driven by a motor 44, to move the liquefied cheese rice substitute, coming from the connecting tube 38 towards an outlet gate 46. Again, the second tubular heating chamber 40 has a regulated hot water liner 48 for adjusting the cheese substitute 16 based on rice to a temp Eratura from 84.9 ° C to 87.7 ° C (185-190 ° F). The liquefied and hot rice-based cheese substitute 16 exits through gate 46 to valve 50, which can recirculate rice-based cheese substitute 16 through recirculation tube 52 ninely into hopper 24, to maintain Constantly substitute cheese 16 based on flowing and hot rice, even if the cheese is not being actively processed. When the spiced pasta cheese is being processed, the rice-based cheese substitute 16 passes through tube 56 to a spray nozzle 58. The nozzle 58 is a length of the tube having a plurality of holes punched in its bottom surface to provide a hole through which the rice-based cheese substitute can exit 16.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 4, the apparatus 10 for the manufacture of low fat cheese can be placed to receive standard pasta filata cheese 60 directly from a stretch machine, but before its molding, cooling, or salting. Ideally, the spun-off cheese 60 is distributed from the stretcher (not shown) at a temperature of about 59.9 ° C (140 ° F) and has a fully formed fiber structure. The pasta filata cheese 60 falls into the hopper 62 at the base of a kneading chamber 64 that slopes upwards. With particular reference to Figure 4, the kneading chamber 64 is lined with a concentric water liner 74 set at a temperature of approximately 59.9 ° C (140 ° F), but below the melting point of the cheese mixture. 72. The spray nozzle 58 is positioned above the hopper so that the hot and liquefied rice based substitute 16 can be sprayed onto the surface of the pasta filata cheese 60 as it enters the hopper 62. The flow velocity of the spun-off cheese 60 and the rice-based cheese substitute 16 from the nozzle 58 can be adjusted so that the spun-off cheese 60 and the rice-based cheese substitute 16, combined (mixture of 72) is as high as 10-25% by weight of cheese substitute 16 based on rice. Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, placed within the kneading chamber 64 are twin propellers 66 having helical blades 68 passing in the propellers of the opposite hand around the shafts or arrows 70 so that the Sails 66 may inter-engage or intermesh with each other while the shafts 70 rotate in opposite directions .. An engine 76 rotates the propellers 66 through a conventional gear impeller, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. thus they provide an overall upward movement to the mixture of the spun-pasta cheese 60 and the rice-based cheese substitute 16, through the kneading chamber 64. The clearance between theaspas 68 and the walls of the chamber of kneading 64 and the free space and the speed of the propellers 66 is adjusted so that the cheese mixture 72 is stretched and folded between the propellers and on the inside of the chamber of am roasting 64, without being cut, so that the fibers of the cheese are preserved, and evenly coated with the cheese substitute 16 based on rice. In general, the helices 66 provide an action similar to manual kneading in which the palm of the hand is pressed against a ball of cheese dough to be rolled along a hard surface, stretching and compressing the cheese on itself. At the upper end of the kneading chamber 64 is an exit opening through which the cheese mixture 72 emerges as a low-fat spun-off cheese. This can then be received by a conventionally designed brine cooler or brine tank. The apparatus 10 for the manufacture of low fat cheese is generally provided with instruments and controlled through a control panel 80 which provides the control for the speed of the metering pump 36 of the engines 30, 44 and 76 and of the valves, necessary to maintain the temperatures of the water liners 74, 48, and 32 within the range as described. The hot water 34 can be provided by a steam heat exchanger 82 shown in Figure 4, which provides the hot water 34 directly to the hot water liner 48 which can then be cooled and transmitted to the liners 74 and 32 by the dosing valve 84.

The Rice-based Cheese Substitute The cheese substitute 16 based on rice is formed mainly of rice and water mixed and heated until they reach a gel-like consistency. Preferably, the rice can be crushed in a crusher to a consistency of approximately two millimeters in particle size. A batten mixer can then be used to mix the rice with approximately twenty-five percent water by weight, while heating to 71 ° C (160 ° F) for at least thirty seconds. The rice is then allowed to cool for about an hour mixing, while the other ingredients are added until it reaches approximately 21.1 ° C (70 ° F). This is then molded in blocks of 18 kg (40 pounds) and refrigerated. The blocks are fed into the hopper 14 of the apparatus 10 for the manufacture of low fat cheese, as necessary. Although the exact composition of the rice mixture may vary, in a preferred embodiment the rice mixture is composed of the following ingredients: The above description has been that of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It will happen to those of skill in the art that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the composition of the cheese substitute 16 based on rice with respect to its minor ingredients may vary, particularly with respect to the emulsifiers and flavoring agents. In order for the public to appreciate the various modalities that may fall within the scope of the invention, the following claims are made. Low-fat spiced pasta cheese such as mozzarella cheese can be used as a substitute for ordinary mozzarella cheese, for example for pizza or spaghetti.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (18)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. An apparatus for manufacturing low-fat pasta cheese (filata pasta cheese) from standard spun-off cheese and a rice-based cheese substitute, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a kneader having: (i) a kneading container including a receiving opening that accepts standard spun-flat cheese; (ii) at least one motor-driven kneader positioned to move within the kneading container to alternately stretch and compress the standard spun-off cheese without a substantial cut of the fibers of the spun-off cheese; a spray head directed towards the kneading container; and a pump that receives the substitute of cheese based on rice, and that forces it under pressure towards the spray head; whereby the natural spun-based cheese held in the kneading vessel receives a surface coating of the rice-based cheese substitute, which is incorporated around the cheese fibers without substantial cutting of the fibers. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the kneading container includes a heating jacket. The apparatus according to claim 1 6 2, characterized in that the heating jacket is regulated at a temperature of 59.9 ° C to 65.5 ° C (140-150 ° F). The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the kneader comprises at least one helix. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the kneader comprises two counter-rotating helices, substantially parallel and engaging with one another. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the kneading container is an elongated hopper and the kneading device is a helix, and wherein the receiving opening is positioned at one end of the hopper, and wherein the opposite end of the hopper includes an exit opening where the propeller rotates to advance the standard spun-off cheese, combined with the rice-based cheese substitute, along the hopper through the opening of reception towards the exit opening in a substantially continuous base, as the cheese is stretched and compressed. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outlet opening is raised with respect to the reception opening. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it includes a macerator having a hopper to receive the cheese-based substitute, rice and liquefies it for reception by the pump. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the macerator includes a heating jacket to heat the rice substitute based on rice at 84.9 ° C - 87.7 ° C (185-190 ° F) before of the reception by the dew head. 10. A method for manufacturing low-fat spun-off pasta cheese, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: (a) placing the standard spun-off cheese in a kneading container, before molding and cooling the standard spun-off cheese; (b) kneading the standard dough cheese into the kneading container to alternately stretch and compress the standard dough cheese without a substantial cut of the fibers of the dough cheese; and (c) spraying the surface of the standard kneaded dough cheese with a rice-based cheese substitute, until the rice-based cheese substitute is incorporated into the standard dough cheese; which produces a low-fat spreadable pasta cheese, without loss of texture. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes the step of heating the kneading vessel to a temperature of 59.9 ° C - 65.5 ° C (140-150 ° F). The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that it includes the kneading container which is an elongate hopper and the kneading device which is a helix, and which includes the step of rotating the propeller to advance the pasta cheese standard course and the rice-based cheese substitute, combined, along the hopper from a reception opening to the exit opening in a substantially continuous base as the cheese is stretched and compressed. The method according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it includes the step of heating the rice-based cheese substitute at 84.9 ° C - 87.8 ° C (185-190 ° F) before reception by the dew head. The method according to any of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the rice substitute based on rice is a mixture of water and rice. 15. The method according to any of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the rice-based cheese substitute is incorporated into the standard spun-off cheese to constitute at least twenty percent of the weight of the spun-off cheese with low fat content, produced. 16. A low-fat spiced pasta cheese, characterized in that it is obtained by a method according to any of claims 10 to 15, which comprises a mixture of standard spun-off cheese and rice carbohydrate or a cheese based substitute in rice. 17. A low-fat spiced pasta cheese, characterized in that it comprises a mixture of standard spun-off cheese and rice carbohydrate. 18. The use of a low-fat spun-off cheese comprising a mixture of standard spun-off cheese and rice carbohydrate for food, preferably for pizza or spaghetti.