WO2001015541A1

WO2001015541A1 - Cheese composition of the quark type, and method for preparing fresh low-fat cheese

Info

Publication number: WO2001015541A1
Application number: PCT/EP2000/007963
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marc Boone
Original assignee: Nv Marc Boone
Priority date: 1999-08-27
Filing date: 2000-08-15
Publication date: 2001-03-08
Also published as: BE1013095A3; AU7276100A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for preparing cheese of the quark type, originating from buttermilk, which is obtained by churning cream into butter and buttermilk in traditional manner, whereby the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened and is subsequently separated into an aqueous fraction (whey) and a product fraction (quark) by exerting a force and/or pressure difference between the buttermilk to be separated and the separated aqueous fraction. Moreover a centrifugal force is exerted on the heated and/or ripened buttermilk. Preferably utilised in a quark centrifuge. The invention further relates to a fresh low-fat cheese of the quark type, on the basis of buttermilk, which has a fat content of less than 2 wt.% with nevertheless a full and mild taste and a smooth and firm texture.

Description

CHEESE COMPOSIΗON OF THE QUARK TYPE, AND METHOD FOR PREPARING FRESH LOW-FAT CHEESE

The invention relates to a new type of low-fat fresh cheese, 5 of the quark or "fromage frais" type, obtained originating from buttermilk, and a special method for preparing such quark products .

Buttermilk is a by-product from the preparation of butter, 10 originating from cream. The sales potential of buttermilk in itself is currently rather limited, compared to the amount of butter that is produced. Consequently buttermilk has only a very limited market value, although in principle it comprises very valuable nutritional ingredients. A great 15 part of the buttermilk produced therefore ends up as.

Therefore, there have already been all kinds of research into the possibilities for uprating buttermilk, among others as basic material for preparing cheese. There have moreover

20 been various problems, on the one hand with regard to the formation of the curd, and on the other hand with regard to the separation of the whey from the curd.

Thus reference can be made among others to the Canadian 25 patent publication 2.116.521 from 1995, which describes a method for preparing cheese on the basis of buttermilk and which gives a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in question, and of the problems that thereby have to be overcome . The method according to the Canadian patent

30 application primarily consists in that the buttermilk is first concentrated into a content of solid matter of 18 wt . % after which various additives, cultures and enzymes are added in order to form the curd. Subsequently, this has to be treated with hot water, and be cut up and stirred up in order to effect the whey separation. The process is rather complex and due to the various treatments and additives, the in themselves healthy natural ingredients of the buttermilk are to a great degree denatured.

For the preparation of quark cheese originating from buttermelk, reference can be made to the Soviet Russian publication SU1611314, according to which a quark cheese based on buttermilk can be obtained by utilising a "Moscow- bac" concentrate and a solution of "Pigmauesin-PlOKh" lactic bacteria. This preparation method according to the state-of- the-art produces technical problems.

In "Technologie der Milchverarbeitung" (E. Spreer, 1974, VEB PACHBUCHVERLAG, LEIP 216, p. 278, paragraph 1), a method is described for the production of buttermilk quark, whereby the sour buttermilk is heated to a temperature ranging from 50°C to 60°C while slowly stirring. After 2 to 3 hours, clots have formed on the surface, so that a part of the whey can be poured off. The remaining rennet is placed in a bag through which the whey will drain off under light pressing. Thereafter the quark obtained is shaken out of the bag, cooled and packed.

In "Milchkundliches Speisen-Lexicon" (M. Schutz, 1981, VOLKS IRTSCHAFTLICHER VERLAG, Munich) , a method is described for making buttermilk quark out of sour or acidulated buttermilk, whereby the sour buttermilk is heated for 1 hour to a temperature ranging from 50°C to 70°C while carefully stirring, after which the mixture is brought on to a cloth which is then suspended, so that the whey can run off, through which quark is finally obtained.

The buttermilk quark formed according to these methods has serious disadvantages with regard to the properties : these products (inherently very "low-fat" - less than 1% fat) are not particularly pleasant tasting and the texture is also less attractive than that of "full-fat" cheese.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a new method for preparing fresh cheese products that avoids the various disadvantages of the known techniques and that produces a totally new product with unexpectedly good properties.

According to the invention, a method is put forward for preparing cheese of the quark type, which is obtained by churning cream into butter and buttermilk in traditional manner, whereby the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened and is subsequently separated into an aqueous fraction (whey) and a product fraction (quark) , but whereby the heated and/or ripened buttermilk is separated by exerting a force and/or pressure difference between the buttermilk to be separated and the separated aqueous fraction.

The force and/or pressure difference that is exerted in order to separate the buttermilk, is preferably a centrifugal force.

In a preferred embodiment, the buttermilk is separated by processing the buttermilk to be separated with a quark centrifuge, e.g. of the KDA-30 type from ESTFALIA or a corresponding type from ALFA LAVAL.

The utilisation of a quark centrifuge has the following advantages: the serum distribution (or whey distribution) is much more homogeneous the bacteriology in the quark is better because of the fact that the centrifuge can be made completely bacteria-free the structure/texture of the quark is less granular the taste of the quark is more pleasant

For the separation of the buttermilk, a force is preferably exerted on the product fraction ranging from 4000 to 8000 g.

In an even more preferred embodiment for the separation of the buttermilk, a force of approximately 6425 g is exerted on the product fraction.

In a preferred embodiment for the separation of the buttermilk, a pressure is exerted on the whey fraction that is not greater than 4.5 bars .

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened to a temperature ranging from 40°C to 60°C, preferably from 40°C to 50°C and still more specifically from 48°C to 50°C. The optimum starting pH with this temperature range preferably lies between 4.5 and 4.7.

According to a further preferred characteristic of the invention, in the method the buttermilk has to be heated and ripened for a period of 120 to 210 minutes, preferably from 150 to 180 minutes.

In a preferred embodiment, the buttermilk is obtained by churning cream into butter and buttermilk in traditional manner. The expression "traditional churning", such as used in this explanation, refers to a method whereby the butter and the buttermilk are obtained merely by acidulating the cream, preferably by means of specific acidulation cultures, and prolonged (at least 1 to 1% hours) stirring up (churning)

With regard to the definition of "traditional buttermilk", reference is also made to the standard book by Prof. Dr. Edmund Renner "Milch und Milchprodukte in der Ernahrung des Menschen" , Volkswirtschaftlicher Verlag Munich, 4th Edition, 1982, and more especially to chapter 3.2.4. "Buttermilch" and chapter 3.2.1. "Saurmilchprodukte" , where the various properties of sour buttermilk, favourable to health, are explained.

The following table, which has been taken from this book, gives typical ranges for the composition of cream and traditional buttermilk:

An essential difference between the traditional churning and the industrial methods for butter preparation is the effect on the natural protein constituents of the milk. With traditional churning the protein molecules undergo no unnecessary modifications and deformations ("stress"), contrary to what occurs with the various rather drastic processes (chemical acidulation, fast and intensive condition alterations, shearing stresses due to the use of a "butter cannon", etc.) which they experience with industrial churning.

Consequently, the properties of the lactic acid derivatives, advantageous to health, are retained.

In this context it is further also remarked that the product "traditional buttermilk" ("sour buttermilk") must not be confused with so-called fermented milk, which is a product with totally different composition and properties. Sour buttermilk is the fluid which originates from the traditional churning of cream and has by nature a pH ranging from 4.4 to 4.6. Fermented milk generally comprises predominantly clockwise lactic acid derivatives, while traditional buttermilk usually comprises anticlockwise lactic acid derivatives .

The advantage of the use of anticlockwise lactic acid derivatives for human food and health is at present generally known (see among others WAGNER, K.-H., 1981, Stand der Erkentnisse ϋber links- und rechtsdrehende Milch.sa.ure und deren Ernahrungsphysiologische Bedeutung. DMW 20/1981) .

In this context, mention is also made of the well-known Moerman theory concerning counteracting cancer development.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, for this method, with the churning process for obtaining the buttermilk used, therefore preferably only acidulation cultures are utilised which produce predominantly lactic acid derivatives with L(+)- properties.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention for the method, with the churning process, use is preferably made of an acidulation culture which comprises one or more of the Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus cremoris, Streptococcus diacetyllactis and Leuconostoc ci trovorum cultures .

The invention secondly also puts forward a new product, namely a fresh low-fat cheese of the quark type, on the basis of buttermilk, with a fat content of less than 2 wt.%, and with nevertheless a full and mild taste and a smooth and firm texture.

The new fresh cheese according to the invention has more particularly a fat content ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 wt . % .

According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the butyric acid derivatives in the composition are principally of the L(+)- type.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the compositions comprise a ratio of at least 15 wt . % phospholipids in relation to the total amount of fats, preferably at least 20 wt . % phospholipids.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention the compositions comprise a ratio of at least 20 wt . % lecithin (phosphatidyl choline) in relation to the total amount of phospholipids, preferably at least 30 wt . % lecithin.

A particularly preferred composition according to the invention comprises: from 10 - 20 wt . % dry matter; from 7.5 - 12.5 wt . % protein; from 0.1 - 1 wt . % fat , of which 15 - 25 wt . % phospholipids, of which 20 - 50 wt . % lecithin; and from 2.5 - 5 wt . % carbohydrates.

A most preferred fresh cheese according to the invention has a content of : dry matter of approximately 15 (+/- 0.5) wt.%; protein of approximately 10 (+/- 0.5) wt.%; fat of approximately 0.75 (+/- 0.2) wt.%; of which approximately 20 (+/- 2) wt.% phospholipids , of which 30 (+/- 2) wt.% lecithin; and carbohydrates of 3.5 (+/- 0.5) wt.%.

The expression "approximately" refers in this context to the margins mentioned above between brackets.

The characteristics and distinctive features of the invention are further explained hereafter on the basis of an embodiment example, with reference to the attached drawings. It should be noted that the specific aspects of this example are only described as preferred example of what is intended in the scope of the above general specification of the invention, and may in no way be interpreted as a restriction on the scope of the invention as such and as expressed in the following claims.

The attached drawings:

- figure 1 : is a schematic representation of the method according to the invention for preparing fresh cheese originating from traditional buttermilk; - figure 2 : is a schematic representation of a device for applying the method according to figure 1 .

In the above described concrete example of the method according to the invention buttermilk with the following composition is taken:

Vitamin A (μg/lOOg) n.p.

Vitamin E (mg/kg) n.p.

Phospholipids (% of fat) 15

Phosphatidyl choline (% of phospholipids) 30

As shown in figures 1 and 2 the buttermilk is transferred to a storage and heating/ripening tank (1) - "quark tank" - and there heated to a temperature ranging from 40 to 60°C (optimally ranging from 40 to 50°C) . This temperature is maintained for 2 to 3 hours through which the quark mixture ripens. The mixture is stirred and transferred by means of a pump (2) to a separator (3) - a quark centrifuge - where the mixture is separated into a product and a water fraction, namely quark and whey, by exerting a centrifugal force of 6425 g on the product fraction and a pressure of no more than 4.5 bars on the whey. Possibly a mixture of Acidophilus cul ture and Bifidus longum is added from a culture tank (4), by means of a metering pump (5) . By means of a quark pump (6) , the mass is subsequently transferred to a cooling device (7) . From surge tanks (8) the quark is then transferred with a quark pump (9) to the filling device (10) and stored in cold-storage rooms (11) .

The buttermilk-based quark ("buttermilk cheese") obtained has on average the following properties and composition:

L- act c ac = c ockw se lactic acid D(-)lactic acid anticlockwise lactic acid

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Method for preparing cheese of the quark type, originating from buttermilk, which is obtained by churning cream into butter and buttermilk, whereby the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened and is subsequently separated into an aqueous fraction (whey) and a product fraction (quark) , characterised in that the heated and/or ripened buttermilk is separated by exerting a force and/or pressure difference between the buttermilk to be separated and the separated aqueous fraction.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the buttermilk is separated by exerting a centrifugal force on the heated and/or ripened buttermilk.

3. Method according to one of the claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the buttermilk is separated by processing the buttermilk to be separated with a quark centrifuge.

4. Method according to one of the claims 1 up to and including 3, characterised in that for the separation of the buttermilk a force is exerted on the product fraction ranging from 4000 to 8000 g.

5. Method according to claim 4 , characterised in that for the separation of the buttermilk a force of approximately 6425 g is exerted on the product fraction.

6. Method according to one of the claims 1 up to and including 5, characterised in that for the separation of the buttermilk a pressure is exerted on the whey fraction that is not greater than 4.5 bars.

7. Method according to one of the claims 1 up to and including 6, characterised in that the buttermilk is obtained by churning cream into butter and buttermilk in traditional manner.

8. Method according to one of the claims 1 up to and including 7, characterised in that the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened to a temperature ranging from 40°C to 60°C.

9. Method according to claim 8 , characterised in that the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened to a temperature ranging from 40°C to 50°C.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened to a temperature ranging from 48°C to 50°C.

11. Method according to one of the claims 1 up to and including 10, characterised in that the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened for a period of 120 to 210 minutes.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the buttermilk is heated and/or ripened for a period of 150 to 180 minutes.

13. Method according to one of the claims 1 up to and including 12, characterised in that with the churning process for obtaining the buttermilk use is made of an acidulation culture that predominantly produces lactic acid derivatives with L(+)- properties.

14. Method according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that with the churning process for obtaining the buttermilk use is made of an acidulation culture that comprises one or more of the Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus cremoris ,

Streptococcus diacetyllactis and Leuconostoc ci trovorum cultures .

15. Fresh low- fat cheese of the quark type, on the basis of buttermilk, characterised by a fat content of less than 2 wt.% with nevertheless a full and mild taste and a smooth and firm texture .

16. Fresh cheese according to claim 15, characterised by a fat content ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 wt . % .

17. Fresh cheese according to one of the claims 15 and 16, characterised in that the lactic acid derivatives in the composition are principally of the L(+)- type.

18. Fresh cheese according to one of the claims 15 up to and including 17, characterised in that the composition comprises a ratio of at least 15 wt.% phospholipids in relation to the total amount of fats.

19. Fresh cheese according to claim 18, characterised in that the composition comprises a ratio of at least 20 wt.% phospholipids in relation to the total amount of fats .

20. Fresh cheese according to one of the claims 18 and 19, characterised in that the composition comprises a ratio of at least 20 wt.% lecithin in relation to the total amount of phospholipids.

21. Fresh cheese according to claim 20, characterised in that the composition comprises a ratio of at least 30 wt.% lecithin in relation to the total amount of phospholipids .

22. Fresh cheese according to one of the claims 15 up to and including 21, characterised by a content of: dry matter from 10 - 20 wt.%; protein from 7.5 - 12.5 wt . %; fat from 0.5 - 1.5 wt . %, of which 15 - 25 wt.% phospholipids, of which 20 - 50 wt.% lecithin; and carbohydrates from 2.5 - 5 wt . % .

23. Fresh cheese according to one of the claims 15 up to and including 21, characterised by a content of: dry matter of approximately 15 wt.%; protein of approximately 10 wt.%; fat of approximately 0.75 wt.%; of which approximately 20 wt.% phospholipids, of which 30 wt.% lecithin; and carbohydrates of approximately 3.5 wt.%.