WO2021165464A1

WO2021165464A1 - Process and apparatus for producing a cheese-containing product free from significant amounts of emulsifying salts

Info

Publication number: WO2021165464A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/054138
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank Lichtmess
Original assignee: Lichtmess Consultants GmbH & Co. KG
Priority date: 2020-02-20
Filing date: 2021-02-19
Publication date: 2021-08-26
Also published as: DE102020104446A1

Abstract

1. Process for producing a cheese-containing foodstuff which is free from significant amounts of additives, the functional classes of which according to the German regulation on the approval of food additives (ZZulV) are complexing agents and especially emulsifying salts, wherein the cheese-containing product is a cheese spread or a cheese spread preparation or a cheese-containing foodstuff, comprising the steps of: 1.1 mixing of cheese and/or water and/or butter and/or vegetable fat and/or a milk product and/or a plurality of milk products to afford a cheese-containing composition (30), 1.1.1 the mixture has a pH of 4.9-6.5; ideally the pH of the overall mixture is 5.2-5.8; 1.2 wherein a natural cheese and/or a mixture of natural cheese varieties is present in a proportion of 5% to 90% by weight, 1.3 wherein a milk protein proportion (46, 47) is present in the range from 5% to 30% by weight, 1.4 wherein a water content (48) is present in the range from 20% to 80% by weight, 1.5 wherein an insignificant amount of the additives, the functional classes of which according to the German regulation on the approval of food additives (ZZulV) are complexing agents and especially emulsifying salts, of less than 0.03% by weight is present, characterized by the following further process steps: 1.6 heating the cheese-containing composition (30) to 60-160°C, preferably 90°C, preferably by steam injection and/or conversion of the mechanical energy into thermal energy, 1.7 input of a high kinetic energy through mechanical processing of the overall cheese-containing composition (30), 1.7.1 wherein the unemulsified fat (45) is emulsified by the mechanical processing, 1.7.2 wherein the mechanical energy input reduces the original fat globules (41) and the newly formed fat globules from an initial average fat globule diameter (FGD) to a final fat globule diameter in the range between in the range between 1/3 to 1/20, preferably 1/5, of the original fat globule diameter; 1.8 if required the mechanically processed cheese-containing composition (30') may subsequently be UHT heated to kill spore formers. 1.9 Packing the hot cheese-containing composition (30'), 1.10 cooling the packed cheese-containing composition (30') to a temperature of 30°C or lower.

Description

Method and device for the production of a cheese-containing product. that is free of significant amounts of melting salts

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of cheese and food preparation products.

In particular, the invention relates to a process for the production of a cheese-containing product which is free of significant amounts of additives, of the functional classes of complexing agents and, in particular, of melting salts.

The cheese-containing product is in particular a processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation or a food preparation.

In Germany, processed cheese is not defined as cheese according to the Cheese Ordinance (KäseV), but as a product made from cheese that is at least 50 percent, based on the dry matter, from cheese, also with the addition of other dairy products, by melting using heat, including under Using melting salts and emulsifiers, the term for a cheese product made by melting without this minimum amount of cheese and with possibly other additives is a processed cheese preparation.

To make it, cheese is crushed, mixed with melting salts and water and / or other milk products and heated until it liquefies. Then the cheese mass is poured into molds and cooled until it solidifies again.

2. Background of the invention Most processed cheese and preparations are filled after the heating step at a temperature above 75 ° C, which causes reinfections via air or packaging material can largely be avoided. The product quality can be maintained for a longer period of time through both the interrupted ripening and the hot filling.

The popularity of processed cheese and preparations is reduced in the eyes of the consumer because, in addition to other additives, melting salts are added in the manufacturing process, which are said to have harmful effects. Among other things, sodium-containing melting salts are said to increase blood pressure and cause heart attacks. In addition, the risk of osteoporosis is said to increase because the melting salts can dissolve the calcium from the bones and thereby reduce the strength of the bones.

This fact has an increasing effect on consumer behavior, since the consumer increasingly wants to eat health-consciously.

In order to satisfy the above-mentioned consumer trend, processed cheese manufacturers have in recent years increasingly endeavored to develop products without the addition of melting salts and to bring them onto the market. However, none of the developments has so far been able to establish itself on the market due to the unconvincing organoleptic properties. Processed cheese and preparations without melting salt are likely to have considerable sales potential and thus represent a worthwhile market for manufacturers.

The melting salts are undesirable from a marketing strategy point of view, but technologically imperative in order to make the desired shelf life extension possible through a heating step. Processed cheese and preparations are essentially produced in four process steps. In the first process step, the above ingredients are mixed and blended until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Before the cheese is added, it is usually "minced" or finely chopped.

According to current specialist knowledge, the addition of melting salts allows heating without a separation effect, because when heated, the melting salts react with casein from the cheese (cheese-casein) and thus enable the cheese-casein to do a to form homogeneous cheese mass. The cheese-casein differs from the native casein, which is present in milk, in that the cheese-casein has almost completely lost its solubility in water because it was precipitated via rennet and / or acid. The degree of water solubility depends on the cheese process (rennet / acid ratio). The cheese casein, which is obtained through rennet precipitation, is no longer water-soluble. It is unable to form a stable emulsion during heating. A rennet cheese produced in this way is also characterized by the fact that it has a particularly high calcium content (e.g. an Emmentaler with 1 g calcium / 100 g cheese). If the above-mentioned mixture with the melting salts is stirred and heated moderately, the cheese-casein reacts with the melting salt: the calcium from the cheese-casein is absorbed by the melting salt, while the melting salt releases its sodium to the cheese-casein. This ion exchange turns the cheese casein into a water-soluble and heat-stable sodium para-caseinate and the melting salt produces calcium citrate and / or calcium phosphate.

The sodium para-caseinate that has now been created has excellent emulsifying properties and is very soluble in water. Due to its excellent emulsifying properties, sodium para-caseinate can reliably produce very stable emulsions even with little mechanical processing. In recent years, various efforts have been made to produce processed cheese without the use of melting salts. To this end, various approaches to a solution were pursued, which are described in the following prior art.

“Melting salts” in the sense of the present invention are melting salts according to the Additive Approval Ordinance (ZZUulV) and related products. These include the phosphate and citrate salts which are associated with the sodium or potassium, for example sodium or potassium salts comprising mono-, di-, tri- and polyphosphates, or trisodium citrate or tripotassium citrate. This also includes lactates of sodium, potassium and calcium. The citric acid provides a melting salt without sodium or potassium. 2.1 State of the art

WO2017194745A1 describes a cheese-containing mixture comprising potassium lactate. However, the disadvantage of such a cheese-containing mixture is the deterioration in taste due to the addition of potassium lactate. EP2437614B1 describes a method for producing processed cheese without melting salts, comprising providing a milk composition which is intended to enable the exchange of divalent ions for monovalent ions. The disadvantage of this procedure is the high level of procedural complexity. The present process is limited to the use of a single raw material and does not allow a mixture of different raw materials. Furthermore, typical raw materials that are common in the processed cheese industry such. B inexpensive cheese trimmings are not used

WO2014137881 A1 describes a method in which calcium-reduced milk proteins are used. The use of calcium-reduced milk proteins has the disadvantage that the recipe is limited in the choice of raw materials and the properties of the added milk proteins with regard to consistency and taste have to be accepted. Another disadvantage of the patent listed above is that a two-stage process management is necessary in which a preliminary solution is created.

For this purpose, a mixture of a cheese-containing mass from scissors, a premix of a first proportion of the total fat content and milk protein is used to produce an emulsion with distributed, unsheared fat particles of a first size; Mixing at least one cheese with a second proportion of the total fat content to form a uniform mixture with dispersed, unsheared fat particles of a second particle size; Heating the uniform mixture; and mixing the emulsion with the sheared fat particles with the uniform mixture with the unsheared fat particles either during mixing or heating in a ratio of sheared fat particles to unsheared fat particles of 10:90 to 50:50 to provide an emulsifying, salt-free cheese to generate bimodal particle size distribution. The disadvantage of the procedure is high effort in weighing and mixing the various components.

The example description also states that the products can only be heated up to 80 ° C without significant separation. This is a technological disadvantage. Melting temperatures around 90 ° C are usually aimed for in order to ensure a filling temperature of over 75 ° C. These high melting temperatures are intended to compensate for the cooling during the pumping process to the filling machine for the product. UHT heating to kill spores is not possible with the process and thus represents a further significant limitation. Furthermore, due to the low melting temperature, these products cannot be kept outside the cooling for a longer period of time.

WO2014088888A1 describes a method for producing a cheese-containing product which is free of significant amounts of melting salts, the cheese-containing product being a processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation. Emulsifying hydrocolloids, especially modified starches, are used. The disadvantage is the addition of modified starch, which is an additive that is subject to declaration and would therefore not be sufficient for a clean label claim.

Clean labeling is the advertising of food stating that the product does not contain certain ingredients. This usually applies to substances that consumers consider unhealthy or reject them for other reasons, in particular dyes, preservatives, flavors, flavor enhancers and genetically modified foods, but also nutrients such as sugar or hydrogenated fatty acids.

In the publication EP 2 484 217 A1, soft cheese and sour milk cheese are used as raw materials. The soft or sour milk cheeses used, which are defined by the fact that they have a Wff less than 67%, are used in a concentration of 70-100%. [0009] These all have a pH <5. It can be assumed that the pH value of such a mixture will be well below> 5. This publication lists a recipe [0014] which, in addition to the high “cream cheese” content of 70-85% (fat quark, pH 4.6-4.8), also contains sodium polyphosphate, which further lowers the pH. Pure sodium polyphosphates have a pH of 3.7-4.3 in a 1% aqueous solution. Furthermore, “Cream Cheese Flavor” was named as an evaluation criterion in the test series [0034]. In all experiments 1-5, the test persons perceived a cream cheese taste. A cream cheese taste is mainly characterized by a sour note. Without a corresponding proportion of lactic acid, which inevitably lowers the pH, no type-reliable cream cheese taste can be produced.

Although this publication describes a reduction in the diameter of the fat globule, a Stephan's cooker is used for this purpose, with which it is not possible to bring in the energy necessary to reduce the fat globule diameter in a single work step.

The Stephan cooker described in EP 2 484 217 A1 with its stirring geometry is only sufficient for reducing the fat globule diameter because melting salts and stabilizers are used. The melting salts and stabilizers significantly increase the product viscosity, so that a Stephan Kocher can generate a stable emulsion with its stirring geometry. The addition of such substances is avoided in the invention. Furthermore, sour soft cheese and fresh cheese are used as starting materials in EP 2 484 217 A1. The method described is thus limited to raw cheese in the form of soft cheese with a Wff of less than 67%.

Such types of cheese can absorb water better than hard cheese, semi-hard cheese and semi-hard cheese. The raw material soft cheese and cream cheese increases the viscosity again and allows - within this restrictive framework - to create a stable emulsion with a Stephane cooker. The method in EP 2484217 A1 with a Stephan cooker only works because soft cheese (Wff less than 67%) is used with stabilizers and melting salts. Tests by the applicant have shown that with a Stephan cooker using the recipes according to the invention, only a significantly lower mechanical energy can be introduced, which is far below the required energy input of more than 70 KWs / kg. Tests have also shown that a Stephan's stove is not sufficient to stably emulsify the fat with the protein. A Stephan stove can only enter amounts of energy of less than 70 KWs / kg in a single operation. However, this is not enough to produce a heat-stable emulsion. Smaller fat globule sizes comparable with the invention are only possible with a Stephan cooker if the product viscosity is changed by adding melting salts, stabilizers and soft cheese.

A semi-hard cheese such as B. Gouda would not emulsify stably with a Stephan cooker without melting salts. This emulsion would break apart at over 70 ° C.

In ARLA FOODS - Bulletin Versatile quality processed cheese with flexibile Nutrilac Solution under the link https://www.arlafoodsingredients.com/qlobalassets/qlobal/downloads/applications/ cheese / processed-cheese / bt processed cheese.pdf on page 12 die Production of a sodium-reduced cheese spread described. This sodium reduction is achieved through the use of Nutrilac CH 6540 in a concentration of 8.5%. Nutrilac CH 6540 is a calcium-reduced MPC. The high amount of Nutrilac CH 6540 used has a negative impact on costs and restricts the degree of freedom when designing the recipe. Furthermore, the calcium content in the recipe described is low, which is below 350 mg / 100 g. If you were to use the milk protein of the Replacing Nutrilac CH 6540 with cheese casein from Gouda would result in a significantly higher calcium content of 530 mg / 100 g. Citric acid was also added to improve the emulsion stability. According to the German additive approval ordinance, however, citric acid is a melting salt. In the publication: University Copenhagen - Redesigning cheese powder for omission of emulsfying salt https: // static- curis.ku.dk/portal/files/145121941/RedesigningCheesePowder Poster.pdf the production of a liquid premix for drying cheese powder without the Use of melting salts described. For this purpose, a mixture of cheese approx. 70% (cheddar, soft cheese), 22.5% water, 5% buttermilk powder, 2.5% sodium caseinate and potassium hydroxide is made. This mixture was stirred for 5 minutes at 1500 rpm. The heating takes place by direct steam injection for 45 s. In the report no melting temperature is mentioned, so that the melting temperature has to be estimated over the time of the steam injection. Depending on the starting temperature of the basic mixture, a final temperature of 60 - 70 ° C is achieved. The method described has the disadvantage that buttermilk powder and sodium caseinate have to be used to form the emulsion. The resulting emulsion is not very stable and can only be heated up to approx. 70 ° C without phase separation. Furthermore, the final taste of the cheese powder is impaired by the addition of buttermilk powder and sodium caseinate. It should also be taken into account that the so-called FEED, i.e. the liquid cheese mixture, is fed to the drying process immediately after production. So the FEED is not a classic processed cheese product that should have a minimum shelf life of 3 - 12 months. Classic processed cheese products must have a very high emulsion stability in order to achieve the aforementioned long minimum shelf life. The emulsion stability of the FEED is deliberately significantly reduced and cannot be compared to a processed cheese product from the retail trade. The intentionally achieved reduced emulsion stability with the FEED facilitates the drying process due to the loosely bound water in the emulsion. None of the approaches listed above have achieved satisfactory results to date, since they lead to restrictions in terms of taste, texture and / or mouthfeel. As a result, there are still no significant amounts of processed cheese products on the market without significant amounts of processed salts.

Another disadvantage of the above-mentioned documents is that in order to prevent separation during heating, expensive milk proteins, such as. B. calcium-reduced sodium caseinate and / or calcium-reduced MPC must be used in high concentrations. Some of the milk proteins mentioned are not available on the market and are therefore not available to processed cheese manufacturers.

These raw materials do not correspond to the raw materials commonly used for processed cheese such as. B. skimmed milk powder, whey powder or rennet casein and are therefore more expensive in comparison than the standard raw materials. Furthermore, this means that there are restrictions in the formulation design. B. a recipe consisting of cheese and water with the methods described above is not possible. In addition, recipes with a very high cheese content of 70 - 90% that do not contain milk protein from milk products are not possible.

Another disadvantage of some of the processes mentioned above is the sometimes drastic limitation of the calcium content, which is technically necessary. Too high a calcium content would considerably impair the stability of the emulsion during heating. The limitation of the calcium content is to be assessed negatively from a nutritional, physiological and marketing strategy point of view. A large number of consumers have an increased interest in calcium-rich products, since the subject of calcium deficiency has already been discussed in the public media several times in the past. In particular, if children's products are advertised as having high calcium contents, they have a sales-promoting effect. However, this is not possible with the methods described above.

Because of the above-mentioned disadvantages of known cheese products, there continues to be a need for improved, cheese-containing products that are without Melting salts can be prepared. It is therefore - starting from EP 2 484 217 B1 - an object of the invention to provide a method and a device for the production of cheese-containing products which are not impaired in taste and texture and do not contain any significant additional melting salts.

Another object of the present invention is to enable a method to enable recipes without significant restrictions in the selection of raw materials. The present invention makes it possible to dispense with expensive calcium-reduced milk products for the production of a product which is free of molten salt. Furthermore, “transglutaminase-modified” milk proteins, which have a low level of acceptance by consumers and manufacturers, can be dispensed with. In addition, no special ratios of cheese protein to protein from dairy products need to be adhered to. The present invention makes it possible to create recipes with high cheese contents. Furthermore, products with a high calcium content of more than 400 mg / 100g calcium can be manufactured.

In particular, the product obtained with the method and the device should meet the clean label requirements. The object set is achieved by the technical teaching of independent claim 1 and a device suitable for carrying out the method is achieved by independent claim 9.

2.2 Tabular comparison of the invention with the features of

EP2484217 B1

Table A. 3. Brief Summary of the Invention

3.1 Composition of the preferred formulation

The starting materials can contain all types of cheese. Hard cheese (Emmentaler, Cheddar, Wff <56%), semi-hard cheese (Gouda, Edamer, Wff 54-63%) and semi-hard cheese (61-69%) can also be used. There is therefore no restriction. In EP 2484217 B1, the raw material is restricted to cheese with a Wff> 67%.

No melting salts are used.

The recipes according to the invention, which can also contain hard cheese, semi-hard cheese and semi-hard cheese and do not contain any melting salts, have a very low viscosity (roughly comparable to the viscosity of cream). With a Stephan cooker according to EP 2484217 B1, no emulsion can be produced with such recipes. Such recipes require an agitator geometry that can introduce high mechanical energy even with aqueous viscosities. These required high mechanical energies can preferably be, for. B. be entered via a glass cooker.

The difference between Stephan and Glass with the floor agitator is that the glass cooker has three stirring sequences. The Stephankocher only has two. Furthermore, the profile of the agitator blades on the glass cooker is triangular (equilateral triangle with an edge length of approx. 9 cm). The stirrer blade profile on the Stephan- cooker is rectangular, height approx. 1 cm and approx. 10 cm. The floor agitator on the glass cooker does not have a shear effect but only a stirring effect. The agitator has a shear effect on the Stephan cooker!

The systems commonly used in the processed cheese industry can therefore not bring in this high level of energy. The inventive achievement of the present invention lies, inter alia, in the fact that the mixing time was not simply increased in order to produce a stable emulsion. A structure had to be developed that is able to bring in high mechanical energy with a watery consistency! With the invention, an existing prejudice was overcome, because the

The expert assumes that the casein (rennet precipitated, hard cheese, hard cheese and semi-hard hard cheese) in cheese loses its emulsifying properties when heated to over 70 ° C. The cheese casein only achieves these emulsifier properties by adding the melting salts. If a classic processed cheese recipe is melted without melting salts, it can be stirred for 100 hours in standard industrial melting systems without creating a stable emulsion. A minimum output of more than 40 watts / kg that is introduced into the product is essential in order to achieve a stable emulsion in a processed cheese recipe without melting salts. In general, it can be said that the kinetic energy in an aqueous solution must be so high that the correspondingly small fat globules can be produced.

3.2 Description of a preferred method According to one aspect of the invention, this object is achieved at least by a method for producing cheese-containing products, the method preferably comprising the following steps:

Mixing cheese and water and / or milk fat and / or vegetable fat and / or milk products. - Heating of the cheese-containing mass to 60 - 100 ° C with high mechanical processing. The amount of mechanical energy introduced is at least 70 kWs / kg of cheese-containing mass. This also creates a unimodal fat globule size distribution D90 from 1 to 300 gm, preferably 20 to 120 gm, and / or with a D10 from 0.1 to 30 gm, preferably 0.1 to 5 gm, and / or D50 from 1 to 100 gm, preferably 1 to 30 gm exhibit.

If necessary, the mechanically processed cheese-containing mass can then be heated to 150 ° C.

Cooling the filled cheese mass to a temperature of 30 ° C or lower.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention is characterized by a method for producing a cheese-containing product which is free of significant amounts of processing salts, the cheese-containing product being a processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation or a cheese-containing food preparation, comprising the steps:

1 .1 Mixing cheese and water and / or milk fat and / or vegetable fat and / or milk products to form a cheese-containing mass (30),

1.1.1 The mixture has a pH value of 4.9 - 6.5. Ideally the pH value is 5.2-5.8

1 .2 with a natural cheese and / or a mixture of natural cheeses in a proportion of 5 to 90 percent by weight

1.3 where there is a milk protein content (46, 47) in the range from 5 to 30 percent by weight

1.4 with a water content (48) in the range from 8 to 80 percent by weight being present

1 .5 with an insignificant amount of the additives, the functional classes according to the Additive Approval Ordinance (ZZulV), complexing agents and in particular of melting salts of less than 0.3 percent by weight, with the following process steps

1 .6 Heating the cheese-containing mass (30) to 50-100 ° C, preferably 85 ° C

1.7 Entry of high kinetic energy through mechanical processing of the cheese-containing mass (30), i6

1.7.1 whereby the unemulsified fat (45) is emulsified by the mechanical processing

1.7.2 with the mechanical energy input, the original fat balls (41) from an initially existing average fat ball diameter (FKD) to a final fat ball diameter - in the range between 1/3 to 1/10, preferably to 1/5 of the initially existing Fat ball diameter is reduced

1.8 If necessary, the mechanically processed cheese-containing mass (30 ‘) can then be heated UFIT to kill spore-forming agents.

1 .9 Filling the hot cheese-containing mass (30 ‘),

1 .10 Cooling the filled cheese mass (30 ‘) to a temperature of 30 ° C or lower.

The present invention accordingly describes a method for the production of heat-treated cheese products and cheese-containing foods. The corresponding products are stable during the heating process without the addition of additives, in particular melting salts, which comprise phosphate and citrate compounds of sodium or potassium. This process enables cheese-containing products to be produced which have a distinct cheese taste and can develop a creamy mouthfeel that is typical of cheese. In particular, avoiding sodium-containing molten salt has the benefit of a lower sodium content in the end product. Overall, the low sodium content is desirable for many consumers. With this method, classic processed cheese and processed cheese preparations can also be produced without the use of melting salts. The above-mentioned stability means that a phase separation of the cheese-containing products into their water, protein and fat components is avoided even without the addition of melting salts during the fermentation process.

These products produced in this way have slightly improved organoleptic properties compared to the processed cheeses and cheeses available on the market. Preparations. The difference is a more intense cheese taste and a less sticky mouthfeel. By not using melting salts, there is also the strategic marketing advantage that the products can be declared without additives and therefore without an E number. It is also possible to make extra claims such as “without additives” or “clean label”.

The process described above requires special requirements for the machine technology used.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a device for producing a cheese-containing product which is free from significant amounts of melting salts, the cheese-containing product being a processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation, is characterized in that the cheese-containing mass is filled in a heatable melting kettle , and that at least one first agitator is arranged in the interior of the melting vessel, which generates a preferably vertical and / or horizontal flow in the melting vessel that flows around in a circuit.

Such a first agitator can be a mechanical agitator equipped with agitator blades that circulates the flowing cheese-containing mass. Instead of a mechanical agitator, other flow machines can also be used, such as flow nozzles in particular, which convey the cheese-containing mass in the melting kettle in a (vertical and / or horizontal) cycle. Mechanical agitators such as conical screw agitators can also be used.

The circulation of the cheese-containing mass in the processed cheese ensures that the cheese-containing mass flowing around is continuously conveyed into the area of influence of a flow machine that exerts a shearing and separating effect on the fat globules. This flow machine ensures the decisive reduction of the initial grease ball diameter to a different, lower diameter. Such a turbomachine can be a rotatingly driven vane turbine or a knife cutter or a nozzle arrangement. In a preferred embodiment, a rotatingly driven vane turbine is described as a flow machine, which hurls the cheese-containing mass under high mechanical acceleration against at least one stationary impact surface in the melting kettle, on which the fat globule comminution takes place.

The high mechanical acceleration is preferably achieved by directing the cheese-containing mass in an air space of the melting vessel against at least one impact surface arranged in this air space.

In another embodiment, provision can also be made for a cutting mechanism equipped with cutting blades to rotate at a high number of revolutions in the cheese-containing mass in order to achieve the desired size reduction of the fat globules. The arrangement of an air space through which the particles of the cheese-containing mass fly is no longer necessary with this design.

The melting kettle to be used must be designed in such a way that high mechanical energy, preferably kinetic energy, can be introduced into the cheese-containing product. In addition to the high motor power of the main agitator (blade turbine, cutting unit, etc.), the agitator geometry must be suitable for transferring the motor energy into the cheese-containing mass.

A sure sign of sufficient energy input into the cheese-containing product is a high power consumption of the main agitator motor and the heating of the cheese-containing product through the stirring process.

A practical example on a production scale is described below:

A melting kettle with a filling weight of 180 kg, with a motor power of the main agitator and a specially adapted agitator of approx. 37 kW equipped with turbine blades is used for the production of a cheese-containing product. During the stirring process, the cheese-containing mass is strongly accelerated by the specially adapted stirrer (turbine blades). After the acceleration, the cheese-containing product hits the kettle wall and / or agitator with high kinetic energy. Among other things, it will be free Emulsified fat. Furthermore, the present fat globules are then severely comminuted and a unimodal fat globule size distribution is created.

The cheese-casein is stored in the fat-ball membrane as an emulsifier as a result of the high mechanical shearing and dividing forces introduced according to the invention on the cheese-containing mass conveyed in the circuit. It was thus recognized for the first time that cheese-casein acts as an emulsifier if the fat globule diameter is sufficiently reduced.

The cheese-casein, however, has significantly poorer emulsifier properties than the sodium para-caseinate from the standard processed cheese process and can bind significantly less water in comparison. However, to avoid phase separation during the process and the removal from storage, it is absolutely necessary to bind all of the water in a stable manner. This necessary water binding is achieved by increasing the surface area of the water-binding fat ball membranes or fat ball surfaces. This increase in surface area is achieved by reducing the average fat globule diameter.

The following example shows the relationship between the average fat globule diameter and fat globule surface.

Flattening the average fat globule diameter doubles the fat globule surface and thus significantly increases the water-binding capacity of the system. This can result in worse despite

Water binding capacity of the cheese casein a similar stable water binding can be created as with commercially available processed cheese products with melting salts.

The mechanism described above has been confirmed in many production trials. For the first time, it was possible to achieve an increase in the surface of the fat globules and the associated increased water retention - essentially solely - through increased mechanical energy input. Therefore, no further additives and / or specially modified milk proteins such as. B calcium-reduced protein sources are added, as they are necessary in the prior art. The input of a high mechanical energy as shear and dividing force on the cheese-containing mass is sufficient to achieve the desired result - free of significant amounts of melting salts. The cheese-containing mass was processed for about 10-30 minutes. The temperature of the cheese-containing mass increases by 35 - 40 ° C due to the high mechanical energy input.

In addition to the energy input via a stirrer, this can also take place via a colloid mill and / or a homogenizer and / or an ultrasonic sonotrode and / or ball mill.

Ultrasonic sonotrodes are tools that are set into resonance vibrations by the introduction of high-frequency mechanical vibrations (ultrasound). They establish the connection between the ultrasonic generator and the cheese-containing mass and adapt the ultrasonic vibration to the processing task (impedance adaptation). Their geometry depends on the frequency provided by the generator used and on the machining task.

As described above, the high mechanical processing of the cheese-containing product significantly comminutes the fat globules present. The result is a unimodal fat globule size distribution:

D90 from 1 to 300 pm, preferably 20 to 120 pm, and / or with a

D10 from 0.1 to 30 pm, preferably 0.1 to 5 pm, and / or

D50 from 1 to 100 pm, preferably 1 to 30 pm. This ensures a particularly fine and stable emulsion.

After the mechanical processing, the product can advantageously be heated to UHT in order to kill spore-forming agents in order to achieve a long shelf life outside of the cooling.

The hot cheese-containing mass is preferably filled in before cooling. Hot filling allows the cheese-containing mass to be packaged directly in suitable portion sizes. For example, the mass can be filled into conventional filling forms, such as IWS (individually wrapped slices), processed cheese corners, blocks, sausages and bowls.

The cheese-containing mass can comprise colorants or flavorings. For example, beta-carotene can be used to adjust the color. Enzyme modified cheese (EMC) can be used to intensify the cheese taste in the cheese-containing product.

The cheese-containing mass formed is homogeneous and non-fatty and / or water-permeable. The cheese-containing mass formed is significantly thinner when hot than a comparable product with melting salts. Due to the low working viscosity, it is not possible to bring in the energy required for emulsification with standard melting kettles.

The method can in particular be carried out without the addition of melting salts, in particular without the addition of sodium citrates, sodium phosphates, potassium citrates and / or potassium phosphates.

As already mentioned at the beginning, the elimination of melting salts has considerable advantages. On the one hand, the trend towards “clean labeling” can be taken into account and, furthermore, the sodium content can be significantly reduced compared to classic processed cheese. The cooling can take place gradually or gradually over a period of 5 minutes to 24 hours, preferably to a temperature below 10 ° C, more preferably below 8 ° C.

The cheese-containing product can contain 1-15% by weight lactose, 2.5-30% by weight protein, 5-40% by weight milk fat and other components. The invention further describes a cheese-containing product which is produced by the process according to the invention.

The process according to the invention can produce cheese-containing products that are free of melting salt, in particular processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation, and cheese analogs. Furthermore, the cheese-containing product can be used to prepare a processed cheese without melting salts, as an insert in other foods, or as a sandwich, spread, sauce, dip, fondue cheese.

The basic principle of the present invention lies in the fact that a reduction in the diameter of grease balls is achieved by means of pure mechanical processing, whereby the introduction of a high mechanical processing power can take place through various mechanical measures.

In a preferred embodiment according to the subject matter of independent claim 9, a device for producing a cheese-containing product is proposed, in which the cheese-containing mass is arranged in a heatable melting kettle and by a first flow machine, preferably a rotatingly driven agitator, arranged in the interior of the melting kettle Circulation is circulated.

In this preferred embodiment, a second flow machine is arranged in the melting vessel, which introduces high shear forces into the circulating cheese-containing mass, so that the fat globules in the cheese-containing mass are comminuted.

In a first preferred embodiment, the shear forces are applied by kinematic acceleration of the cheese-containing mass and its steering in the air space of the melting kettle against at least one impact surface of the melting kettle. The above-mentioned fat globule comminution takes place on the impact surface.

As stated above, the invention is not limited to such a device for comminuting the fat globules. It is also possible to use other devices (cutting units, ultrasonic sonotrodes, extruders, homogenizers, ball mills) which have already been mentioned in the text.

In an exemplary, preferred embodiment of a device, a heated melting kettle is used, in which a bottom-side agitator generates a circulating flow of the cheese-containing mass in the melting kettle, directed in the vertical and / or horizontal direction. A shear or impingement flow is introduced into this flow circulation, which is preferably generated by a turbomachine and, in this case, preferably a turbine.

Such a turbine can be a turbine wheel, which is occupied with a plurality of blades on the circumference, wherein the blade wheel of the turbine is immersed in the cheese-containing mass and with a high drive power and preferably a speed of z. B. 1000 to 10,000 revolutions / min generates an impact or shear flow in the circulating cheese-containing mass and directs it against at least one stationary or movable melting-boiler-side impact surface. A comparison with known agitators shows that agitators according to the prior art for a comparable application are only operated at speeds in the range between 100-3000 rpm, whereby the effect according to the invention is not achieved.

An advantageous finding of the invention is accordingly that with such a mechanical energy input a shear flow is generated in the cheese-containing mass, which is directed into the circulatingly driven, flowing-around cheese-containing mass. This shear flow causes the fat globules to be crushed for the first time.

A further crushing takes place through a centrifugal effect of the blades rotating in the cheese-containing mass. The cheese-containing mass is thrown against a stationary or movable impact surface of the melting kettle while overcoming an air space in free flight.

As a result of the cheese-containing mass hitting the baffle surface in free flight, such a high impact energy is generated that is sufficient to reduce the fat globule diameter of the fat globules present in the cheese-containing mass by a substantial amount.

In a first preferred embodiment, the combinatorial effect of two different effects is used to reduce fat globules:

1. by introducing a turbine flow into the cheese-containing mass, shear forces are introduced to crush the fat globules. 2. Due to the centrifugal effect on at least one impact surface, the fat balls are further reduced in size.

Although the combinatorial effect described is preferred according to items 1 and 2, the invention is not restricted to this. It may be sufficient to provide a device with the effect according to number 1 or only according to number 2.

Thus, the surface of the previously large diameter fat balls is advantageously reduced to a reduced diameter of z. B. reduced in the range from 1/2 to 1/10, whereby the surface of the now divided and divided fat balls is multiplied. This makes it possible for the first time to significantly increase the water-binding surface of the fat balls, so that a workable emulsion is created from the cheese-containing mass without the addition of melting salts or other additives, which can be fed to further processed cheese processing.

The invention is not limited to the design or use of a turbine whose impingement flow is directed in an approximately perpendicular direction into the circulating flow of the cheese-containing mass. Instead of using a high-speed turbine with a single paddle wheel, several paddle wheels connected in series can be used, or instead of a paddle wheel, other agitator elements can also be used, such as, for. B. agitator paddles, cutting units, flomogenizers, ultrasonic sonotrodes, extruders, ball mills and the like.

As is known in plastics processing, an extruder is understood here to be a device in which the cheese-containing mass is pressed under high pressure through a sieve arranged on the face in order to generate the shear forces that split the originally large fat globule diameter into many small fat globules to achieve with a greatly reduced diameter. 4. Brief description of the figures

Currently preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures: FIG. 1 shows the process control as a function of time;

FIG. 2 shows the product strength as a function of the mechanical energy input;

FIG. 3 shows the homogeneity of a processed cheese-containing mass as a function of the mechanical energy input according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the homogeneity of a processed cheese-containing mass as a function of the mechanical energy input according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a unimodal fat globule size distribution of a spreadable processed cheese (LHS 257 E) with an energy input of 290 kW / kg according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a unimodal fat globule size distribution of processed cheese with 20% protein (LHS 314 D) according to a further embodiment of the invention

FIG. 7: shows a schematic sectional drawing through a melting kettle in a preferred embodiment according to section A-A in FIG

FIG. 8: shows the top view of the arrangement in FIG

FIG. 9: shows a vertical section through the arrangement according to FIGS. 7 and 7

FIG. 10: shows schematically the division of the fat balls on a baffle according to the embodiment in FIGS. 7 to 9, FIG. 11: shows in a vertical section another embodiment of how the fat balls can be broken up with a cutter in a melting vessel. FIG. 12: shows a further vertical section showing further details

FIG. 13: shows the top view of the arrangement according to FIGS. 11 and 12

FIG. 14: shows schematically the processing of the original cheese-containing mass with a reduction in the diameter of the fat globules with a representation of the initial and the final state in a schematic representation

5. Detailed description of various embodiments

The present invention describes a process which is suitable for producing processed cheese and related products without melting salts according to the LMBG.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a mixture of cheese, water and / or butter and / or other milk products such as. B. whey powder and / or skimmed milk powder, exposed to high mechanical processing at a defined temperature range and time. This creates a mixture that shows no separation effects despite being heated. An important process during mechanical processing is the formation of fat globules, which are similar to the fat globules in milk, as well as the crushing of all fat globules and thus the increase in the number of fat globules and thus their total surface area, which leads to an increase in the water-binding capacity.

After the mechanical processing of the mixture, the cheese-containing mass is optionally subjected to a further heating step, depending on the product temperature reached and the desired end product. The hot product can then be filled into the packaging customary in the processed cheese industry. The fat balls in the mixture are surrounded by a thin shell (membrane) with emulsifying properties. During mechanical processing, the fat balls are constantly being crushed. After finishing the mechanical processing All the fat is emulsified in small fat balls. The diameter of the fat ball was significantly reduced.

In contrast to the normal processed cheese process, the fat emulsification does not take place through the sodium para-caseinate, which is created by the reaction of the melting salts with the cheese-casein, but rather through cheese-casein, which is naturally present in the continuous phase. Sodium para-caseinate is a highly effective emulsifier that can produce a stable emulsion even at low stirring speeds and times.

The present emulsifying constituents of the cheese-containing mass have significantly poorer emulsifier properties than the aforementioned sodium para-caseinate, which in the standard processed cheese process are not sufficient to achieve a stable emulsion. It is only through the high mechanical energy input that the present emulsifying constituents are able to form a stable emulsion. Ultimately, the strong mechanical processing with the above-mentioned effects leads to a significant increase in the water-binding capacity and emulsion stability of the system. Furthermore, the mechanical energy input has the consequence that the hot viscosity in the mixture increases slightly compared to the initial viscosity. The increase in hot viscosity can be explained by the larger amount of bound water on the fat globule surfaces.

In addition, the reduction in size of the fat globules increases the fat globular stability. Small balls of fat are more resistant to mechanical and thermal effects than larger balls of fat. Thus, the processed cheese-containing mass is stable even under mechanical and thermal stress such. B. pumping and / or UHT heating.

As already described above, a high mechanical energy input of 70-2000 kW / kg is necessary to generate a stable emulsion. This depends on the recipe sizes (dry matter, protein and fat) and the desired consistency of the end product. FIG. 1 shows the heating of the cheese-containing mass 30 as a function of time. In this case, heating is carried out in the area of the branch 11 of the curve up to a temperature of about 40 ° by direct steam input into the cheese-containing mass up to position 12. The steam injection is then switched off and the product is mechanically processed along the curve branch 13, the mechanical processing generating the heating of the product up to position 14 and from position 14 direct steam injection takes place in the area of the curve branch 15 until a temperature of approx. 90 ° in position 16. Approximately at position 16, the final process temperature has been reached. The optimal temperature for FKD reduction is 60 ° C. Such mechanical processing can be stirring and / or kneading and / or flowing and / or sonication, preferably with ultrasound.

FIG. 2 shows the dependence of the product strength on the mechanical processing that takes place. For spreadable products with a dry matter of 47%, a protein content of 11%, a lactose content of 7% and a

With a fat content of 27%, mechanical processing with an energy input preferably in the range between 150-250 kW / kg is suitable. With a mechanical processing of 200 kWs / kg, the usual consistencies of spreadable processed cheese can be achieved.

In Figure 2 it is shown that the mechanical energy input in the area of the curve branch 17 is not sufficient to increase the product strength. The product remains similar to water and is not suitable for making processed cheese. At position 18, a homogeneous mass is created during production, but it is not stable, as shown at position 19. Only when further mechanical energy is entered into this still unstable mass according to curve branch 49 does the product strength increase, but this is not yet sufficient for mechanical processing. Only when a further mechanical energy input along the curve branch 50 takes place from position 51, an increased product strength is finally achieved at position 52. Thus, the product for processed cheese processing is in the range between position 51 and 52, ie in Area of the curve branch 50, suitable for the processed cheese preparation according to the invention.

Examples Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the following detailed description. However, it is emphasized that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

Example 1: Shear at 40 ° C. The following series of experiments can be used to demonstrate the effect of mechanical processing on the emulsion stability during heating.

For this purpose, five tests were carried out with the same recipes, but with different energy inputs to the base material. All other process parameters were kept constant. The following

Recipe was used:

Table 1: Ingredients of the cheese-containing product.

The parameters summarized in the table below result after a mechanical energy input has been used. Table 2: Process parameters and product textures.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the samples after the mechanical energy input (FIGS. 3 and 4).

From the above test results it can be deduced that the mechanical processing with the present formulation must be at least 100 kWs / kg in order to generate a stable emulsion. This can be seen from the last two columns of the table above. In Figure 3, the processed cheese-containing mass 30’a shows that it still contains flakes; this corresponds to the test number LHS 257 A in the table above.

With the representation of the processed cheese-containing mass 30'b, the test number LHS 257 B is described, which shows a slight excretion of fat, but not a homogeneous product of a processed cheese-containing mass 30'b that would be suitable for further processing as processed cheese.

Also with the test number LHS 257 C, which is shown in the form of the cheese-containing mass 30'c in FIG. 3, the result is unsatisfactory, because the emulsified phases separate again after a longer standing time. FIG. 4 shows the same pattern as in FIG. 3, but after a 10 hour cooling phase.

As usual in the processed cheese industry, the samples were stored upside down in order to make the beaker lid with the hot product low in germs. Here, too, the phase separations in the processed masses 30’a, 30’b and 30’c can be seen, which were created with the cold, stored product and which show that the processing quality achieved here is not suitable for processing a processed cheese preparation.

Example 2: Production of a spreadable “Cheese Product Clean Label” The following recipe represents an example for the production of a spreadable cheese product without additives.

Table 3: Ingredients of a spreadable cheese product.

To do this, all ingredients are placed in a melting kettle and heated to 40 ° C. The product is then mechanically processed for 30 minutes with an energy input of 200 kW / kg. The product heats up from 40 ° C to approx. 75 ° C. The processed mixture is then heated to 92 ° C. After heating, the mass is exposed to a vacuum of 700 mbar for 2 minutes, so that most of the gas bubbles are drawn out of the product and a homogeneous texture is created. Then the hot product is filled into cups. Example 3: Production of a spreadable “cheese product” without the addition of milk products

Table 4: Ingredients of a spreadable cheese product without additional milk products.

A similar recipe is listed in the bulletin ARLA FOODS “Versatile quality processed cheese with flexible Nutrilac Solutions”. The recipe has already been described and commented on in detail under “State of the art”. The recipe listed above was created based on the ARLA FOOD recipe (page 12) but without Nutrilac CH 6540 or other dairy products. For this purpose, the milk protein of the Nutrilac CH 6540 was replaced with quark.

Quark is a good source of protein without additional milk fat and is therefore well suited to replace the Nutrilac CH 6540. The low pH of the edible curd of 4.6 was adjusted to 5.6 with sodium hydroxide.

In this example, the pH value is adjusted with sodium hydroxide in order to be able to do without particularly ripened raw materials and milk products. In general, however, the pH value can easily be adjusted via the cheese raw material and / or via the milk products, so that the requirements of a clean label product can easily be met. In example 2 of the present invention, a recipe is shown in which the pH is mainly adjusted via the skimmed milk powder. Too low a pH value, usually below 5.1, causes an undesirably rough mouthfeel.

The above formulation was made in accordance with the present invention. For this purpose, all components were placed in the melting kettle and then stirred moderately at 1500 rpm and indirectly heated to 40 ° C.

This was followed by mechanical processing at 300 kWs, whereby the product had heated up to 50 ° C. as a result of the mechanical action. The product had lightened significantly during processing, which indicated a better fine fat distribution. Furthermore, the product showed a homogeneous and separation-free texture. The product was then heated to 90 ° C. under moderate stirring conditions of 1500 rpm. After the heating step a vacuum step (700 mbar) was carried out in order to remove the air bubbles from the mass from the homogenization step.

The hot, liquid, air bubble-free and homogeneous processed cheese was then filled into 150 ml plastic cups. After three months of storage, the product showed a stable consistency and no tendency to phase separate. This example shows that processed cheese and / or processed cheese preparations with a cheese content of over 70% and without the use of milk products and without melting salts can be produced by means of the present invention.

Example 4: Production of a “cheese product” which is intended as a preliminary product for cheese powder production (feed) and is produced without the addition of dairy products

Table 5: Ingredients of a “feed” cheese product.

A similar recipe was published by the University of Copenhagen under the title “Redesigning cheese powder for omission of emulsifying salt, but this contained buttermilk powder and sodium caseinate to ensure heating without phase separation.

The recipe has already been described and commented on in detail under “State of the art”.

The above recipe was created based on the recipe at the University of Copenhagen, but without buttermilk powder and without sodium caseinate. For this purpose, the milk protein in buttermilk powder and sodium caseinate was replaced with quark. The low pH of the total mixture of 5.2 was raised to 5.4 with calcium carbonate.

This was followed by mechanical processing at 250 kWs, whereby the product had heated up to 55 ° C due to the mechanical action. The product had lightened significantly during processing, which suggests a better fine fat distribution. Furthermore, the product showed a homogeneous and separation-free texture. The product was then heated to 90 ° C. under moderate stirring conditions of 1500 rpm. The heating step was followed by a vacuum step (700 mbar) to remove the air bubbles from the pre-process from the mass. The hot, liquid, air bubble-free and homogeneous feed was then filled into 150 ml plastic cups. After three months of storage, the product showed a stable consistency and no tendency to phase separate.

In this example, the proof is given that by means of the present invention a so-called FEED with a cheese content of over 70% and without the use of buttermilk powder, sodium caseinate and melting salts can be produced. However, the high emulsion stability achieved here due to the good water binding is probably subsequently responsible for a drying with a low residual moisture. To reduce the water retention or residual moisture, the amounts of energy could be further reduced. However, it is advantageous that when declaring cheese powder, buttermilk powder and sodium caseinate can be dispensed with and the cheese content can be increased at the same time. Furthermore, the cheese taste is not altered by the buttermilk powder and the sodium caseinate, which is advantageous for marketing. Cheese powder is often used as a flavoring component in the food industry. Thus, the cheese powder without dairy products and without melting salts that has been prepared according to the present invention represents an improved alternative.

Example 5: Production of a “cheese product” using milk products but without melting salts

In the test series shown below, based on a recipe LHS 163 B, various milk products and cheese were tested for their suitability as raw materials for a cheese cream free from melting salt. All recipes were made using the procedure described in Example 3.

The dry matter, protein content and fat were set the same in all recipes:

Dry matter = 48.0% -mas

Protein = 11.3% -mas Fat = 25.2% -mas

Table 6: Milk products used in the test series LHS 163 A-H

Table 7: Recipes of the test series LHS 163 A - H

All of the products produced in the test series LHA 163 from B - H showed differences in appearance, mouthfeel and consistency. Product E is characterized, for example, by a particularly glossy surface. The products B and F had a particularly high strength compared to the other products. The pFI value of the entire test series varied from 5.2 to

5.6.

All of the experiments by B-F1 formed a stable emulsion and could be heated without phase separation. With this series of tests it was possible to prove that milk products with very high calcium contents can also be used with the present invention and that there is thus a great deal of leeway in setting the product properties. Furthermore, in the experiment Fl, where only cheese was used, it was repeatedly proven that products can be made without any dairy products. FIG. 5 shows the reduction in the original fat bulb diameter FKD of an unprocessed cheese-containing mass 30 according to curve 53, an average, initial fat bulb diameter distribution of 50 μm being given. According to the process arrow 54, the measures according to the invention now decisively reduce the fat globule diameter in accordance with the distribution curve, as a result of which an LC curve 55 is achieved in which an average fat globule diameter D50 of 8 μm is achieved.

It was recognized within the scope of the invention that the decisive reduction in the fat ball diameter D50 of z. B. 50 pm to 8 pm, the water-binding surface of the reduced fat globules thus achieved in the area of the FKD curve 55 leads to a strong increase in the emulsifiability of the processed cheese-containing mass 30 '. This makes it possible for the first time to obtain a processed cheese preparation that is easy to process without further additives, in particular without significant addition of melting salts. (FL: in the simplified ALL IN ONE procedure)

FIG. 6 shows a curve of a fat globule distribution in another exemplary embodiment of a cheese-containing mass.

This results in an FKD curve 55 'of a different composition of a cheese-containing processed mass, because even an average fat globule diameter in the range of preferably 2 μm was achieved. The amount of energy entered in the FKD curve 55 'is therefore also higher than in comparison with the FKD curve 55 according to FIG. 5.

Figures 7 to 9 show a schematically illustrated embodiment of a preferred embodiment of a device for the production of a cheese-containing product which is free of significant amounts of melting salts, wherein a melting kettle 20 with a capacity of z. B. 180 kg of the cheese-containing mass 30 is provided, which preferably has a heating jacket 21. In the bottom area 27 of the melting kettle 20, one or more steam nozzles 22 are arranged with which it is possible to introduce steam in the direction of the arrow 23 into the cheese-containing mass 30. There is preferably a first agitator 25 in the bottom area of the melting kettle 20, which generates an upward flow 29 in the cheese-containing mass 30 with a motor 37 and a propeller 26 driven by the latter, the flow extending in the vertical direction up to the filling level 28. Of course, other agitators 25 can be used, such as conical screw mixers, screw agitators, cutting agitators and other fluidic devices which are suitable for generating preferably a vertical flow and / or a horizontal flow in the interior of the melting kettle 20.

In the upper region of the melting vessel 20, a turbine 33 is arranged laterally, which in a preferred embodiment only partially extends into the cheese-containing mass 30. However, in another embodiment, which is not shown in the drawing, it can also extend completely into the cheese-containing mass 30 and be completely surrounded by it.

The turbine 33 is driven to rotate about its axis of rotation 35 via a motor 36. This is shown in a top view in FIG. 8, where it can be seen that the turbine 33 consists of a blade wheel with a large number of blades 34 inserted there at an angle. When the turbine 33 is driven in rotation by the motor 36, an impact flow 32 is thus generated in the flow 29 of the cheese-containing mass 30 flowing up in the direction of arrow 31, which results in a shearing effect in the flow of the cheese-containing mass and a first type of fat globule comminution takes place. Due to the centrifugal force of the blades 34 of the turbine 33, there is an additional centrifugal effect on the cheese-containing mass 30 upwards in the direction of arrow 31, so that the particles of the cheese-containing mass 30 in the form of an impact flow 40 the air space 56 between the filling level 28 and the underside 39 of a lid 38 fly through in free flight and thus an impact flow 40 is generated. This is a second type of fat ball shredding. The cheese-containing mass 30 is thus thrown against the underside of the cover 38 in the form of an impingement flow 40 with a high expenditure of energy. In a first embodiment, the invention only provides for the fat ball comminution of the first type. In a modified version, both types of fat globule size reduction are used. The combination of the two types of fat ball size reduction generates a highly effective input of kinetic energy into the cheese-containing mass, whereby - due to the combination of both fat ball size reduction types - only a short process time is required. (Standard processes take 10-15 minutes, only 25 minutes are required here)

The process of crushing fat globules according to the second type is shown schematically in FIG. An initial grease ball 41, which is surrounded by a grease ball membrane 42, is hurled at high speed in the direction of arrow 31 by the impingement flow 40 generated by the turbine against the baffle surface 43 formed by the cover, which leads to a mechanical splitting of the grease ball diameter and the fat ball 41 is divided into several fat balls 4T of smaller diameter, each divided fat ball 41 'also being surrounded (enclosed) by a fat ball membrane 42'.

It follows that the effective surface of the original fat ball 41 is greatly increased by mechanical division at the impact surface 43, in that the effective surface is divided into a plurality of fat balls 4T of smaller diameter with surrounding fat ball membranes 42 '. The division is accordingly carried out by impinging on the impact surface 43 and a return flow 44 generated at the impact surface, so that the divided and diameter-reduced fat balls 41 'sink back into the cheese-containing mass 30' and there again due to the circulating flow 29 from the turbine 33 detected and thrown against the impact surface 43 on the underside 39 of the cover 38. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the fat balls 41 are thrown in free flight against the impact surface 43 arranged above the filling level 28. The impact surface 43 is formed by the underside of the cover 38. The invention is not restricted to this. In another variant, not shown in the drawing, the boiler-side impact surface 43 can at least partially or completely immerse into the cheese-containing mass. In the latter case, the kettle-side impact surface is then below the filling level 28. In the variant shown in FIGS the general description Be mentioned - such a centrifugal effect can also be generated by other devices, such as. B. by a flomogenizer, an ultrasonic sonotrode, a ball mill, an extruder and / or a colloid mill.

Instead of a centrifugal turbine with which the substance flow of the cheese-containing mass 30 is directed against the one baffle 43, other centrifugal devices can be used, such as. B. cutting knife organs, paddles or high pressure nozzles directed directly against the boiler-side impact surface, which guide the cheese-containing mass 30 to be processed against the impact surface 43 with a high pressure jet. Here, too, the baffle surface can be arranged above the filling level 28 in a first embodiment or below the filling level 28 in a second embodiment.

FIGS. 11 to 13 show a further exemplary embodiment of a fat ball dividing device, a cutting tool 57 rotating at the bottom of a melting kettle 20, and thereby a cutting tool 57, rotating at the bottom RPM in the range between 3,000 and 10,000 revs / min is preferred. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the cutting tool 57 has three cutting blades 58 arranged one above the other at a vertical distance. B. is also known in a mixer. In this way, too, the previous fat ball diameter of the fat balls 41, which is also shown in the following FIG. 14 on the left-hand side, is divided into fat balls 4T in the manner shown in FIG. 14 on the right-hand side. In the illustration in FIG. 7 it is also characteristic that the turbine 33 hurls the fat balls to be divided through the air space 56 against the underside of the cover 38.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 11 to 13 does not depend on this, because in this exemplary embodiment the division of the fat globule diameter takes place directly in the cheese-containing mass itself, without the need for division on a boiler-side impact surface. The division takes place here with the cutting blades 58 rotating in the cheese-containing mass, which, so to speak, themselves represent the impact surfaces.

FIG. 14 shows the mechanical energy input into a cheese-containing mass 30 to be processed, whereby in the original state (left side of FIG. 14) it can be seen that the water 48 contained in the emulsion is connected to different milk proteins 46, 47.

One type of milk protein 46 is derived from the cheese protein, while the second type of milk protein 47 can be, for example, milk products.

It follows from this that any desired arrangement and any desired mixing ratio of water 48 and the milk proteins 46, 47 can be present and the cheese-containing mass 30 is formed therefrom. In the cheese-containing mass 30 different types of fats are distributed, namely a free fat 45 in the form of fat balls, such as. B. butter and the like. There are also others, some relative Fat balls 41 having a large diameter are present, which are surrounded by a fat ball membrane 42.

By introducing the thermal and mechanical energy with the rotatingly driven mechanical acceleration device 25, 26, 32, 33; 57, 58 one fat globule comminution takes place.

In a preferred embodiment, the acceleration device consists of the turbine 33 with which the aforementioned impact flow 40 is generated.As a result of this impact flow 40, the processed cheese-containing mass 30 'is divided in such a way that the fat balls 41 are now divided into fat balls 4T with a greatly reduced diameter will. The water distribution with the water 48, the milk proteins 46 and 47 is essentially retained because the milk proteins 46, 47 attach themselves to the outer circumference of the reduced diameter fat globule membranes 42 'due to the splitting effect, because their attachable surface area has been increased substantially. It should be noted that the milk proteins 46, 47, inter alia, also form the fat globule membrane 42 '. From the representation of the unprocessed cheese-containing mass 30 by introducing mechanical energy into a processed cheese-containing mass 30 '(right representation in FIG. 11), the decisive reduction in diameter of the fat globules 4T thus obtained and thus their enlargement of the effective surface for the accumulation of milk proteins 46 results, 47 in the water 48. Only when this processed cheese-containing mass 30 'has been reached is it possible to achieve a composition free of melting salt for further processing as processed cheese. Drawing legend

1

2

3

4th

5

6th

7th

8th

9

10

11 curve branch

12 position

13 curve branch

14 position

15 branch of the curve

16 position

17 branch of the curve

18 position

19 position

20 melting kettles

21 heating jacket

22 steam nozzle

23 Direction of arrow

24 floor

25 agitator

26 agitator blades

27 floors (of 20)

28 filling level

29 current

30 cheese mixture 30 ' 31 direction of arrow

32 Impingement flow

33 turbine

34 blade (of 33) 35 axis of rotation

36 engine (for 33)

37 engine (for 26)

38 lid

39 Bottom 40 Impact Flow

41 grease ball 4T

42 grease ball membrane 42 '

43 baffle

44 Backflow 45 Free fat (e.g. butter)

46 milk proteins (cheese protein)

47 milk proteins (milk product)

48 water

49 branch of curve 50 branch of curve

51 position

52 position

53 FDK curve

54 Process arrow 55 FDK curve 55 '

56 airspace

57 Cutting unit

58 cutting blades

59 Turbulent flow

Claims

1. A process for the production of a cheese-containing food that is free of significant amounts of additives, the functional classes according to the Additive Admissions Ordinance (ZZulV), complexing agents and in particular melting salts, wherein the cheese-containing product is a processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation or a cheese-containing food, comprising the steps: 1.1 Mixing cheese and / or water and / or butter and / or vegetable fat and / or a milk product and / or several milk products to form a cheese-containing mass (30),

1.1.1 The mixture has a pH value in the range of 4.9 - 6.5,

1.2 where a natural cheese and / or a mixture of natural cheeses is present in a proportion of 5 to 90 percent by weight.

1.4 with a water content (48) in the range from 20 to 80 percent by weight 1.5 with a non-significant amount of additives, the functional classes according to the additive approval ordinance (ZZulV), complexing agents and in particular of molten salt of less than 0.03 wt. Percent is present, whereby the following process steps take place:

1.6 Heating of the cheese-containing mass (30) to 60-160 ° C, preferably 90 ° C, preferably by steam injection and / or conversion of the mechanical energy into thermal energy

1.7 Entry of a high kinetic energy of at least 70 KWs / kg through mechanical processing of the entire cheese-containing mass (30),

1.7.2 with the mechanical energy input, the original fat balls (41) and the newly created fat balls from an initially existing average fat ball diameter (FKD) to a final fat ball diameter in the range between 1/3 to 1/20 is preferably reduced to 1/5 of the initially existing fat ball diameter

1.8 If necessary, the mechanically processed cheese-containing mass (30 ‘) can then be heated to UHT in order to kill spore-forming agents. 1.9 Filling the hot cheese-containing mass (30 ‘),

1.10 Cooling the filled cheese mass (30 ‘) to a temperature of 30 ° C or lower.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating of the cheese-containing mass (30) to 60-160 ° C takes place before and / or during and / or after the mechanical processing, the introduced mechanical energy amount at least 70 kWs / kg into the cheese-containing mass (30).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the initial, average fat globule diameter D50 in the range of 50

Micrometers before machining to an average fat globule diameter D50 after machining in the range of 0.1 to 30 micrometers.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating is carried out at a temperature in the range from 65 ° C to 160 ° C, preferably 70 ° C to 95 ° C, particularly preferably 85 ° C to 90 ° C.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the in the cheese-containing mass (30) entered mechanical amount of energy in the range of

70 to 2000 kWs / kg of cheese-containing mass (30), preferably 100 to 500 kWs / kg, particularly preferably 150 to 250 kWs / kg.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanical processing is carried out in a period of time in the range from 15 seconds to 60 minutes, preferably 5 to 30 minutes, particularly preferably 15 to 25 minutes, 7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fat ball diameter size distribution in the mechanically processed cheese-containing mass (30 ') is preferably unimodal and preferably with the following size distribution:

7.1 Size distribution D90 from 1 to 500 pm, preferably 5 to 400 pm, more preferably 10 to 300 pm, more preferably 150 to 200 pm, especially preferably 20 to 120 pm

7.2 and / or with a size distribution D10 of 0.1 to 50 pm, preferably 0.1 to 40 pm, preferably 0.1 to 30 pm, preferably 0.1 to 15 pm, especially preferably 0.1 to 5 pm,

7.3 and / or with a size distribution D50 of 1 to 200 pm, preferably 1 to 150 pm, more preferably 1 to 100 pm, more preferably 1 to 75 pm, particularly preferably 1 to 30 pm.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cheese-containing product is composed of 0-15% lactose, 2.5-20% protein up to 35%, 5-40% fat, 20-80% water.

9. Apparatus for the production of a cheese-containing product which is free of significant amounts of melting salts, wherein the cheese-containing product is a processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation or a cheese-containing food, characterized in that the cheese-containing mass (30) in a heatable melting kettle (20) is arranged, and that with the aid of a rotationally driven, mechanical acceleration device (25, 26, 32, 33; 57, 58), a fat globule comminution takes place.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the mechanical acceleration device is designed as an agitator (25) arranged on the bottom side or as a cutting device (57) arranged on the bottom side.

11. The device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the mechanical acceleration device is designed as a rotatingly driven turbine (33) which is at least partially immersed in the cheese-containing mass (30).

12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the turbine (33) hurls the cheese-containing mass (30) against at least one boiler-side impact surface (43) and divides it there.

13. The device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the impingement flow (31) generated by the turbine (33) is directed at an angle, preferably at an angle of 60 to 90 degrees, into the cheese-containing mass (30) flowing past the turbine wheel.

14. Device according to one of claims 12 to 13, characterized in that the boiler-side impact surface (43) is arranged above a filling level (28) in the melting vessel (20).

15. Device according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the diameter of the fat balls (41, 4T) is reduced by at least one cutting unit (57) rotating in the cheese-containing mass and generating a rotating turbulent flow (59).

16. Device according to one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the crushing of the fat balls (41, 41 ') takes place with an ultrasonic sonotrode or a colloid mill or an extruder or a flomogenizer or a ball mill.

17. Cheese-containing food that is free of significant amounts of additives, the functional classes according to the Additive Admissions Ordinance (ZZulV), complexing agents and in particular melting salts, whereby the cheese-containing product is a processed cheese or a processed cheese preparation or a cheese-containing food and a pH value in the range between 4 , 9 to 6.5.

18. Cheese-containing food according to claim 17, characterized in that a natural cheese and / or a mixture of natural cheeses is present in a proportion of 5 to 90 percent by weight, that a milk protein content (46, 47) is present in the range from 5 to 30 percent by weight, that a water content (48) is present in the range from 20 to 80 percent by weight and that an insignificant amount of the additives, the functional classes According to the additive approval ordinance (ZZulV), complexing agents and in particular melting salts of less than 0.3 percent by weight are present.

19. Cheese-containing food according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that it is produced by a method according to at least one of claims 1 to 8.

20. Cheese-containing food according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that it is produced with a device according to at least one of claims 9 to 16.