Apparatus and method for fusing curd
OwnerMichel Doréinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for fusing curd and a method for fusing curd. The curd is fused in the apparatus, which is configured to form a curd stack in a container that has a temperature comprised within a temperature range that favors acidification of the cheese curd in the curd stack. The formation of the curd stack compresses the cheese curd in the curd stack, which causes the curd stack to express whey as the acidification of the curd takes place and as the syneresis process takes place. The curd stack is subjected to a vacuum, which assists in the removal of air from the curd stack. The curd stack has a continuous casein matrix, which allows for a cheese block obtained from the curd stack to be milled into cheese curds, which have substantially similar dimensions and very few fines.
Claims20
An apparatus for producing cheese curds to be eaten as a snack, to be used in preparing a dish, or to be pressed together to form a block of cheese, the apparatus comprising:
- a container;
- a vacuum system coupled to the container and configured to produce a sub-atmospheric pressure in the container, the sub-atmospheric pressure being comprised within a range of about 330 mbar to about 610 mbar;
- an input airlock coupled to the container, the input airlock configured to receive curd at atmospheric pressure and to transfer the curd to the container when the container is at the sub-atmospheric pressure, to form a curd stack in the container;
- a pH measuring device installed in the container and configured to measure a pH of the curd stack in the containers
- a heating apparatus coupled to the container and configured to maintain a portion of the container or the entire container at a temperature comprised within a pre-determined temperature range;
- an output device coupled to the container and configured to cut a block of the curd stack formed in the container and to release the block from the container;
- and
- a cutting device configured to cut the block of curd into the cheese curds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.