Systems and methods for making plant-based cheese: “plantly”

A method of making plant-based cheese, comprising:

• preparing a plant-based cheese mixture comprising plant-based ingredients and at least one enzyme by mixing at an agitation rate between 700-800 rpm and emulsifying the plant-based ingredients and the enzyme at a temperature of <50° C. in a vacuum mixer;
• pumping the plant-based cheese mixture into a heat exchanger for heating and cooling the plant-based cheese mixture;
• heat exchanger heat treating the plant-based cheese mixture at a temperature sufficient to inactivate the at least one enzyme for a holding time;
• homogenizing the plant-based cheese mixture after the heat exchanger heat treating and prior to cooling;
• cooling the homogenized plant-based cheese mixture;
• dynamically mixing additional ingredients using a mixer that can withstand viscosities up to 15000 cp into the cooled homogenized plant-based cheese mixture;
• and
• packaging the homogenized plant-based cheese mixture, wherein the method is carried out under closed conditions until the packaging of the homogenized plant-based cheese mixture.