# US 2008/0187634 A1 · Production of natural cheese product > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0187634 A1 - Document ID: US20080187634A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/026,796 - Filed: 2008-02-06 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-06 - Assignees: Arla Foods Amba - Inventors: Anitha RASMUSSEN; Jens Jorgen SOGAARD; Mette BAKMAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187634A1 ## CPC - A23C 19/0688: {Hard cheese or semi-hard cheese with or without eyes (A23C19/072 takes precedence)} - A23C 19/082: Adding substances to the curd before or during melting; Melting salts - A23C 2250/052: Emulsifying cheese below melting or pasteurisation temperature, e.g. below about 60 degrees - A23C 2250/054: Emulsifying cheese without melting or emulsifying salts, e.g. citrates or (poly-) phosphates or alkali metal (bi-) carbonates or sodium or calcium salts of organic acids - A23C: DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B11/00) ## Abstract A novel method for producing a natural cheese is described. The present method utilizes a combination of heating, mechanical processing and pH changes to produce a natural cheese. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a natural cheese product wherein cheese curd, at least one taste ingredient and at least one acid are mixed and heated in a mixer to a cheese mass having a temperature in the range from 40° C. to 90° C. and a pH in the range from pH 4.2 to pH 5.2, said cheese mass being added a base to bring pH within the range from pH 4.9 to pH 5.8, and subsequently packaging the resulting natural cheese product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein cheese curd, at least one taste ingredient and at least one acid are mixed and heated in a mixer to a cheese mass having a temperature in the range from 50° C. to 70° C. and a pH in the range from pH 4.5 to pH 4.9, said cheese mass being added a base to bring pH within the range from pH 5.0 to pH 5.6, and subsequently packaging the resulting natural cheese product. ### Claim 3 A method according to 1, wherein mixing and heating are carried out in a direct steam injection mixer. ### Claim 4 A method according to 1, wherein heating is carried out by indirect heating using either steam or hot water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially homogeneous cheese mass has a temperature in the range from 54° C. to 60° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said natural cheese product is cooled in brine before being packaged. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said natural cheese product is packaged before being cooled to a temperature below room temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one taste ingredient comprises mature cheese. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one taste ingredient comprises the rind of mature cheese. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein said mature cheese is added in an amount of 3% to 15% on the basis of the cheese curd, in an amount of 2% to 10% on the basis of the cheese curd, in an amount of 6% to 10% on the basis of the cheese curd, or in an amount of about 10% on the basis of the cheese curd. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one taste ingredient comprises cheese powder, EMC, fermented milk or another milk based tasty ingredients ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein said cheese curd is no more than 36 hours old. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, which is performed without adding emulsifying salts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said pH in the range from pH 4.2 to pH 5.2 is at least 0.5 pH units lower than said pH within the range from pH 5.0 to pH 5.6. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, wherein said pH in the range from pH 4.5 to pH 4.9 is at least 0.5 pH units lower than said pH within the range from pH 5.0 to pH 5.6. ### Claim 16 A natural cheese product manufactured by a process wherein cheese curd, at least one taste ingredient and at least one acid are mixed and heated in a mixer to a homogeneous cheese mass having a temperature in the range from 40° C. to 90° C. and a pH in the range from pH 4.2 to pH 5.2, said homogeneous cheese mass being added a base to bring pH within the range from pH 5.0 to pH 5.6, subsequently packaging the resulting natural cheese product. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A natural cheese product according to claim 16 wherein cheese curd, at least one taste ingredient and at least one acid are mixed and heated in a mixer to a homogeneous cheese mass having a temperature in the range from 50° C. to 70° C. and a pH in the range from pH 4.5 to pH 4.9, said homogeneous cheese mass being added a base to bring pH within the range from pH 5.0 to pH 5.6, subsequently packaging the resulting natural cheese product. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A natural cheese product according to claim 16, wherein said natural cheese product is packaged before being cooled to a temperature below room temperature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) A natural cheese product according to claim 16, wherein no emulsifying salts have been added. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) A natural cheese product according to claim 16, wherein heating has been carried out in a direct steam injection mixer.