Snack-Type Dry Cheese Food Product And Process For Manufacturing Same

Process for manufacturing a dry cheese food product comprising the following steps:

• a) Freezing a cheese to a temperature of less than or equal to −20° C.;
• said cheese has a fat content of less than or equal to 40%, and is prepared beforehand in slices having a thickness of less than or equal to 4 mm;
• b) Placing said frozen cheese under vacuum at a pressure of between 0.1 and 100 mbar;
• c) Heating said frozen cheese under vacuum, in two phases:
• c1) Phase 1:
• rapid increase in the temperature of said cheese to a temperature of the order of 120° C., over the course of 0.2 to 2 hours, at a pressure of between 0.1 and 100 mbar and a water vapour extraction flow of 0.4 to 10 kg of water per kg of product and per hour;
• and
• c2) Phase 2:
• cooking at a temperature of between 60 and 160° C., at a pressure of between 0.1 and 100 mbars and for 5 to 60 minutes;
• d) Cooling under vacuum, at a pressure of between 0.1 and 100 mbar, to a temperature of between 40 and 80° C. at a temperature reduction speed of between 50 and 70° C. per hour;
• e) Pressurizing by vacuum compensation with a dry gas.