Compositions and methods for improving cheese performance
AssigneeSFC Global Supply Chain, Inc.
InventorsRongxuan Cai, Bonita M. Hinze
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for stabilizing cheese proteins includes preparing a cheese mass comprising cheese curds and whey; adding a stabilizing additive to the cheese mass; straining the cheese mass to separate a cheese curd and whey; and forming the cheese curd into a cheese comprising about 18 to about 35% protein. In some embodiments, the method is modified to allow for a gentler cheese manufacturing process. A cheese composition may include cheese; about 18 to about 35% protein comprising about 0.01 to about 25% of intact protein segments by weight of the protein; and about 0.001 to about 5% of a stabilizing additive.
Claims16
A cheese composition comprising:
- at least 95% cheese;
- about 18 to about 35% protein comprising about 0.01 to about 25% of intact protein segments by weight of the protein;
- and
- about 0.001 to about 3% of an additive selected from titanium dioxide, calcium citrate, calcium sulfite, calcium sulfate, calcium caseinate, calcium propionate, potassium sorbate, potassium bitartrate, sodium caseinate, casein, whey protein, vegetable protein, and mixtures thereof.
A cheese composition made by:
- preparing a cheese mass comprising cheese curds and whey;
- straining the cheese mass to separate a cheese curd and whey;
- mixing a stabilizing additive into the cheese curd;
- and
- forming the cheese curd into the cheese composition,
- wherein the cheese composition comprises about 18 to about 35% protein, and wherein the protein comprises about 0.01 to about 25% of intact protein segments by weight of the protein.
A pizza comprising:
- a crust;
- and
- cheese comprising about 18 to about 35% protein, wherein about 0.01 to about 25% of the protein is intact protein.
A method for stabilizing cheese proteins, the method comprising:
- preparing a cheese mass comprising cheese curds and whey;
- adding a stabilizing additive to the cheese mass;
- straining the cheese mass to separate a cheese curd and whey;
- and
- forming the cheese curd into a cheese comprising about 18 to about 35% protein.
A method for making cheese, the method comprising:
- preparing a cheese mass comprising cheese curds and whey;
- straining the cheese mass to separate a cheese curd and whey;
- heating the cheese curd to a temperature of about 100 to about 130° F. and stretching the cheese curd for about 10 to about 30 minutes without denaturing proteins in the cheese curd completely;
- and
- forming the stretched cheese curd into a cheese comprising about 18 to about 35% protein, wherein the protein comprises about 0.01 to about 25% of intact protein segments by weight of the protein.
A baked pizza comprising:
- a crust;
- and
- cheese
- wherein the color of the cheese on the baked pizza maintains a ΔL value of 10 units during the first 70 minutes following removal of the food product from either cooking or baking and held at a temperature of 160° F.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.