Method of separating liquid from soft particulate food solids

In a method for dewatering soft particulate cheese curd in which the cheese curd is placed in a compressed state by compressing it between a belt and a surface, at least one of which is foraminous, to express water from the curd, and in which method such water is drained away from the curd, the improvement for avoiding significant damage to the curd caused by changes in the thickness of a bed of such curd between said surface and said belt, said improvement comprising the steps of providing a variable cross-sectional area separation zone between a curved surface and the belt by supporting said belt for travel over belt intake and discharge rollers respectively disposed ahead of and beyond the extent of the separation zone, said rollers being spaced away from the surface at least as far as the maximum bed thickness and leaving the belt run between said rollers unsupported so that the belt can flex and yield to accomodate beds of various thickness between the belt and the surface, and regulating the cross-sectional area of said zone in response to changes in bed thickness by tightening the belt to a desired belt tension and taking up slack in the belt to maintain said desired tension as said belt run flexes and yields to maintain substantially constant pressure of the belt on the bed and avoid imposing damaging pressure on the cheese curd regardless of bed thickness.