US 4,820,540 AGranted

Method and apparatus for continuously producing cheese utilizing brine salting

OwnerBurnell E. Budahninventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Appparatus and method for continuously manufacturing cheese from cheese curd via mechanical means in which the curd is drained, matted and cheddared while carried upon a pair of conveyors running in opposite directions; milled and discharged upon a third conveyor, and sprayed while on the third conveyor at periodic intervals over a period of 12-20 minutes with a saturated water-based brine having a temperature of 80.degree. F. and pH of 5.1, the curd being permitted to rest undisturbed initially upon the third conveyor for a period of several minutes and being therafter agitated to distribute the brine more uniformly therethrough and being maintained throughout the process at a temperature of substantially 98.degree. F. Approximately eighteen (18) gallons of said brine is being uniformly sprayed upon each 1000 lbs. of curd.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of continuously producing cheddar cheese consisting of:

(a) producing a slurry of mixed cheese curd and whey;
(b) separating the major portion of the whey from said curds while continuously discharging said curds upon one end portion of a power-driven elongated endless first conveyor and carrying the curd thereon for approximately 45 minutes to the opposite end portion of the conveyor while the curd mats, fuses and drains;
(c) continuously transferring said fused curds from said first conveyor onto a second power-driven elongated endless conveyor and cheddaring and draining said curds on said second conveyor for approximately 40-45 minutes;
(d) thereafter, milling the cheddared curds into small discrete pieces;
(e) continuously transferring said milled discrete pieces of cheese curd onto a third endless conveyor for salting and mellowing and continuously transporting said pieces of curd on said third conveyor at a uniform speed from its front end portion across to its rear end portion such that said transporting is for a period of time approximating 30 minutes, during which time said discrete pieces of curd are periodically sprayed over a period of time of between approximately 14 and 20 minutes with an excess of saturated water-based brine having a temperature of approximately 80.degree. F. and a pH of approximately 5.1 to obtain curd pieces having approximately 60% to 70% salt retention within the curd;
said pieces of curd being sprayed with a continuous sheet of brine spray at each of a plurality of locations spaced periodically along at least substantially the front half of the third conveyor;
(f) agitating said discrete pieces of curd at periodic intervals while upon that third conveyor to distribute the brine more uniformly therethrough;
(g) maintaining the temperature of the curd throughout each of steps (c)-(f) inclusive, at approximately 98.degree. F.;
and
(h) thereafter transferring said salted pieces of curd into a container for consolidation into a block of cheese.

7 more elements

Cheese making apparatus comprising:

(a) fixed curd and whey receiving and separating means constructed and arranged to receive a slurry of curd and whey therein and to separate the curd from the major portion of the whey;
(b) power-driven first continuous conveyor means mounted in curd and whey receiving relation relative to said curd and whey receiving and separating means, and constructed and arranged to carry the curd for a substantial period of time approximating forty-five minutes, to permit most of the curd to separate from the remaining whey moving with said conveyor means and to fuse and mat into a mat of curd upon said conveyor means;
(c) power-driven second continuous conveyor means mounted in curd-receiving relation relative to said first conveyor means and being constructed and arranged to carry the curd received thereon for a substantial period of time approximating forty minutes as the matted curd cheddars and drains;
(d) a powered milling device mounted in curd-receiving relation relative to said second conveyor means and receiving the cheddared curd therefrom and being constructed and arranged to mill such cheddared curd into small discrete pieces;
(e) third power-driven continuous conveyor means mounted in curd-receiving relation relative to said milling device and receiving its milled curd thereon in layer form and being constructed and arranged to carry the milled curd in layer form and at a uniform speed for a substantial period of time approximating thirty minutes to a remote location for discharge into containers, said third conveyor having front and rear halves;
(f) a series of sets of brine sprayers positioned above said third conveyor means and disposed at spaced locations along substantially the entire front half of said third conveyor means and constructed and arranged to spray saturated water-based brine in continuous sheet form at spaced locations upon the milled curd at substantially regular intervals along the front half of said third conveyor means over on extended period of time approximating 14-20 minutes, while the curd moves on the third conveyor means;
and
(g) a plurality of powered rotatable agitators mounted above said third conveyor means in position to engage and agitate the milled curd disposed upon the upper surface of said third conveyor means as they rotate, said agitators being spaced along the length of said third conveyor means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.