Cheese and methods of making such cheese
AssigneeLeprino Foods Company
InventorsRichard K. Merrill, Mayank Singh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods for preparing cheese are provided that involve combining a slurry with a cheese precursor to form an admixture that is subsequently processed to form the cheese product. The slurry typically includes a liquid such as water, milk and/or cream and one or more ingredients that are useful for inclusion in the final cheese product. Systems for preparing such slurries and cheese products are also provided.
Claims40
A method of preparing a cheese product comprising:
- (a) providing a slurry that comprises one or more ingredients;
- (b) adding a dry powder ingredient to a cheese precursor;
- (c) combining the slurry with the cheese precursor to form an admixture;
- and
- (d) processing the admixture to form the cheese product.
A method for preparing a heated slurry for use in the preparation of a soft or firm/semi-hard cheese, the method comprising:
- a) blending together a liquid and one or more GRAS ingredients to form a slurry;
- and
- b) processing the slurry by heating the slurry to a temperature of about 90° F. to about 300° F.;
- c) subjecting the slurry to high shear conditions, and performing one or more additional processing steps selected from the group consisting of homogenizing the slurry and adjusting the moisture content of the slurry.
A method for preparing a soft or firm/semi-hard cheese, comprising:
- a) combining a slurry with a heated and homogenous mass of soft or firm/semi-hard cheese to form an admixture;
- and
- b) shaping and cooling the admixture to form the cheese,
- wherein the slurry contains water and one or more ingredients, and wherein the one or more ingredients have a combined concentration of greater than 10%, by weight in the cheese.
A method for preparing a soft or firm/semi-hard cheese, comprising:
- a) adding a dry salt to a heated and homogenous mass of soft or firm/semi-hard cheese;
- b) combining a slurry with the homogenous mass of soft or firm/semi-hard cheese to form an admixture;
- and
- c) shaping and cooling the admixture to form the cheese,
- wherein the slurry contains a dairy solid, and the soft or firm/semi-hard cheese has one or more of the following characteristics (i) a starch concentration of about 0.5 to 20 wt % or (ii) a non- fat dry milk concentration of about 0.5 to 25 wt %, or (iii) a gum or cellulose concentration of about 0.5-20 wt. %.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.