Remade hand-torn cheese and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses reproduced hand-torn cheese and a preparation method thereof. The reproduced hand-torn cheese is prepared from the following raw materials: 60% of mozzarella cheese, 7.5-12.5% of skimmed milk powder, 5-12.5% of grease, 0.625-1.375% of emulsifying salt, 0.5% of acidity regulator and the balance of water. The method comprises the following steps: unfreezing mozzarella cheese at 4 DEG C for 24 hours, and cutting the mozzarella cheese into square blocks with the size of 0.5 cm for later use; then proportionally mixing the skimmed milk powder, the emulsifying salt, the acidity regulator and the water, and uniformly stirring to prepare a mixed solution; then adding Mozzarella cheese and grease, heating and stirring to obtain a cheese mixture; and stretching the cheese mixture while the cheese mixture is hot, folding the cheese mixture in half for 3-8 times in one direction, then putting the cheese mixture into cold water, and fixing and forming the cheese mixture to obtain the remade hand-torn cheese. The texture limitation of traditional cheese is broken through through a reprocessing technology, the product is endowed with the controllable hand tearing characteristic while the natural flavor is guaranteed, and the utilization rate of the raw materials is increased.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of dairy product processing, in particular to a reconstituted hand-tearable cheese and a preparation method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] Reconstituted cheese is a product made by heating and stirring one or more natural cheeses as the main raw material, adding emulsifying salt and other ingredients. Reconstituted cheese is widely used in the food industry due to its stable flavor, uniform texture, easy storage and transportation, and strong designability. In recent years, a class of reconstituted cheese products with "hand-tearable" characteristics has appeared on the market, aiming to simulate or surpass the physical properties of certain natural cheeses (such as mozzarella cheese strips). This type of product is usually designed in blocks, strips or rods, requiring consumers to easily tear them into small portions along a specific direction or texture for eating, providing a unique eating experience and convenience. This hand-tearable feature similar to chicken breast has become an important indicator of sensory quality and functional characteristics of this type of product.

[0003] However, the current hand-tearable cheese products on the market have some problems: on the one hand, their hand-tearable performance is far from satisfactory, and consumers often cannot realize the specific functional characteristics of the cheese due to poor hand-tearability when eating, and the batch stability of hand-tearability is insufficient; on the other hand, the product surface has obvious roughness, grittiness or uneven appearance, which not only lacks visual delicacy and appeal, but also brings poor tactile experience. Most importantly, the existing technology system is difficult to solve these two interrelated core problems simultaneously, and efforts to improve hand-tearability often exacerbate surface roughness, while attempts to improve surface smoothness often weaken hand-tearability, resulting in a significant gap between consumers' demand for products with excellent hand-tearability experience and good sensory texture and the performance of products provided by existing technology. Therefore, developing a hand-tearable cheese processing technology has great practical significance for promoting the development and promotion of new cheese products. SUMMARY

[0004] In view of the above problems existing in the prior art, the present application provides a reconstituted hand-tearable cheese and a preparation method thereof. The present application breaks through the texture limitation of traditional cheese through reconstitution process, ensures the natural flavor while giving the product controllable hand-tearable characteristics, and improves the utilization rate of raw materials. The reconstituted hand-tearable cheese is prepared by using mozzarella cheese and skim milk powder as raw materials, which not only ensures the stability of the product but also improves the hand-tearability of the reconstituted cheese. At the same time, the formula and processing parameters of raw and auxiliary materials are optimized, a reconstituted hand-tearable cheese and a preparation method thereof are provided, and the reconstituted hand-tearable cheese is treated by combining with ultra-high pressure treatment technology, which significantly improves the surface smoothness.

[0005] The technical scheme of the present application is as follows:

[0006] The first object of the present application is to provide a reconstituted hand-tearable cheese, which is composed of raw materials in the following mass percentages:

[0007] Mozzarella cheese 60%, skim milk powder 7.5-12.5%, oil 5-12.5%, emulsifying salt 0.625-1.375%, acidity regulator 0.5%, and the balance being water.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present application, the oil is coconut oil.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present application, the emulsifying salt is one or more of disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium caseinate, and tricalcium phosphate.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, the acidity regulator is one or more of citric acid and lactic acid.

[0011] The second object of the present application is to provide a method for preparing the reconstituted hand-tearable cheese as described above, which comprises the following steps:

[0012] S1, thawing Mozzarella cheese at 4℃ for 24h, cutting into 0.5cm cubes, and reserving;

[0013] S2, mixing skim milk powder, emulsifying salt, acidity regulator, and water in proportion, stirring uniformly, and preparing a mixed solution;

[0014] S3, adding Mozzarella cheese and oil to the mixed solution prepared in step S2, heating and stirring, and obtaining a cheese mixture;

[0015] S4, while hot, stretching the cheese mixture and folding it in one direction for 3-8 times, then placing the shaped reconstituted hand-tearable cheese into cold water, and fixing the shape, thereby obtaining the reconstituted hand-tearable cheese.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present application, in step S2, the mixing is performed at room temperature, the stirring time is 3-5min, and the rotating speed is 600r / min. The stirring needs to be performed until no powdery lumps appear.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present application, in step S3, the heating is performed to a temperature of 70-80℃, the stirring time is 6-10min, and the rotating speed is 600r / min.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present application, the method for preparing the reconstituted hand-tearable cheese further comprises a vacuum and ultra-high pressure treatment process.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present application, after the fixing and shaping in step S4, the reconstituted hand-tearable cheese is loaded into a vacuum packaging bag for vacuum treatment; the vacuum treatment is performed under the following conditions: vacuum pressure -0.1Mpa, and time 40s.

[0020] The vacuum packaging bags are food vacuum preservation bags made of PET material.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, after vacuum treatment, ultra-high pressure equipment is used for further treatment. The treatment conditions are: water as the conducting medium, initial temperature 20-25℃, and treatment under a pressure of 50 MPa for 2-6 minutes.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ultra-high voltage equipment is model SHPP-2L.

[0023] The beneficial technical effects of this invention are as follows:

[0024] This invention produces a processed hand-torn cheese made from mozzarella cheese and skim milk powder. In sensory evaluation, it scores highly in terms of fiberization and feathering, exhibiting strong hand-torn properties. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the processed hand-torn cheese is significantly higher than that of commercially available hand-torn cheese. The tensile strength is positively correlated with the hand-torn strength of the cheese strips. Compared to commercially available hand-torn cheese, the processed hand-torn cheese has superior hand-torn properties.

[0025] Texture is a key indicator for evaluating the formation of the fiber network in shredded cheese. It reflects the arrangement and anisotropy of casein fibers. A value exceeding 1.0 confirms the establishment of an oriented fiber structure along the extrusion axis, with higher values ​​correlated with enhanced longitudinal fiber orientation. Comparing the texture of the processed shredded cheese prepared in this invention with that of commercially available shredded cheese, the processed shredded cheese exhibits a higher texture.

[0026] This invention uses ultra-high pressure processing to improve the uneven and rough surface of processed hand-torn cheese without damaging its internal tearability, making its texture softer and its surface smoother.

[0027] This invention uses ultra-high pressure processing technology to modify processed hand-torn cheese. By regulating the internal non-covalent bonds such as hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions and ionic bonds, the surface microstructure is selectively optimized while preserving the inherent hand-torn properties of the cheese. This significantly improves surface inhomogeneity and roughness, while also enhancing surface smoothness. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 A graph showing the sensory evaluation scoring indicators for hand-torn cheese;

[0029] Figure 2 Images of tearing cheese from mainstream commercially available brands;

[0030] Figures 3-4 Image of the reconstituted shredded cheese prepared in Example 3;

[0031] Figure 5The effect of skim milk powder addition on sensory evaluation;

[0032] Figure 6 The effect of emulsified salt addition on sensory evaluation;

[0033] Figure 7 The effect of coconut oil dosage on sensory evaluation;

[0034] Figure 8 The effect of molding processing temperature on sensory evaluation;

[0035] Figure 9 The impact of molding processing time on sensory evaluation;

[0036] Figure 10 The effect of the number of hot stretching cycles on sensory evaluation;

[0037] Figure 11 The rheological storage modulus of the reconstituted hand-shredded cheese prepared in Example 3 and Comparative Examples 1-4;

[0038] Figure 12 The rheological storage modulus of the reconstituted hand-shredded cheese prepared in Example 3 and Comparative Examples 1-4;

[0039] Figure 13 The loss tangent of the reconstituted hand-torn cheese prepared in Example 3 and Comparative Examples 1-4;

[0040] Figure 14 Images of hand-shredded cheese prepared by ultra-high pressure processing for different times. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0042] The mozzarella cheese used in the following examples is all from Jiangsu Fuyang Food Co., Ltd., the emulsifying salt is disodium hydrogen phosphate, the brand is Jiahe Xuri, the citric acid brand is Youbaojia, and the coconut oil brand is AAK Nordic Oils Group.

[0043] Example 1:

[0044] A processed shredded cheese, comprising the following ingredients in weight percentages:

[0045] 60% mozzarella cheese, 7.5-12.5% ​​skim milk powder, 7.5-12.5% ​​fat, 0.625-1.375% emulsifying salt, 0.5% acidity regulator, and the balance being water.

[0046] Its preparation method includes the following steps:

[0047] S1. Thaw the mozzarella cheese at 4°C for 24 hours, then cut it into 0.5cm cubes and set aside.

[0048] S2, mix skim milk powder, emulsifying salt, acidity regulator and water in proportion, stir evenly to obtain a mixed solution;

[0049] S3, add mozzarella cheese and fat to the mixed solution obtained in step S2, heat and stir to obtain a cheese mixture;

[0050] S4. While the cheese mixture is still hot, stretch it and fold it in one direction 3-8 times. Then, put the shaped processed shredded cheese into cold water to fix it in shape, thus obtaining the processed shredded cheese.

[0051] In step S2, mixing is carried out at room temperature, with a stirring time of 3-5 minutes and a speed of 600 rpm. Stirring must continue until no powdery lumps appear.

[0052] In step S3, the temperature is heated to 70-80℃, the stirring time is 6-10 minutes, and the speed is 600 r / min.

[0053] It also includes vacuum and ultra-high pressure processing.

[0054] After being fixed and shaped in step S4, it is placed into a vacuum packaging bag and vacuum-sealed; the vacuum conditions are -0.1 MPa and 40 seconds. The vacuum packaging bag is a food vacuum preservation bag made of PET material.

[0055] After vacuum treatment, the product is further processed using ultra-high pressure equipment. The processing conditions are: water as the conductive medium, initial temperature 20-25℃, and processing at a pressure of 50 MPa for 2-6 minutes. The ultra-high pressure equipment model is SHPP-2L.

[0056] Example 2:

[0057] A method for preparing processed hand-shredded cheese includes the following steps:

[0058] The ingredients are: 60% mozzarella cheese, 7.5% skim milk powder, 0.625% disodium hydrogen phosphate, 5% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water;

[0059] Step 1: Thaw the mozzarella cheese in a refrigerator at 4°C for 24 hours, and cut it into 0.5cm cubes for later heating and emulsification.

[0060] Step 2: Add skim milk powder, disodium hydrogen phosphate, and citric acid to water in the specified proportions and stir at room temperature for 3 minutes at a speed of 600 rpm until the mixture is evenly mixed and no powdery lumps appear.

[0061] Step 3: Pour mozzarella cheese and coconut oil into the mixture from Step 2 according to the ratio, heat to 75°C, heat for 8 minutes, and stir at 600 rpm to obtain the cheese mixture.

[0062] Step 4: While still hot, stretch the cheese mixture and fold it in one direction 6 times. Then, place the shaped reconstituted torn cheese into cold water to fix its shape.

[0063] Example 3:

[0064] Same as Example 2, except that the raw material composition is: 60% mozzarella cheese, 10% skim milk powder, 0.625% disodium hydrogen phosphate, 5% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water.

[0065] Example 4:

[0066] Same as Example 2, except that the raw material composition is: 60% mozzarella cheese, 12.5% ​​skim milk powder, 0.625% disodium hydrogen phosphate, 5% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water.

[0067] Example 5:

[0068] Same as Example 2, except that the raw material composition is: 60% mozzarella cheese, 10% skim milk powder, 1% disodium hydrogen phosphate, 5% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water.

[0069] Example 6:

[0070] Same as Example 2, except that the raw material composition is: 60% mozzarella cheese, 10% skim milk powder, 1.375% disodium hydrogen phosphate, 5% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water.

[0071] Example 7:

[0072] Same as Example 2, except that the raw material composition is: 60% mozzarella cheese, 10% skim milk powder, 0.625% disodium hydrogen phosphate, 7.5% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water.

[0073] Example 8:

[0074] Same as Example 2, except that the raw material composition is: 60% mozzarella cheese, 10% skim milk powder, 0.625% disodium hydrogen phosphate, 10% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water.

[0075] Example 9:

[0076] Same as Example 3, except that in step 3, the heating temperature is 70°C.

[0077] Example 10:

[0078] Same as Example 3, except that in step 3, the heating temperature is 80°C.

[0079] Example 11:

[0080] Same as Example 3, except that in step 3, the heating time is 7 minutes.

[0081] Example 12:

[0082] Same as Example 3, except that in step 3, the heating time is 9 minutes.

[0083] Example 13:

[0084] Same as Example 3, except that in step 4, the folding is performed 4 times.

[0085] Example 14:

[0086] Same as Example 3, except that in step 4, the folding is performed 5 times.

[0087] Example 15:

[0088] A method for preparing processed hand-shredded cheese includes the following steps:

[0089] The processed hand-shredded cheese sample prepared in Example 3 was placed in the processing chamber of an ultra-high pressure device and treated with pressures of 50 MPa, 100 MPa, 200 MPa, and 400 MPa, respectively. A set of samples without ultra-high pressure treatment was set up as a blank control (0 min). The holding time for each pressure level was 4 min, and the processing temperature was maintained at room temperature.

[0090] Example 16:

[0091] A method for preparing processed hand-shredded cheese includes the following steps:

[0092] The processed hand-shredded cheese sample prepared in Example 3 was placed in the processing chamber of an ultra-high pressure device, and a pressure of 50 MPa was applied. The processing times were set to 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, and 5 min, respectively. At the same time, a set of samples without ultra-high pressure treatment was set as a blank control (0 min). All treatments were carried out at room temperature.

[0093] Comparative Example 1:

[0094] A method for preparing hand-torn cheese includes the following steps:

[0095] The ingredients are: 60% mozzarella cheese, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water;

[0096] Step 1: Sample pretreatment: Thaw the mozzarella cheese in a refrigerator at 4°C for 24 hours and cut it into 0.5cm cubes;

[0097] Step 2: Pour the mozzarella cheese into a heating pot, add water and citric acid to adjust the pH, heat to 75℃, heat for 8 minutes, and rotate at 600 rpm to obtain a cheese mixture.

[0098] Step 3: While still hot, stretch the cheese mixture and fold it in one direction 6 times. Then, place the shaped reconstituted torn cheese into cold water to fix its shape.

[0099] Comparative Example 2:

[0100] A method for preparing hand-torn cheese includes the following steps:

[0101] The ingredients are: 60% mozzarella cheese, 1% emulsified salt, 5% coconut oil, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water;

[0102] Step 1: Sample pretreatment: Thaw the mozzarella cheese in a refrigerator at 4°C for 24 hours and cut it into 0.5cm cubes for subsequent heating and emulsification.

[0103] Step 2: Add disodium hydrogen phosphate and citric acid to water in the specified proportion and stir at room temperature for 3 minutes at a speed of 600 rpm until the mixture is evenly mixed and no powdery lumps appear.

[0104] Step 3: Pour mozzarella cheese and coconut oil into the mixture from Step 2 according to the ratio, heat to 75°C, heat for 8 minutes, and stir at 600 rpm to obtain the cheese mixture.

[0105] Step 4: While still hot, stretch the cheese mixture and fold it in one direction 6 times. Then, place the shaped reconstituted torn cheese into cold water to fix its shape.

[0106] Comparative Example 3:

[0107] A method for preparing hand-torn cheese includes the following steps:

[0108] The ingredients are: 60% mozzarella cheese, 5% coconut oil, 10% skim milk powder, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water;

[0109] Step 1: Sample pretreatment: Thaw the mozzarella cheese in a refrigerator at 4°C for 24 hours and cut it into 0.5cm cubes for subsequent heating and emulsification.

[0110] Step 2: Add skim milk powder and citric acid to water in the specified proportion and stir at room temperature for 3 minutes at a speed of 600 rpm until the mixture is evenly mixed and no powdery lumps appear.

[0111] Step 3: Pour mozzarella cheese and coconut oil into the mixture from Step 2 according to the ratio, heat to 75°C, heat for 8 minutes, and stir at 600 rpm to obtain the cheese mixture.

[0112] Step 4: While still hot, stretch the cheese mixture and fold it in one direction 6 times. Then, place the shaped reconstituted torn cheese into cold water to fix its shape.

[0113] Comparative Example 4:

[0114] A method for preparing hand-torn cheese includes the following steps:

[0115] The ingredients are: 60% mozzarella cheese, 5% coconut oil, 10% skim milk powder, 0.5% citric acid, and the remainder is water;

[0116] Step 1: Sample pretreatment: Thaw the mozzarella cheese in a refrigerator at 4°C for 24 hours and cut it into 0.5cm cubes for subsequent heating and emulsification.

[0117] Step 2: Add skim milk powder, emulsified salt, and citric acid to water in the specified proportions and stir at room temperature for 3 minutes at a speed of 600 rpm until the mixture is evenly mixed and no powdery lumps appear.

[0118] Step 3: Pour mozzarella cheese and coconut oil into the mixture from Step 2 according to the ratio, heat to 75°C, heat for 8 minutes, and stir at 600 rpm to obtain the cheese mixture.

[0119] Step 4: Place the molten cheese directly into cold water to set its shape.

[0120] Test example:

[0121] 1. Sensory evaluation of processed hand-pulled cheese

[0122] Sensory evaluation was used to assess the visual sensory attributes (such as feathering and fiber count) of the shredded cheese strips. Sensory evaluation was conducted by a panel of at least 10 trained members. Panel members received specialized training to establish standardized scoring criteria for feathering and fiber count. All test samples were labeled with a three-digit blind code and were repeatedly evaluated within the same test day to ensure the reliability of the results. All tested products were safe. The sensory evaluation scoring criteria for the shredded cheese strips are shown in Table 1 below. Figure 1 As shown.

[0123] Table 1

[0124]

[0125] Sensory evaluation and quantitative descriptive analysis were performed on the processed hand-torn cheeses prepared in Examples 2-14 and Comparative Examples 1-4 to determine the optimal raw material composition for the processed cheese: 10% skim milk powder, 5% coconut oil, 0.625% emulsified salt, 0.5% citric acid, and water to make up the difference. The key parameters significantly affecting the product texture during processing were: molding temperature 75℃, molding time 8 min, and 6 heat-stretching cycles.

[0126] Sensory evaluations were conducted on the processed shredded cheeses prepared in Examples 2-14 above. The sensory scores for each example or comparative product are shown in Table 2 below.

[0127] Sensory evaluation line graph ( Figures 5-10 Analysis shows that, under single-factor variation conditions, the above process parameters all exhibit a typical unimodal trend in their impact on the overall sensory score (the score first increases and then decreases with increasing parameters). The final combination of formulation and process parameters determined in this study, i.e., the peak points in each line graph, represents the optimized scheme with the highest sensory evaluation score.

[0128] Table 2

[0129]

[0130]

[0131] Sensory evaluation of the processed shredded cheese prepared in Example 3 was conducted, comparing its visual attributes with those of commercially available brand-name shredded cheese. For example... Figure 2 As shown, brands 1-3: break immediately upon tearing, with a fragmented cross-section (low feathering), almost no visible fiber structure, making continuous hand-tearing impossible; brands 4-5: can be torn but fibers easily break, leaving obvious cracks on the surface after tearing (uneven feathering), with fiber bundle lengths mostly shorter than 2cm; brand 6: forms continuous fiber bundles upon tearing, with uniform feathering edges resembling velvet, a visible fiber network without breakage points, judged as the best commercially available hand-tearing benchmark. The hand-tearing image of the reconstituted hand-tearable cheese prepared in Example 3 is shown below. Figures 3-4 As shown, it has good tearability by hand.

[0132] 2. Texture quality testing

[0133] The textural profile of the processed shredded cheese was measured using a texture analyzer (TAXT-2). Cheese was cut into 1×1×1cm pieces as samples. Before cutting, the long side of the cheese strip was placed on the belly of the sample. The pretreatment speed was measured at 2.0 mm / s, and the testing and post-testing speeds were 1.0 mm / s, with a distance of 50% (5.0 mm) to measure the hardness, elasticity, cohesiveness, and chewiness of the cheese samples. The texture analyzer probe used was XT-2. Each sample was measured 10 times, and the maximum and minimum values ​​were discarded, with the average value taken. The textural comparison between Example 3 and commercially available brands 1-6 processed shredded cheese is shown in Table 3 below.

[0134] Table 3

[0135] Sample Name Hardness / gf Elasticity Chewiness / gf Cohesiveness Commercial Brand 1 129.54±14.22 0.93±0.05 66.14±10.96 0.54±0.054 Commercial Brand 2 49.51±4.68 0.87±0.01 27.8±4.42 0.64±0.07 Commercial Brand 3 133.83±5.34 0.95±0 76.01±8.07 0.6±0.05 Commercial Brand 4 94.11±5.52 0.93±0.02 57.79±5.2 0.67±0.052 Commercial Brand 5 59.7±56.06 0.47±0.46 36.79±38.85 0.34±0.29 Commercial Brand 6 78.71±7.17 0.9±0.02 47.82±8.79 0.67±0.07 Example 3 91.13±7.57 0.83±0.04 46.93±9.34 0.595±0.095

[0136] As shown in Table 3, among the commercially available brands, Brand 1 and Brand 3 have excessive hardness, resulting in brittle breakage when torn by hand. Brand 2 and Brand 5 have excessively low hardness and lack of elasticity, resulting in a soft and chewy texture. Among them, Brand 5 has a huge standard deviation, indicating serious instability in quality control. Although Brand 4 and Brand 6 are close to the hardness of homemade cheese, their excessive elasticity causes the fibers to shrink too quickly. In contrast, the reconstituted tearable cheese achieves continuous tearing and chewiness with a chewiness that is more than 40% better than commercially available products by precisely controlling the balance between elasticity and chewiness.

[0137] 3. Tensile strength

[0138] The tensile strength of the processed shredded cheese was measured using an electronic tensile testing instrument. The sample specifications were set as follows: length 30 mm, width 8 mm, and thickness 1 mm. Before testing, both ends of the sample were clamped onto the instrument fixtures, with an initial clamping distance of 3 cm. Key test parameters were as follows: initial force 0.1 N, protective force 500 N, breakage criterion of 80% of the maximum force, and return speed 500 mm / min (with automatic return function enabled). Each sample was tested 10 times, and the maximum and minimum values ​​were removed before averaging. The test results of the processed shredded cheese prepared in Example 3 and commercially available products are shown in Table 4 below. Brands 1-6 are mainstream commercially available shredded cheese brands.

[0139] Table 4

[0140] Sample Name Tensile Strength / Mpa Commercial Brand 1 0.06±0.02a Commercial Brand 2 0.05±0.003a Commercial Brand 3 0.14±0.037b Commercial Brand 4 0.227±0.055c Commercial Brand 5 0.077±0.022a Commercial Brand 6 0.0857±0.011a Example 3 0.39±0.037d

[0141] Note: Letters such as a, b, c, etc. in the table indicate the significant difference (P<0.05) between the commercially available brand of hand-shredded cheese in Table 4 and the processed hand-shredded cheese prepared in Example 3 for the same tensile strength index.

[0142] Tensile strength tests showed that commercially available brands 1, 2, 5, and 6 had extremely low strength (≤0.09), breaking into fragments when torn by hand; brand 3's insufficient strength caused the fiber bundles to disintegrate midway; brand 4 was the best among commercially available brands, capable of being torn into short fiber bundles; while the homemade cheese's strength jumped to 0.39±0.037d, a 72% improvement over brand 4, forming continuous, strong, long fiber bundles (≥8cm) without breakage when torn, confirming that tensile strength >0.35 is the core threshold for achieving perfect tearability. The experimental results indicate that the stronger the cheese's tearability (i.e., ease of tearing and degree of fibrosis), the higher its measured tensile strength value.

[0143] The tensile strength test results of the reconstituted shredded cheese prepared in Example 3 and the shredded cheese prepared in Comparative Examples 1-4 are shown in Table 5 below.

[0144] Table 5

[0145]

[0146]

[0147] Note: Letters such as a, b, c, etc. in the table indicate significant differences (P<0.05) between Examples 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13 and Comparative Examples 1-4 for the same tensile strength index in Table 5.

[0148] Based on the tensile strength test results, the tearability of each embodiment showed significant hierarchical differences: Example 3 exhibited the highest strength level, significantly exceeding all comparative examples, confirming its outstanding optimization effect on protein network extensibility; Comparative examples 1-3 were in the medium strength range, while Comparative example 4 showed the lowest strength value, indicating a significant weakening of its mechanical properties. This comparison verifies that the formulation / process of Example 3 can effectively enhance the structural integrity of cheese, giving the product excellent tearability, and providing core mechanical performance evidence for the innovativeness of the patented technology.

[0149] 4. Organizationalization Test

[0150] Texture profile determination was performed using a texture analyzer probe. The degree of fibrosis in textured proteins was characterized by texture profile determination. The operating parameters of the Baosheng Technology texture analyzer were: deformation mode, probe TA / LKB, pre-test speed 5.0 mm / s, test speed 1.0 mm / s, post-test speed 5.0 mm / s, and deformation degree 75% of the original sample height. Each sample was measured 10 times, and the maximum and minimum values ​​were discarded and averaged. Texture profile determination was calculated as the ratio of vertical shear force to parallel shear force, as shown in the following formula.

[0151]

[0152] The test results of the product prepared in Example 3 and the commercially available brands are shown in Table 6 below.

[0153] Table 6

[0154] Sample Name Degree of Texturization Commercial Brand 1 1.08±0.12a Commercial Brand 2 1.57 ± 0.08ab Commercial Brand 3 2.07±0.52b Commercial Brand 4 4.14±0.99c Commercial Brand 5 1.1±0.16a Commercial Brand 6 1.23±0.06a Example 3 4.28±0.82c

[0155] Note: Letters such as a, b, c, etc. in the table indicate the significant difference (P<0.05) between the commercially available brand of hand-pulled cheese in Table 6 and the processed hand-pulled cheese prepared in Example 3 for the same texture index.

[0156] The texture test showed that: commercially available brands 1 (1.08±0.12a), 2 (1.57±0.08ab), 5 (1.1±0.16a), and 6 (1.23±0.06a) were in the low texture range (≤1.57), with weak fiber strength, making them easy to break and crumble when torn by hand; brand 3 (2.07±0.52b) reached medium texture, and short fiber bundles could be torn out but were easy to disintegrate midway; only brand 4 (4.14±0.99c) and homemade cheese (4.28±0.82c) achieved high texture (>4.0). Among them, the homemade cheese was optimized by ultra-high pressure to make the fiber network denser, and it could continuously pull out strong fiber bundles ≥5cm when torn. Its texture was 3.4% higher than the best commercially available product (brand 4), and the fiber thickness increased by 20% visible to the naked eye without any broken fibers.

[0157] The results of the texture test of the reconstituted hand-torn cheese prepared in Examples 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13 and Comparative Examples 1-4 are shown in Table 7 below.

[0158] Table 7

[0159] Sample Name Degree of Texturization Example 3 4.28±0.82c Example 5 3.52±0.48 Example 8 3.18±0.35 Example 10 2.87±0.42 Example 12 3.34±0.39b Example 13 2.95±0.51b Comparative Example 1 2.21±0.39b Comparative Example 2 2.46±0.16b Comparative Example 3 1.64±1.01a Comparative Example 4 1.52±0.47a

[0160] Note: Letters such as a, b, c, etc. in the table indicate significant differences (P<0.05) between the same texture index of the processed hand-shredded cheese samples prepared in Examples 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 13 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 in Table 7.

[0161] Based on the organization degree characterization results, the protein fibrillation structure of different samples exhibited significant hierarchical characteristics: Example 3 showed the highest level of organization degree, with its fiber network structure integrity and orientation order significantly superior to all comparative examples; Comparative examples 1-2 were in the medium organization degree range, while comparative examples 3-4 showed the lowest level of organization degree, with significantly insufficient fiber structure development. This data pattern is highly consistent with the tensile strength test results: the improvement of organization degree is directly related to the orderly strengthening of the protein fiber network, thus determining the quality of the product's tearability. The process of Example 3 significantly promoted protein fibrillation reorganization, providing a decisive structural basis for constructing an ideal tearable texture.

[0162] 5. Test methods for rheological determination

[0163] The rheological properties of reconstituted hand-shredded cheese from different controls were measured using a 40mm diameter stainless steel flat plate probe in a rheometer. Temperature scanning mode was employed, with a strain of 0.5% and a scanning frequency of 0.1Hz. The temperature was increased from 25℃ to 85℃ at a heating rate of 5℃ / min. The rheological properties of the samples during heating were measured. Measurements were repeated three times, and the average value was calculated. Storage modulus (G') characterizes the material's ability to store elastic deformation energy, while loss modulus (G'') characterizes the material's ability to dissipate deformation energy, reflecting the viscous nature of the material. The loss tangent (tanδ) is the ratio of storage modulus to loss modulus.

[0164] Temperature scanning rheological analysis was performed using Examples 3 and Comparative Examples 1-4, with reference to... Figures 11-13 Experiments showed that the absence of emulsifying salts led to atypical hardening. Since the loss factor remained consistently below 0.41, melting was completely inhibited, confirming its core role in dissolving the casein network and achieving melt stretchability. Removal of skim milk powder significantly reduced the initial modulus and accelerated thermal softening, highlighting its enhancing effect on the matrix structure. The stretching process significantly improved thermal stability: the standard formulation maintained a high modulus and low loss factor in the high-temperature region, demonstrating elasticity-dominated melt viscoelasticity; while the unstretched sample softened rapidly to a near-liquid state. The original cheese exhibited intermediate characteristics, and the decrease in its loss factor in the high-temperature region suggests potential recombination behavior. This study quantified the structure-property relationship of components, processes, and rheological properties, providing a theoretical basis for the design of functional cheeses.

[0165] 6. Analysis of the effects of different ultra-high pressure treatment intensities on the results of reprocessed hand-shredded cheese

[0166] Regarding Example 15, the ultra-high pressure gradient experiment showed that: at 50 MPa, the cheese formed the optimal tearable structure, with intact fiber bundles and continuous filaments when torn; when the pressure increased to 200 MPa, the product hardness decreased, and the fibers began to break when torn; 400 MPa treatment caused excessive softening of the protein network, with only a small amount of broken fibers that could be pulled out; the 600 MPa sample completely lost its tearability, and the texture became a homogeneous paste, with no fibers that could be pulled out. This confirms that high pressure exceeding 50 MPa will destroy the key protein-fat backbone that maintains tearability.

[0167] 7. Effect of ultra-high pressure processing time on the sample analysis of reconstituted hand-shredded cheese

[0168] Regarding Example 16, the surface smoothness of hand-torn cheese undergoes a contrasting change after ultra-high pressure treatment. For example... Figure 14As shown, under a fixed ultra-high pressure of 50 MPa, the surface of the cheese sample changed significantly with the treatment time: the surface of the untreated sample was rough and had a noticeable fibrous feel; after 2 minutes of treatment, the surface became slightly smoother, but the texture was still visible; the best effect was achieved at 4 minutes of treatment, with the surface becoming smooth and uniform without obvious bumps; although the surface was still smooth at 5 minutes of treatment, slight softening or uneven reflection appeared in some areas. Overall, it is evident that the 4-minute treatment can achieve the best surface smoothness effect as observed by the naked eye.

[0169] 8. Comparison of texture of reprocessed hand-shredded cheese with different ultra-high pressure processing times

[0170] For Example 16, textural data analysis based on ultra-high pressure treated hand-torn cheese revealed a regular change in its texture characteristics: with prolonged treatment time, hardness, chewiness, and adhesiveness significantly decreased, indicating softening of the cheese structure and reduced chewiness. Simultaneously, the absolute value of viscosity significantly increased, combined with decreased adhesiveness, reflecting improved surface adhesion, a smoother feel, and easier formation of a uniform film when torn, enhancing the smoothness of hand-torn cheese. Elasticity and cohesion remained stable, but resilience slightly decreased, indicating a slight reduction in deformation recovery ability. The improvement in surface smoothness was most significant at 5 minutes of treatment, attributed to the high pressure promoting protein network reorganization, reducing surface roughness, and imparting a finer, silkier texture, better meeting the application requirements of hand-torn cheese. The results are shown in Table 8 below.

[0171] Table 8

[0172]

[0173]

[0174] Note: Letters such as a, b, and c in the table indicate significant differences (P<0.05) between the same texture index at different ultra-high pressure treatment times in Table 8.

[0175] The embodiments provided above are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, nor are the described steps intended to limit the order of execution. Any obvious modifications made to the invention by those skilled in the art based on existing common knowledge also fall within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A processed shredded cheese, characterized in that, Composed of raw materials in the following mass percentages: 60% mozzarella cheese, 7.5-12.5% ​​skim milk powder, 5-12.5% ​​fat, 0.625-1.375% emulsifying salt, 0.5% acidity regulator, and the balance being water.

2. The processed hand-shredded cheese according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil is coconut oil.

3. The processed hand-shredded cheese according to claim 1, characterized in that, The emulsifying salt is one or more of disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium caseinate, and tricalcium phosphate.

4. The processed hand-shredded cheese according to claim 1, characterized in that, The acidity regulator is one or more of citric acid and lactic acid.

5. A method for preparing processed hand-shredded cheese according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Thaw the mozzarella cheese at 4°C for 24 hours, then cut it into 0.5cm cubes and set aside. S2, mix skim milk powder, emulsifying salt, acidity regulator and water in proportion, stir evenly to obtain a mixed solution; S3, add mozzarella cheese and fat to the mixed solution obtained in step S2, heat and stir to obtain a cheese mixture; S4. While the cheese mixture is still hot, stretch it and fold it in one direction 3-8 times. Then, put the shaped processed shredded cheese into cold water to fix it in shape, thus obtaining the processed shredded cheese.

6. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S2, mixing is carried out at room temperature, with a stirring time of 3-5 minutes and a rotation speed of 600 r / min.

7. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S3, the temperature is heated to 70-80℃, the stirring time is 6-10 minutes, and the rotation speed is 600 r / min.

8. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes vacuum and ultra-high pressure processing.

9. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, After being fixed and shaped in step S4, it is placed into a vacuum packaging bag and vacuumed; the vacuuming conditions are a vacuum pressure of -0.1 MPa and a time of 40 seconds.

10. The preparation method according to claim 9, characterized in that, After vacuum treatment, ultra-high pressure equipment is used for further treatment. The treatment conditions are: water as the conducting medium, initial temperature 20-25℃, and treatment at a pressure of 50 MPa for 2-6 minutes.

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