Method for preparing a microwave-puffed cheese and microwave-puffed cheese

Abstract

The application discloses a microwave puffing cheese preparation method and microwave puffing cheese, and the method comprises the following steps: weighing cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsifying salt and water according to proportions, sequentially feeding the materials into a melting pot, stirring for 5min-10min, melting under preset melting conditions, and obtaining molten materials; then the molten materials are filled into a mold, cooled to a preset temperature under-4 DEG C to-8 DEG C, and then subjected to strip cutting or dicing treatment, so as to obtain microwave puffing cheese materials; the microwave puffing cheese materials are placed in a microwave vacuum drying equipment for microwave vacuum puffing, so as to obtain microwave puffing cheese semi-products, wherein the microwave vacuum puffing comprises a microwave first stage, a microwave second stage and a microwave third stage; and the microwave puffing cheese semi-products are placed in a normal-temperature drying and cooling device, so as to obtain microwave puffing cheese products. The application not only solves the problems of low heat efficiency, high energy consumption and long time of the existing drying method, but also can better retain the original color, aroma, taste and nutrients of the food.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of food processing technology, and in particular to a method for preparing microwave-puffed cheese and microwave-puffed cheese. Background Technology

[0002] As an indispensable snack in daily life, puffed foods not only have a crispy texture and unique flavor, but also offer advantages such as easy storage and convenient transportation. However, most puffed foods on the market typically suffer from two major drawbacks. First, puffed foods are mostly processed from starch-based materials, resulting in low protein content and limited nutritional value. Second, the processing method for puffed foods is mostly frying, which does not align with today's consumers' pursuit of natural, nutritious, and healthy options. Therefore, providing nutritious and healthy puffed foods has become a new direction for development.

[0003] Cheese, rich in protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins, boasts a unique flavor and abundant nutrients, making it increasingly popular among consumers. Therefore, using cheese as a raw material to produce puffed snack foods can not only address the nutritional deficiencies of existing puffed foods but also promote the development of cheese products.

[0004] Because cheese products have a high water content, they typically require low-temperature storage. To reduce the moisture content of cheese, methods such as hot air drying, vacuum drying, and vacuum freeze-drying are commonly used, but these methods are energy-intensive, time-consuming, and have low thermal efficiency. Vacuum microwave drying technology combines the instantaneous nature of microwave heating with the low temperature of vacuum drying, resulting in a fast and efficient drying process. However, directly vacuum-drying refrigerated cheese results in a very high puffing rate, forming a hollow, thin-walled, large-bubble structure. This uneven puffing structure makes the product brittle, affecting its taste and packaging. Furthermore, refrigerated cheese is prone to sticking together during slicing, making it difficult to cut and subsequently disperse. Freezing cheese before slicing makes cutting easier and prevents sticking, but it reduces the puffing rate, leading to excessive hardness that fails to meet consumer taste preferences. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, this application proposes a method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese and microwave-expanded cheese to solve the above problems.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technology:

[0007] A first aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese, comprising the following preparation steps:

[0008] S100. Weigh out cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the molten material.

[0009] S200. The molten material is poured into a mold and cooled to a preset temperature at -4℃ to -8℃. Then, it is cut into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved.

[0010] S300. Place the cheese material to be microwave-expanded in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum expansion to obtain a microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product, wherein the microwave vacuum expansion includes a microwave first stage, a microwave second stage and a microwave third stage.

[0011] S400. Place the microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product at room temperature for drying and cooling to obtain the microwave-expanded cheese finished product.

[0012] As an optional embodiment of this application, optionally, in step S100, the melting conditions include:

[0013] Melting temperature 85℃, melting heating time 6min~18min.

[0014] As an optional implementation of this application, in step S200, the preset temperature is -2℃ to -3℃.

[0015] As an optional implementation of this application, optionally, in step 300, the microwave first stage includes:

[0016] Microwave power 1~2.5kW, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30kpa~-60kpa, microwave stop-up vacuum degree -100kpa~-103kpa, microwave start-up temperature 40℃~50℃, microwave stop-up temperature 45℃~55℃, microwave time 5~10min.

[0017] As an optional implementation of this application, optionally, in step 300, the second microwave stage includes:

[0018] Microwave power 4.5kW~6kW, microwave start vacuum degree -30kpa~-60kpa, microwave stop vacuum degree -100kpa~-103kpa, microwave start temperature 45℃~55℃, microwave stop temperature 50℃~60℃, microwave time 15~20min.

[0019] As an optional implementation of this application, optionally, in step S300, the third microwave stage includes:

[0020] The microwave power is 4.5kW~6kW, the microwave start-up vacuum degree is -30kpa~-60kpa, the microwave stop vacuum degree is -100kpa~-103kpa, the microwave start-up temperature is 60℃~70℃, the microwave stop temperature is 75℃~80℃, and the microwave time is 2min~5min.

[0021] As an optional embodiment of this application, the microwave first stage may optionally include a vacuum first stage, wherein the vacuum first stage includes:

[0022] The microwave power is 0kW, the microwave start-up vacuum degree is -30kpa to -60kpa, the microwave stop vacuum degree is -100kpa to -103kpa, the microwave start-up temperature is 40℃ to 50℃, the microwave stop temperature is 45℃ to 55℃, and the microwave time is 3min to 5min.

[0023] A second aspect of the present invention provides a microwave-expanded cheese prepared using the microwave-expanded cheese preparation method described in any one of the above claims, comprising the following components by weight percentage:

[0024] Cheese 51-100%, skim milk powder 5-10%, white sugar 5-10%, butter 10-15%, emulsified salt 2-3%, and water 10-15%.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, this application can bring the following technical effects:

[0026] The method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese disclosed in this application optimizes the microwave vacuum extrusion process parameters, resulting in a cheese with a uniform and delicate texture, crisp taste, high nutritional value, and the ability to be stored at room temperature. Specifically, cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt, and water are weighed according to a specific ratio and sequentially added to a melting pot and stirred for 5-10 minutes. The mixture is then melted under preset melting conditions to obtain a molten material. This molten material is poured into molds and cooled to a preset temperature of -4℃ to -8℃ before being cut into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwave-expanded. The cheese material is then placed in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum extrusion to obtain a semi-finished microwave-expanded cheese product. The microwave vacuum extrusion includes a first microwave stage, a second microwave stage, and a third microwave stage. Finally, the semi-finished microwave-expanded cheese product is cooled and dried at room temperature to obtain the finished microwave-expanded cheese product. In other words, this application effectively improves the degree of extrusion of the finished extruded cheese through multi-stage vacuum microwave technology, resulting in a more uniform internal extrusion structure. It not only dries the cheese, but also controls the moisture inside the cheese to be evenly distributed within the material, making the finished puffed cheese less prone to breakage. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings, which are included in and form part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this application together with the specification and serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of the preparation method of microwave-expanded cheese of this application is shown;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the puffed structure of microwave-puffed cheese of Comparative Example 1 of this application is shown.

[0030] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the puffed structure of microwave-puffed cheese of Comparative Example 2 of this application is shown;

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the puffed structure of microwave-puffed cheese of Comparative Example 3 of this application is shown.

[0032] Figure 5 This diagram shows the puffing structure of microwave-puffed cheese according to Embodiment 1 of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote elements that have the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, they are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0034] It should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application or to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0035] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0036] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments.

[0037] Furthermore, to better illustrate this application, numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application can be implemented without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well-known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order to highlight the main points of this application.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese, comprising the following preparation steps:

[0039] S100. Weigh out cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the molten material.

[0040] S200. The molten material is poured into a mold and cooled to a preset temperature at -4℃ to -8℃. Then, it is cut into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved.

[0041] S300. Place the cheese material to be microwave-expanded in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum expansion to obtain a microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product, wherein the microwave vacuum expansion includes a microwave first stage, a microwave second stage and a microwave third stage.

[0042] S400. Place the microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product at room temperature for drying and cooling to obtain the microwave-expanded cheese finished product.

[0043] In this embodiment, by optimizing the microwave vacuum puffing process parameters, the prepared puffed cheese has a uniform and delicate texture, a crispy taste, and can be stored at room temperature. Compared to a single vacuum microwave drying process, this application adjusts the degree of puffing and the uniformity of the internal puffing structure of the cheese through a multi-segment vacuum microwave process, making the finished puffed cheese less prone to breakage and meeting consumer taste preferences.

[0044] Specifically, in step S100, cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt, and water are weighed according to a certain ratio and sequentially added to a melting pot and stirred for 5 to 10 minutes. The mixture is then melted under preset melting conditions to obtain a molten material. It should be noted that the microwave-expanded cheese in this embodiment comprises the following components by mass percentage: cheese 51-100%, skim milk powder 5-10%, white sugar 5-10%, butter 10-15%, emulsified salt 2-3%, and water 10-15%. After obtaining the above cheese raw materials according to the ratio, the cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt, and water are sequentially added to a melting pot and stirred for 5 to 10 minutes. Optionally, in step S100, the melting conditions include: a melting temperature of 85°C and a melting heating time of 6 to 18 minutes. That is, the temperature of the melting pot is set to 85°C, and the above cheese raw materials are heated for 6 to 18 minutes to obtain a molten material. Based on the above melting conditions, the various cheese ingredients can be fully mixed, ensuring that the finished cheese product has a uniform and delicate texture.

[0045] Further, in step S200, the molten material is poured into a mold and cooled to a preset temperature at -4℃ to -8℃, then cut into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved. Optionally, in step S200, the preset temperature is -2℃ to -3℃. It should be noted that after obtaining the molten material, pouring it into a mold and cooling it to a core temperature of -2℃ to -3℃ at -4℃ to -8℃, followed by cutting into strips or cubes, yields the cheese material to be microwaved. This means that before vacuum microwave drying, the molten material needs to be frozen. Freezing before cutting not only makes cutting easier but also reduces the likelihood of sticking. Combining cutting with multi-stage vacuum microwave drying ensures the degree of expansion of the finished cheese while preventing excessive hardness that could affect consumer taste.

[0046] Furthermore, in step S300, the cheese material to be microwave-expanded is placed in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum expansion to obtain a microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product. The microwave vacuum expansion includes a first microwave stage, a second microwave stage, and a third microwave stage. It should be noted that, as an optional embodiment of this application, optionally, in step S300, the first microwave stage includes: microwave power of 1–2.5 kW, microwave start-up vacuum degree of -30 kPa to -60 kPa, microwave stop-up vacuum degree of -100 kPa to -103 kPa, microwave start-up temperature of 40°C to 50°C, microwave stop-up temperature of 45°C to 55°C, and microwave time of 5–10 min. As an optional embodiment of this application, optionally, in step S300, the second microwave stage includes: microwave power of 4.5kW to 6kW, microwave start-up vacuum of -30kPa to -60kPa, microwave stop-up vacuum of -100kPa to -103kPa, microwave start-up temperature of 45℃ to 55℃, microwave stop-up temperature of 50℃ to 60℃, and microwave time of 15 to 20 minutes. As an optional embodiment of this application, optionally, in step S300, the third microwave stage includes: microwave power of 4.5kW to 6kW, microwave start-up vacuum of -30kPa to -60kPa, microwave stop-up vacuum of -100kPa to -103kPa, microwave start-up temperature of 60℃ to 70℃, microwave stop-up temperature of 75℃ to 80℃, and microwave time of 2 minutes to 5 minutes.

[0047] That is, the cheese material to be microwave-expanded needs to be placed in the drying chamber of a microwave vacuum drying equipment and undergo three stages of microwave vacuum expansion to prepare the semi-finished microwave-expanded cheese. Specifically, in order to improve the crispness of the finished cheese and the uniformity of the internal expansion structure, the microwave power of the first stage is controlled as follows: microwave power 1-2.5kW, microwave start vacuum degree -30kpa to -60kpa, microwave stop vacuum degree -100kpa to -103kpa, microwave start temperature 40℃ to 50℃, microwave stop temperature 45℃ to 55℃, and microwave time 5-10min. It should be noted that, as an optional embodiment of this application, the first microwave stage may optionally include a first vacuum stage, wherein the first vacuum stage includes: microwave power 0kW, microwave start vacuum degree -30kpa to -60kpa, microwave stop vacuum degree -100kpa to -103kpa, microwave start temperature 40℃ to 50℃, microwave stop temperature 45℃ to 55℃, and microwave time 3min to 5min. In other words, in the first microwave stage, the cheese material to be microwaved undergoes a microwave-vacuum-microwave treatment sequentially. By combining the first microwave stage with the first vacuum stage, the frozen cheese is gently thawed, and the internal moisture is evenly distributed throughout the material. This results in a product with good crispness, uniform internal puffing structure, and a smooth surface that is less prone to breakage. Furthermore, the second and third microwave stages are performed sequentially. Based on the combined use of multiple vacuum and microwave processes, the puffing degree of the frozen cheese is effectively improved, and the finished puffed cheese has a crisp texture, rich cheese flavor, and is suitable for consumer tastes.

[0048] Specifically, in step S400, the microwave-extruded cheese semi-finished product is placed in a room-temperature dry and cooled environment to obtain the finished microwave-extruded cheese. That is, the microwave-treated cheese is cooled in a room-temperature dry environment and then seasoned or left unseasoned to obtain the microwave-extruded cheese product. This method better preserves the original color, aroma, flavor, and nutrients of the food.

[0049] In summary, this application involves placing a predetermined ratio of cheese, butter, skim milk powder, granulated sugar, emulsified salt, and water into a melting pot, and melting at a temperature of 85°C for 6 to 18 minutes. The melted material is then placed in a mold and cooled at -4°C to -8°C until the core temperature reaches -2 to -3°C. After freezing, it is cut into strips or blocks to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved. Further, the cheese material is placed in the drying chamber of a microwave vacuum drying device and subjected to the first stage of microwave drying at predetermined microwave power, microwave start-up vacuum level, microwave stop-up vacuum level, and microwave time. It should be noted that in the first stage of microwave processing, the cheese material to be microwaved undergoes a sequential microwave-vacuum-microwave treatment. The microwave power, start-up vacuum level, stop-up vacuum level, start-up temperature, stop-up temperature, and microwave time are precisely set. This microwave-vacuum-microwave treatment gently thaws the frozen cheese and promotes the even distribution of moisture within the cheese, resulting in good crispness, uniform internal puffing structure, and a smooth surface that is less prone to breakage. Furthermore, a second and third stage of microwave processing are performed sequentially to obtain a microwave-puffed semi-finished product. Compared to a single vacuum microwave drying process, the multi-stage vacuum microwave process improves the puffing degree and uniformity of the internal puffing structure of the frozen cheese. Finally, the microwave-puffed cheese semi-finished product is cooled at room temperature to obtain the finished microwave-puffed cheese. This application not only improves upon the problems of low thermal efficiency, high energy consumption, and long processing time of existing drying methods but also better preserves the original color, aroma, flavor, and nutrients of the food. It provides cheese with a new processing and consumption method, broadens the consumer base for cheese, and enhances economic benefits.

[0050] The following comparative observations of Comparative Examples 1-3 and Example 1 provide further explanation:

[0051] Comparative Example 1

[0052] A method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese, the specific preparation process is as follows:

[0053] (1) Weigh out frozen cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the melted material.

[0054] (2) Fill the molten material into the mold, cool it to the preset temperature at -4℃~-8℃, and then cut it into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved.

[0055] (3) Place the cheese material to be microwave-expanded in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum expansion to obtain a microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product. The process flow of the microwave vacuum expansion stage is shown in Table 1 below. The microwave power is 1-5kW, the microwave start-up temperature is 40-45℃, the microwave termination temperature is 45-65℃, the microwave start-up vacuum degree is -30 to -95KPa, the microwave termination vacuum degree is -100 to -103KPa, and the microwave time is 2400-3000s;

[0056] (4) Place the microwave-puffed cheese semi-finished product in a room temperature dry and cool to obtain the microwave-puffed cheese finished product.

[0057]

[0058]

[0059] Table 1 Processing parameters for single-segment microwave-expanded cheese

[0060] Comparative Example 2

[0061] A method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese, the specific preparation process is as follows:

[0062] (1) Weigh out frozen cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the melted material.

[0063] (2) Fill the molten material into the mold, cool it to the preset temperature at -4℃~-8℃, and then cut it into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved.

[0064] (3) Place the cheese material to be microwaved into a microwave vacuum drying equipment for microwave vacuum puffing to obtain microwave puffed cheese semi-finished product, wherein microwave vacuum puffing includes microwave first stage, microwave second stage and microwave third stage. The process flow of the three-stage microwave vacuum expansion stage is shown in Table 2 below. The microwave first stage: microwave power 1–2.5 kW, microwave start-up temperature 40–45℃, microwave termination temperature 45–55℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa; the microwave second stage: microwave power 4.5–6 kW, microwave start-up temperature 45–55℃, microwave termination temperature 50–60℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa; the microwave third stage: microwave power 4.5–6 kW, microwave start-up temperature 60–70℃, microwave termination temperature 75–80℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa.

[0065] (4) Place the microwave-puffed cheese semi-finished product in a room temperature dry and cool to obtain the microwave-puffed cheese finished product.

[0066]

[0067]

[0068] Table 2 Processing parameters for multi-segment microwave-expanded cheese

[0069] Comparative Example 3

[0070] A method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese, the specific preparation process is as follows:

[0071] (1) Weigh out the refrigerated cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the melted material.

[0072] (2) Fill the molten material into the mold, cool it at 0℃~6℃, and then cut it into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved.

[0073] (3) Place the cheese material to be microwaved into a microwave vacuum drying equipment for microwave vacuum puffing to obtain microwave puffed cheese semi-finished product, wherein microwave vacuum puffing includes microwave first stage, microwave second stage and microwave third stage. The process flow of the three-stage microwave vacuum expansion stage is shown in Table 2 below. The microwave first stage: microwave power 1–2.5 kW, microwave start-up temperature 40–45℃, microwave termination temperature 45–55℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa; the microwave second stage: microwave power 4.5–6 kW, microwave start-up temperature 45–55℃, microwave termination temperature 50–60℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa; the microwave third stage: microwave power 4.5–6 kW, microwave start-up temperature 60–70℃, microwave termination temperature 75–80℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa.

[0074] (4) Place the microwave-puffed cheese semi-finished product in a room temperature dry and cool to obtain the microwave-puffed cheese finished product.

[0075]

[0076]

[0077] Table 3 Processing parameters for multi-segment microwave-expanded cheese

[0078] Example 1

[0079] A method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese includes the following preparation steps:

[0080] S100. Weigh out frozen cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the melted material.

[0081] S200. The molten material is poured into a mold and cooled to a preset temperature at -4℃ to -8℃. Then, it is cut into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved.

[0082] S300. Place the cheese material to be microwave-expanded in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum expansion to obtain a microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product, wherein the microwave vacuum expansion includes a microwave first stage, a microwave second stage and a microwave third stage.

[0083] S400. Place the microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product at room temperature for drying and cooling to obtain the microwave-expanded cheese finished product.

[0084] In practice, the process flow is as follows:

[0085] (1) Weigh out cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the molten material.

[0086] (2) Fill the molten material into the mold, cool it to the preset temperature at -4℃~-8℃, and then cut it into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved.

[0087] (3) Place the cheese material to be microwave-expanded in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum expansion to obtain a microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product. The microwave vacuum expansion includes a first microwave stage, a second microwave stage, and a third microwave stage. The process flow of the three microwave vacuum expansion stages is shown in Table 4 below.

[0088] As shown in Table 4, the microwave first stage has the following characteristics: microwave power 1–2.5 kW, microwave start-up temperature 40–45℃, microwave termination temperature 45–55℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa, and microwave time 200–300 s; the vacuum first stage has the following characteristics: microwave power 0 kW, microwave start-up temperature 40–45℃, microwave termination temperature 45–55℃, microwave start-up vacuum degree -30–-60 kPa, microwave termination vacuum degree -100–-103 kPa, and microwave time 180–300 s.

[0089] Microwave Phase 2: Microwave power 4.5–6kW, microwave start-up temperature 45–55℃, microwave termination temperature 50–60℃, microwave start-up vacuum -30–-60KPa, microwave termination vacuum -100–-103KPa, microwave time 900–1200s; Microwave Phase 3: Microwave power 4.5–6kW, microwave start-up temperature 60–70℃, microwave termination temperature 75–80℃, microwave start-up vacuum -30–-60KPa, microwave termination vacuum -100–-103KPa, microwave time 180–300s.

[0090] (4) Place the microwave-puffed cheese semi-finished product in a room temperature dry and cool to obtain the microwave-puffed cheese finished product.

[0091]

[0092]

[0093] Table 4. Process parameters for multi-segment microwave vacuum puffed cheese

[0094] Table 5 shows the evaluation index table for Comparative Examples 1-3 and Example 1. That is, to improve the crispness and uniformity of the internal puffing structure of the product, various microwave process conditions were examined, with crispness and puffing degree as the evaluation index (poor effect: 1 point to excellent effect: 5 points). The results are as follows:

[0095]

[0096] Table 5 Evaluation Indicators for Comparative Examples 1-3 and Example 1

[0097] From Table 5 and Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 It can be seen that, under various microwave process conditions, the crispness and uniformity of the internal puffed structure of the microwave-puffed cheese in Comparative Examples 1-3 and Example 1 are as follows:

[0098] Comparative Example 1: Crispness: 1, Puffing uniformity: 1;

[0099] Comparative Example 2: Crispness: 2, Puffing uniformity: 3;

[0100] Comparative Example 3: Crispness: 5, Puffing Uniformity: 1;

[0101] Example 1: Crispness: 5, Puffing uniformity: 5;

[0102] Therefore, it can be seen that the crispness and puffing uniformity of Example 1 are the best. That is, by using the preparation method of this example, in the process of preparing microwave puffed cheese, by controlling the production process parameters of the cheese under various microwave process conditions, that is, by using multi-segment vacuum microwave and performing microwave-vacuum-microwave treatment in the first microwave stage, the puffing degree of the finished puffed cheese can be effectively improved, making its internal puffing structure more uniform.

[0103] As shown in Table 6, a second aspect of the present invention provides a microwave-expanded cheese comprising the following ingredients in parts by weight:

[0104] Cheese 51-100%, skim milk powder 5-10%, white sugar 5-10%, butter 10-15%, emulsified salt 2-3%, and water 10-15%.

[0105] The skim milk powder mentioned in this application contains 5-10% (this content is a percentage of the total mass). Skim milk powder is made from milk after fat removal; besides reducing the fat content, other nutrients remain largely unchanged. It is more suitable for the elderly and infants with indigestion, and is appropriate for middle-aged and elderly people, obese individuals, and consumers who should not consume too much fat. The butter mentioned contains 10-15% (this content is also a percentage of the total mass). Butter is derived from milk and is rich in amino acids, vitamin A, and various vitamins and minerals, meeting the body's nutritional needs.

[0106] Raw material name content(%) cottage cheese 51-100 skim milk powder 5-10 white sugar 5-10 butter 10-15 Emulsified salt 2-3 water 10-15

[0107] Table 6. Ingredients of Microwave-Puffed Cheese

[0108] In this embodiment, by adjusting the composition of the raw materials, on the one hand, the present invention has a smooth and sweet taste, and on the other hand, the present invention has a high content of protein, minerals and vitamins, which can better meet the nutritional needs of the human body and conform to the modern people's pursuit of natural, nutritious and healthy concepts.

[0109] The various embodiments of this application have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese, characterized in that, The preparation steps include the following: S100. Weigh out cheese, butter, skim milk powder, white sugar, emulsified salt and water according to the proportion, and put them into the melting pot in sequence and stir for 5 min to 10 min. Melt under the preset melting conditions to obtain the molten material. S200. The molten material is poured into a mold and cooled to a preset temperature at -4℃ to -8℃. Then, it is cut into strips or cubes to obtain the cheese material to be microwaved. S300. Place the cheese material to be microwave-expanded in a microwave vacuum drying device for microwave vacuum expansion to obtain a microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product, wherein the microwave vacuum expansion includes a microwave first stage, a microwave second stage and a microwave third stage. S400. Place the microwave-expanded cheese semi-finished product at room temperature for drying and cooling to obtain the microwave-expanded cheese finished product. In step S200, the preset temperature is -2℃ to -3℃; In step S300, the first stage of microwave includes: microwave start-up temperature of 40℃~50℃, microwave stop temperature of 45℃~55℃, microwave power of 1~2.5kW, microwave start-up vacuum degree of -30kpa~-60kpa, microwave stop vacuum degree of -100kpa~-103kpa, and microwave time of 5~10min. In step S300, the second microwave stage includes: microwave start-up temperature of 45℃~55℃, microwave stop temperature of 50℃~60℃, microwave power of 4.5kW~6kW, microwave start-up vacuum degree of -30kpa~-60kpa, microwave stop vacuum degree of -100kpa~-103kpa, and microwave time of 15~20min. In step S300, the third stage of microwave includes: microwave start-up temperature of 60℃~70℃, microwave stop temperature of 75℃~80℃, microwave power of 4.5kW~6kW, microwave start-up vacuum degree of -30kpa~-60kpa, microwave stop vacuum degree of -100kpa~-103kpa, and microwave time of 2min~5min. The microwave first stage includes a vacuum first stage, in which the cheese material to be microwaved and puffed is subjected to microwave-vacuum-microwave treatment in sequence.

2. The method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S100, the melting conditions include: Melting temperature 85℃, melting heating time 6min~18min.

3. The method for preparing microwave-expanded cheese according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first stage of the vacuum includes: The microwave power is 0kW, the microwave start-up vacuum degree is -30kpa to -60kpa, the microwave stop vacuum degree is -100kpa to -103kpa, the microwave start-up temperature is 40℃ to 50℃, the microwave stop temperature is 45℃ to 55℃, and the microwave time is 3min to 5min.

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