Cream cheese manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing cream cheese, the method comprising: (i) providing cheese curds; (ii) providing a whey protein solution by blending a sweet rennet whey solution and an acid whey solution, the sweet rennet whey solution being present in a greater amount by weight than the acid whey solution; (iii) concentrating the whey protein solution by ultrafiltration to a whey protein concentration of 5 to 15% by weight, based on the weight of the concentrated whey protein solution; (iv) subjecting the concentrated whey protein solution to a cavitation treatment sufficient to heat the concentrated whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 70° C. to provide a heat-treated whey protein solution; (v) mixing the cheese curds with the heat treated whey protein solution to form a mixture; (vi) subjecting the mixture to a texture-building heat treatment to form a cream cheese; The whey in the whey protein solution provided in step (ii) comprises whey from the sweet rennet whey solution and whey from the acid whey solution.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing cream cheese. In particular, it relates to providing cream cheese with a desirable smooth texture. The method allows for the production of cream cheese directly from a so-called "thin whey" source without an evaporation step. [Background technology]

[0002] Cream cheese is a soft cheese made from ingredients including milk and cream, and is generally spreadable. It is also generally mild tasting, although flavorings can be added to impart specific flavors, such as garlic cream cheese. Cream cheese can include single cream cheese and double cream cheese. Cream cheese is also typically offered in a variety of fat contents, such as full fat, low fat, and extra light.

[0003] Cream cheese has been enjoyed for many years in many settings around the world. Cream cheese can be used in many different culinary areas as desired by consumers, but it is most commonly used on bagels, in salads, as an ingredient in flavored spreads, frostings, and cheesecakes, and as an ingredient in various culinary recipes such as pasta and tray bakes. A variety of different methods of making cream cheese have been developed and used over the years. Most of these methods typically involve preparing cream and milk with a specific fat:protein ratio, followed by pasteurization, fermentation, agglomeration, stirring, centrifugation, ultrafiltration or cloth filtration to obtain sour whey and concentrated curd, and finally blending the concentrated curd with cream, heating, adding stabilizers and / or gums as required, and packaging the cream cheese. EP 2649884 discloses a known method of producing cream cheese.

[0004] Although stabilizers and additives can be incorporated into the cream cheese mixture, it is generally not desirable to have many additives in the cream cheese as consumers prefer cream cheese with more natural products and minimal amounts of additives.

[0005] One of the challenges surrounding the production of cream cheese in plants that produce a variety of different types of dairy products is that there are often waste streams of whey protein solutions produced from these processes, including a waste stream of sweet whey proteins from the hard cheese making process. Addressing this is important for the environmental sustainability of the production of foods such as cream cheese.

[0006] These waste streams often contain valuable ingredients that can be used in other dairy products and are usually generated at certain points in the production of other cheeses or dairy products. In particular, various cheese making processes result in side streams of sweet whey (also known as rennet whey) and / or acid whey (also known as sour whey), which can be generated in various amounts and concentrations at different stages of the cheese or other dairy product production process.

[0007] When one or more side streams of whey protein solution are produced, they generally need to be used within a short time, preferably when they are produced.If whey protein solution is not used quickly, large storage tanks are required to store the solution at low temperature, or the solution must be discarded, which is wasteful.Furthermore, using waste streams of whey protein solution can reduce the cost of manufacturers, since these ingredients are obtained at a significantly lower cost than the alternative of purchasing ingredients and transporting them to a plant.

[0008] In a preferred process for making cream cheese, the cream cheese mixture is subjected to a texture-building heat treatment step, which is used to build a creamy texture during the manufacture of cream cheese. EP 2649884 describes a texturization step that is performed by heating and shearing the mixture, for example at a temperature of 65-90°C. This texturization step is performed on a mixture of cheese curd and whey protein concentrate. Prior to the texture-building step, the whey protein concentrate is heat treated to denature the whey proteins. This heat treatment step has generally been performed using any conventional heating means. The heat treatment step is described in EP 2649884 as S6-1 or S6-2, and is usually performed with simultaneous homogenization.

[0009] Prior to carrying out the texture building step, the whey proteins forming the whey protein concentrate (WPC) need to be functionalized. Functionalization is achieved by applying thermal energy for a specific time (e.g., 80°C with a 2 minute hold time) to reach the desired degree of denaturation of the whey proteins. Traditionally, this is done with ubiquitous heating devices such as double jacketed tanks in a batch process. This usually comes with challenges in not exceeding the desired denaturation range, especially with larger batches during large-scale production.

[0010] The functionalization of WPC is well known and has been discussed in various patents (U.S. Pat. No. 7,579,029 B2, U.S. Pat. No. 8,349,379 B2, and EP Pat. No. 1698231 B1) that focus on the functionalization of WPC from sweet rennet whey. Such functionalized WPCs are also described in EP Pat. No. 2649884 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 9,775,366 B2.

[0011] Continuous processes for functionalizing whey protein concentrates exist on the market (e.g., scraped surface heat exchangers), but generally suffer from severe equipment scaling and protein accumulation due to the reactivity of whey proteins.

[0012] Various other heating methods are known in the art. These include batch, short-time, or high-temperature pasteurization. Autoclaves can also be used to heat milk. A combined heating and homogenization process involves forcing the mixture through small openings under high pressure while simultaneously heating to a predetermined temperature. These methods have been used reliably in cream cheese manufacturing processes.

[0013] Cavitation is generally known in the art as a method of providing heat treatment. The process of cavitation generally involves heating, mixing, and atomization of a solution, and is known as an alternative heating method for dairy-containing mixtures. US Patent Publication No. 20180249733 discloses a process of microparticulating ideal whey protein using a cavitation device to produce a microparticulated ideal whey protein preparation with creamy and thick texture. In particular, the microparticulated ideal whey protein preparation is used in milk or dairy-based products such as cheese, yogurt, and quark.

[0014] WO 2022 / 157611 discloses a method for producing cream cheese. It would be desirable to provide a method for producing cream cheese that has lower energy costs and minimizes problems associated with excessive waste streams. It would therefore be desirable to provide cream cheese with improved or equivalent texture that can be obtained at lower energy costs and / or to address at least some of the problems associated with the prior art or at least provide a commercially viable alternative. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0015] [Patent Document 1] European Patent No. 2649884 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 7,579,029 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Pat. No. 8,349,379 [Patent Document 4] European Patent No. 1698231 [Patent Document 5] US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0249733 [Patent Document 6] International Publication No. 2022 / 157611 Summary of the Invention

[0016] According to a first aspect, there is provided a method for producing cream cheese, the method comprising: (i) providing cheese curds; (ii) providing a whey protein solution by blending a sweet rennet whey solution and an acid whey solution, the sweet rennet whey solution being present in a greater amount by weight than the acid whey solution; (iii) concentrating the whey protein solution by ultrafiltration to a whey protein concentration of 5 to 15% by weight, based on the weight of the concentrated whey protein solution; (iv) subjecting the concentrated whey protein solution to a cavitation treatment sufficient to heat the concentrated whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 70° C. to provide a heat-treated whey protein solution; (v) mixing the cheese curds with the heat treated whey protein solution to form a mixture; (vi) subjecting the mixture to a texture-building heat treatment to form a cream cheese; A method is provided wherein the whey in the whey protein solution provided in step (ii) comprises whey from the sweet rennet whey solution and whey from the acid whey solution.

[0017] The present invention will now be further described. In the following sections, different aspects of the present invention are defined in more detail. Each aspect so defined can be combined with one or more other aspects, unless otherwise specified. In particular, any feature indicated as preferred or advantageous can be combined with any other feature or features indicated as preferred or advantageous.

[0018] The manufacture of cream cheese generally relies on the use of a concentrated whey stream, which produces a whey protein concentrate (WPC) that is combined with cheese curds in further process steps to make cream cheese. These WPCs are generally made in a process that involves the use of evaporators. Evaporators are known to be an unreliable component of the standard cream cheese making process, and therefore it is desirable to find a process that can address the loss of this important component on the production line.

[0019] The inventors have found a method for producing cream cheese from a so-called "thin whey" source. That is, the cream cheese is made without prior concentration of the whey source. The method does not require the use of an evaporator to concentrate the whey source or the whey protein solution (obtained by mixing the whey sources). This helps to avoid the need for significant pieces of equipment that can be out of service for extended periods of time. This is particularly important when dealing with whey streams obtained from other cheese making processes, such as hard cheese making, because the whey stream needs to be used quickly to avoid having to be discarded.

[0020] The inventors have attempted to use various different whey sources to make cream cheese, relying on ultrafiltration as an alternative approach to concentrate the protein content of whey protein solution.Ultrafiltration is desirable because it is a traditional component of cream cheese production system.However, the inventors have found that if traditional heat treatment process is used to functionalize this whey protein concentrate obtained by ultrafiltration, the subsequent texture construction process is too long to be commercially viable.

[0021] The inventors have unexpectedly discovered that the unconcentrated whey protein concentrate described herein can be used as an ingredient in cream cheese by the use of a cavitational treatment sufficient to heat the whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 70° C. In particular, it has been discovered that the inclusion of a cavitational step to heat an ultrafiltration concentrated whey protein solution unexpectedly results in a heat treated whey protein solution that is compatible for use in a texture building heat treatment step to develop and build a creamy texture.

[0022] Thus, the inventors have found that a specific whey protein blend can be used that lends itself to rapid texturization when functionalized by the new cavitation approach. This combination of a specific whey protein blend, concentration by ultrafiltration, and cavitation provides a cream cheese that has desirable physical properties and can be produced with a relatively short texturization step. This means that a commercially viable process can be provided that does not depend on a functioning evaporator (or the associated time and cost of running it). This process avoids the need for a pre-concentration step for any of the constituent whey protein sources.

[0023] Moreover, the process of the present invention provides a smoother cream cheese even though the whey stream has not been subjected to a prior evaporation step. This is particularly surprising because the same whey protein solution, when subjected to a conventional functionalization process (i.e., heat rather than cavitation), does not result in a desirable cream cheese. Instead, conventional functionalization results in a less sweet cream cheese with an undesirable grainy texture.

[0024] The use of cavitation equipment is not conventional in cream cheese production. However, in unpublished UK Patent No. 2100677.0, filed January 19, 2021, the inventors have provided an alternative method of using cavitation technology to functionalize concentrates. The process requires the use of ideal whey, obtained by microfiltration of milk. This is typically used in combination with an evaporator for whey concentration to address the problem that the presence of ideal whey when functionalized with conventional heating methods such as in EP 1698231(B1) does not texture or build the desired creamy texture and mouthfeel. That is, the inventors have found that conventional heat-treated whey protein concentrates (WPCs) containing ideal whey cannot be used in the texture building methods as disclosed in EP 2649884.

[0025] According to the invention of the unpublished UK Patent No. 2100677.0, a compression process was described in which the whey protein solution contains ideal whey obtained by microfiltration together with sweet whey obtained by rennet cheese production, sweet whey concentrate obtained by evaporation (either from ideal whey or rennet whey), and acid whey obtained by separation techniques in cream cheese production. These whey streams are the direct products of the combined process, and therefore the process minimized its by-products. The whey protein level was sufficiently high based on the use of ideal whey material and concentrated whey stream.

[0026] When this whey protein solution is subjected to mechanical and thermal energy by hydrodynamic cavitation, a functionalized whey protein concentrate is obtained that is surprisingly compatible with texturization processes.However, the invention in unpublished UK Patent No. 2100677.0 requires the use of concentrated whey protein sources and therefore generally relies on evaporators.In contrast, the present invention does not involve evaporators or indeed ideal whey components.

[0027] The present invention relates to a method for making cream cheese. As noted above, cream cheese is a soft cheese made from ingredients including milk and cream, and is generally spreadable and mild tasting.

[0028] Cream cheese can be sold in a variety of fat contents. For example, the range of widely available cream cheeses is full fat, reduced fat, and extra light cream cheese. Lighter cream cheeses tend to rely on the addition of more proteins, gums, and stabilizers to retain their desirable creamy texture.

[0029] The method involves providing cheese curd. Cheese curd suitable for making cream cheese is well known in the art. Cheese curd is a coagulated solid obtained when milk is acidified by bacterial culture or rennet. This production process also produces a sour (also known as acid) whey solution that can be used as a starting material for the method described herein.

[0030] Preferably, the cheese curd is obtained by a process comprising providing a dairy liquid comprising cream, milk (either raw or pasteurized and homogenized processed milk), and a microfiltered milk concentrate, fermenting the dairy liquid to form cheese curd and acid whey, and separating the cheese curd from the acid whey by ultrafiltration. Preferably, sour whey can be used as the acid whey solution in step (ii). This is the most efficient method to produce the desired curd for use in cream cheese manufacture. More preferably, the fermentation is by mesophilic fermentation. If necessary, the dairy liquid can also be pasteurized and homogenized prior to the fermentation step.

[0031] By dairy liquid is meant a liquid derived from milk or its components. In particular, dairy liquids contain fractions that contain milk and / or cream components. Preferably, dairy liquids contain mainly cream and, optionally, milk protein concentrates.

[0032] Preferably, the dairy liquid is produced by separating milk into cream and skim milk; The method is obtained by microfiltering skim milk to produce a microfiltered milk concentrate as a retentate and a sweet ideal whey as a permeate, and mixing the cream and the microfiltered milk concentrate together with milk to form a dairy liquid. This method is a reliable method to produce a dairy liquid with the desired properties for cream cheese production. This process provides a microfiltered milk concentrate that is desirable for making cheese curds.

[0033] The method includes the further step of providing a whey protein solution. Whey is the liquid remaining after coagulating the dairy liquid and then draining it. Coagulation is usually done by adding rennet or lactic acid to the dairy liquid to coagulate the casein and separate it into chunks. Whey protein is usually produced as a by-product of cheese or casein production and has several commercial uses. In cream cheese production, coagulation is done using cultures that generate lactic acid and naturally coagulate the milk solution. For cream cheese, the dairy liquid is typically a protein-enriched cream and the protein is provided as a milk concentrate.

[0034] Preferably, the whey protein solution is provided at room temperature, more preferably at a temperature below 10° C. This is optimal for the stability of the whey protein solution.

[0035] There are various types of whey protein solutions, including acid whey and sweet whey. These classifications are generally determined by the pH and how they are obtained. Sour whey has a pH of about 4.7, e.g., 4.4-4.9, while sweet whey has a more neutral pH (about 6.5, e.g., 6.3-6.8).

[0036] Sweet whey can be further classified as sweet rennet whey, a by-product resulting from the manufacture of rennet-type hard cheeses such as Cheddar and Swiss cheese. This is also known as "rennet whey". Rennet is added to coagulate milk, and the resulting liquid solution is a sweet whey solution with a near-neutral pH (about 6.5, e.g., 6.3-6.8) due to its production either without acidification or only very mild acidification. In sweet whey produced with rennet, the whey proteins may be somewhat denatured.

[0037] Another type of sweet whey protein is ideal whey. Ideal whey is whey that contains undenatured or "native" whey proteins. It is generally obtained by filtering milk through a membrane of suitable size. Ideal whey obtained from filtering milk does not contain somatic cells, lactic acid bacteria, bacteriophages, remnants of rennet such as caseinomacropeptide, and cheese fines that may be present in sweet rennet whey obtained from the cheese making process. Ideal whey is also not acidified and therefore has a near neutral pH of about 6.5, e.g., 6.3-6.8.

[0038] Acid whey (also known as sour whey) is a by-product in the production of acidic type dairy products such as cottage cheese or strained yogurt. Acid whey is acidic because lactic acid is used to coagulate the milk, and therefore the pH of the whey protein solution is lowered to produce acidic / sour whey (e.g., about 4.7, e.g., 4.4-4.9). In acid whey, the whey proteins may be somewhat denatured.

[0039] The whey protein solution in the method is provided by blending a sweet rennet whey solution with an acid whey solution. The whey in the whey protein solution consists of whey from the sweet rennet whey solution and whey from the acid whey solution. That is, the whey protein solution does not contain any added ideal whey. The sweet rennet whey solution is from the hard cheese making process, i.e., as a by-product. Using whey from the hard cheese making process also advantageously allows for the use of by-products that would otherwise be wasted during the manufacture of hard cheese.

[0040] Preferably, the whey protein solution comprises acid whey from fermenting dairy liquid, preferably dairy liquid used to provide cheese curd. Using acid whey from the process of fermenting dairy liquid (to make cheese curd and sour whey) is beneficial because it allows this by-product to be used in cream cheese production instead of being discarded. The use of acid whey can also add beneficial flavor notes and be used to adjust product pH.

[0041] The sweet rennet whey solution is present in a greater amount (by weight) than the acid whey solution. The amount (by weight) includes the amount of water present, but because the solutions are not concentrated, they typically have similar levels of solids content. That is, the sweet whey is also preferably present in a greater amount than the acid whey on a dry solids basis.

[0042] Preferably, the weight ratio of sweet whey solution to acid whey solution blended in step (ii) is 6:4 to 9:1, preferably 7:3 to 8:2. Similarly, this amount (by weight) includes the amount of water present, but because the solutions are not concentrated, they typically have similar levels of solids content. Preferably, sweet whey is present in a weight ratio of 6:4 to 9:1, preferably 7:3 to 8:2, to the acid whey of step (ii) on a dry solids basis.

[0043] Preferably, the whey protein solution has a solids content of 3-10% by weight, preferably 4-8% by weight, most preferably about 6% by weight. Preferably, the sweet rennet whey solution and the acid whey solution each have a solids content of 3-10% by weight, preferably 4-8% by weight, most preferably about 6% by weight. These levels of solids are consistent with those naturally occurring in the process by which they are obtained, minimizing the need for additional processing.

[0044] The method includes the further step of concentrating the whey protein solution by ultrafiltration to a whey protein concentration of 5-15% by weight based on the weight of the concentrated whey protein solution. This step of concentrating the whey protein solution reduces the water content in the solution, allowing for the subsequent texture-building heat treatment step (vi). Additionally, this step also preferably removes lactose and minerals that are soluble in aqueous solutions. In step (ii), the whey protein solution is concentrated, preferably by ultrafiltration, to a whey protein concentration of 10-12% by weight based on the weight of the concentrated whey protein solution.

[0045] Preferably, the whey protein solution has a pH of 5.7 to 6.1 when first formed. This is the optimal pH range for whey protein solutions to solubilize minerals to the desired extent. If these are not removed, the ultrafiltration process may not work very well. This is accomplished by providing a blend of acid whey and sweet whey, as the values ​​are between their natural values. Citric acid may be added to further adjust the pH.

[0046] Generally, sweet rennet whey and acid whey solutions used in cream cheese production have a whey protein content of 0.5-1.2% by weight, preferably 0.6-1% by weight. The ultrafiltration step therefore concentrates it by about 20 times to reach the desired whey protein concentration of 10-12% by weight. Simultaneously with the concentration of whey, the ultrafiltration process removes the lactose and mineral content. Therefore, further increase in whey content is associated with a decrease in lactose content.

[0047] Increasing the whey protein content is important to achieve the desired microstructure when this type of protein is heated and sheared. However, maintaining a sufficiently high level of lactose is also important as it helps protect the protein from heat damage during the functionalization and texturization steps. Increasing the whey content to 10-12 wt% means that the lactose content is about 60 wt% of the WPC solids. Increasing the whey content to 15 wt% means that the lactose content is about 20 wt% of the WPC solids. Beyond this point, the whey protein is not sufficiently protected from subsequent heating steps.

[0048] This is also important to increase the solids concentration by ultrafiltration prior to the cavitation step, helping to allow the cavitation to heat the whey protein solution sufficiently. The concentrated whey protein solution preferably has a solids content of 18-24% by weight. Of these solids, 25-75% by weight, preferably 40-60% by weight, preferably about 55% by weight, is whey protein. Preferably, the total protein content is 8-14% by weight, more preferably 10-12% by weight. This is the optimal solids content of the whey protein solution to obtain cream cheese with the desired creamy texture.

[0049] Preferably, the pH of the concentrated whey protein solution is then adjusted prior to the cavitation step to obtain a final pH of 4.5 to 5.1. The preferred pH of the whey protein solution prior to being subjected to the cavitation step (iv) is 4.6 to 5.0, even more preferably about 4.8. Adjustment of the pH of the concentrated whey protein solution can be done either by addition of citric acid or by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria, but is preferably done by addition of citric acid. Since the whey protein solution is composed using sweet whey and acid whey, the acid whey acts to lower the pH and less, if any, citric acid is required.

[0050] The method further includes subjecting the concentrated whey protein solution containing ideal whey to a cavitation treatment sufficient to heat the whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 70° C. to provide a heat-treated whey protein solution. The cavitation step is particularly advantageous in heat treating the whey protein solution in a particular manner, which allows the whey protein solution to develop a creamy texture (along with other ingredients) in the subsequent texture-building heat treatment step (vi). Cavitation can be carried out according to the teachings of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018024973, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0051] Preferably, the cavitation treatment is sufficient to heat the whey protein solution to a temperature of between 75° C. and 90° C., preferably between 80° C. and 85° C. This is the ideal temperature to which the whey protein solution should be heated to be compatible with the texture-building heat treatment step (vi).

[0052] The method further comprises mixing the cheese curd with the heat treated whey protein solution to form a mixture. Mixing can be performed using a stirrer, shaker, rolling device, or other commonly used means for mixing ingredients. Preferably, mixing of the cheese curd with the heat treated whey protein solution is performed by homogenization.

[0053] Preferably, the heat treated whey protein solution is added to the cheese curd in a weight ratio of heat treated whey protein solution to cheese curd of 1:19 to 2:3, preferably 1:15 to 1:5, which is optimal for the subsequent texture building heat treatment step to obtain a cream cheese with a desirable creamy texture.

[0054] The method further comprises subjecting the mixture to a texture-building heat treatment to form a cream cheese. Such methods preferably comprise heating the mixture to a temperature of 65-90° C. with shearing for at least 15 minutes. Such a process is described in more detail in EP 2649884, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0055] Preferably, the method further includes filling the cream cheese into packaging, preferably directly from the texture-building heat treatment. Filling the cream cheese into packaging directly from the texture-building heat treatment allows the liquid cream cheese (i.e., liquid because it is still warm) to be easily poured into the packaging and set within the packaging, rather than having to be cut into slices to be packaged, which is more efficient. The cream cheese is then cooled, preferably in a cooling chamber, for at least 12 hours prior to sensory evaluation. The cream cheese is then shipped for sale within a few days or weeks.

[0056] Preferably, the step of mixing the cheese curd with the heat treated whey protein solution to form a mixture further comprises the addition of one or more additional ingredients selected from the group consisting of milk solids, salts, stabilizers and gums, which can help impart a longer shelf life to the cream cheese.

[0057] Preferably, the method is a continuous process from subjecting the whey protein solution to cavitation treatment to forming the cream cheese. Having steps (iii)-(v) be a continuous process is beneficial because it allows equipment to be used at maximum efficiency and does not require storage media to hold the mixture for significant periods between steps.

[0058] Preferably, in the methods described herein, no evaporation steps are performed on either the sweet rennet whey solution, the acid whey solution, or the whey protein solution.

[0059] According to a further aspect, there is provided a cream cheese obtainable by the method described herein. The cream cheese obtained by this method is unique and distinguishable from other cream cheeses, in particular having a smaller particle size when examined under a microscope due to the cavitation process and a more uniform texture as a result of the texture building step.

[0060] Preferably, the cream cheese comprises less than 33% total solids by weight. The method advantageously allows cream cheese to be produced at less than 33% total solids by weight, while still having a creamy mouthfeel and texture, which allows more cream cheese to be produced per given amount of solids. This range distinguishes cream cheese produced with a texture-building process from cream cheese that is not produced with such a process. For example, full-fat cream cheese may have a total solids content of 32.5% by weight when made with a texture-building process, but about 37% by weight when no texture-building process is used. Light cream cheese may have a total solids content of 26% by weight when made with a texture-building process, but about 35% by weight when no texture-building process is used.

[0061] Preferably, the cream cheese is a full fat cream cheese having a fat content of less than 63% by weight.

[0062] The whey protein concentrate can then be incorporated into the final cream cheese in different amounts to obtain cream cheeses with different fat contents. In particular, full fat cream cheeses can be made with 6-8% whey protein concentrate by weight of the cream cheese. Light cream cheese products have 10-14% whey protein concentrate by weight of the cream cheese, and extra light cream cheese products have 35-40% whey protein concentrate by weight of the cream cheese product. By incorporating more whey protein concentrate into the cream cheese, less fat can be present in the final product while still developing a creamy texture in the texture building heat treatment step.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the product is a full fat cream cheese and 6-8% by weight of the product is WPC. The WPC is 23% solids by weight and 50-60% by weight of the product is protein. According to another embodiment, the product is a light cream cheese and 10-14% by weight of the product is WPC. The WPC is 23% solids by weight and 50-60% by weight of the product is protein. According to another embodiment, the cream cheese is an extra light cream cheese and 35-40% by weight of the product is WPC. The WPC is 23% solids by weight and 50-60% by weight of the product is protein.

[0064] The quality of cream cheese can be measured using the Stevens Hardness Test (Cold), which should have a value of about 100g, and certainly at least 80g. The Cold Stevens Hardness Test is performed using a Texture Analyzer and involves measuring the peak force required to puncture the cream cheese product with a conical 45° probe. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0065] The invention will now be described with reference to the following non-limiting figures. [Figure 1]1 shows a flow chart of a prior art method for producing cream cheese. [Diagram 2] 1 shows a flow chart of the method described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0066] 1, milk 205 and cream 210 are mixed in a mixing unit 215. The mixture 220 of milk 205 and cream 210 is then sent to a pasteurization / homogenization unit 225 where the mixture 220 is subjected to pasteurization and homogenization.

[0067] The resulting pasteurized mixture 230 is sent to a fermentation unit 235 where the pasteurized mixture 230 is fermented with added cultures.

[0068] The fermented mixture 240 is then sent to a thickening unit for curds 245 where the sour whey 250 is removed and the curds 255 are sent to a blending unit 280. The thickening unit for curds 245 may also be referred to as a separator.

[0069] Whey protein concentrate 270 and additional ingredients 275 are added to a mixing unit 280 and mixed with the curd 255. The additional ingredients 275 include additives and stabilizers.

[0070] Whey protein concentrate 270 comprises heat treated acid and sweet whey and has a solids level of 20-25% by weight, about half of which is whey protein. Whey protein concentrate 270 is obtained by providing a concentrated whey protein solution 260 containing sweet whey and sour whey and passing the whey protein solution 260 to a heating and homogenization unit 265, where the whey protein solution 260 is subjected to a process of homogenization with simultaneous heating to denature the whey proteins.

[0071] The heated homogenized mixture 270 is then mixed with curd 255 and other additional ingredients 275 in a mixing unit 280 to provide a combined mixture 285. The combined mixture 285 is sent to a texture building heat treatment unit 290 where the combined mixture 285 is heated with shear to a temperature of 65-90°C, preferably about 80°C, for at least 15 minutes to provide a cream cheese product 295.

[0072] The cream cheese product 295, while still hot, is then sent to packaging equipment 300 and packaged into containers.

[0073] With reference to Figure 2, raw milk 5 is provided which is subjected to a process 10 to pasteurize and / or homogenize the raw milk 5 and provide processed milk 15 suitable for cheese making.

[0074] A first portion 15.1 of the processed milk 15 is sent to a centrifuge 20 to separate the skim milk 25 from the cream 30.

[0075] The skim milk 25 is sent to a microfiltration unit 35 where the microfiltered milk concentrate 40 is retained as a retentate. The retentate is primarily a casein-rich concentrate.

[0076] The microfiltered milk concentrate 40, cream 30, and the second portion 15.2 of the processed milk 15 are sent to a mixer 70 to form a dairy liquid 75. The dairy liquid 75 is then pasteurized and homogenized in a pasteurization and homogenization unit 77. The resulting pasteurized and homogenized dairy liquid 79 is then sent to a fermenter 80 to ferment the dairy liquid to form a mixture 85 of cheese curds 95 and acid whey 100.

[0077] The mixture 85 is sent to a concentration unit 90 for ultrafiltration to separate cheese curds 95 from the acid whey 100.

[0078] Acid whey 100 and sweet whey 50 (from the hard cheese making process) are mixed together in mixing unit 105 to form whey protein solution 110. The whey protein solution 110 is sent to an ultrafiltration unit 115 to concentrate the protein content of the whey protein solution 110 to produce concentrated whey protein solution 120.

[0079] The pH of the concentrated whey protein solution 120 is adjusted to 4.8-4.9 by the addition of citric acid and then sent to a cavitation device 125 where the concentrated whey protein solution 120 is subjected to a cavitation treatment sufficient to heat the solution to a temperature of at least 70°C, preferably about 80°C, to provide a heat-treated whey protein solution 130.

[0080] The concentrated heat treated whey protein solution 130 and cheese curd 95 are mixed in a mixer 135 to form a first mixture 140. The first mixture 140 is sent to a pasteurization and homogenization unit 145 where the mixture is subjected to pasteurization and homogenization to produce a pasteurized and homogenized first mixture 150. The pasteurized and homogenized first mixture 150 is then sent to a texturization unit 155 which subjects the mixture 150 to a texture building heat treatment process which includes heating the mixture 150 to a temperature of 65-90° C. while shearing for at least 15 minutes. This process then provides a cream cheese 160.

[0081] The cream cheese is then filled into packages while still warm in a filling step 165.

[0082] The invention will now be described with reference to the following non-limiting examples. EXAMPLES

[0083] Example 1 Milk, cream and microfiltered milk concentrate were blended to produce a dairy liquid containing 15% solids, 5.5% fat, 4% protein and 4.5% lactose. The dairy liquid was pasteurized, homogenized and subjected to mesophilic fermentation with lactic acid bacteria at 20°C to a final pH of 4.8-5.0. After stirring the formed coagulum, it was separated into concentrated curd and whey using membrane ultrafiltration with a concentration factor of 2.2-2.5. The curd was blended with whey protein concentrate.

[0084] Whey protein concentrate was produced by mixing the following streams to a total of 100% by weight: - in an amount of 25% by weight, acid whey having a total solids content of 6.0% obtained from the centrifugal separation of fermentation curd and whey in the cream cheese process; - Sweet whey concentrate obtained from hard cheese production of 6.0% total solids in an amount of 75% by weight.

[0085] The blend obtained from these two streams was subjected to ultrafiltration to obtain a concentrated whey solution (WPC) with 20.3% solids and 11.8% protein content.

[0086] The WPC was subjected to hydrodynamic cavitation at 81° C. (end temperature) with a degree of denaturation of 75% before mixing with the curd.

[0087] A comparative batch was prepared by mixing another portion of the same curd with another portion of the same whey protein concentrate after standard heat treatment (i.e., heat treatment instead of cavitation) to a degree of denaturation of 79.0%.

[0088] The mixture of both the curd and their respective whey protein additives was then further processed in a separate manner using pasteurization and homogenization to produce a dairy liquid which was then textured in a final creaming step.

[0089] The final product has 26% dry matter, 11.0% fat, 7.4% protein, 5% lactose.

[0090] There is a large difference in texturing performance. Despite a similar degree of modification, the cavitation process provides a composition where texture building begins much sooner. This makes the process much more economically viable since a product can be produced in a fraction of the time.

[0091] It is particularly noted that the inventive examples reach a higher maximum viscosity (i.e., 3600 cP vs. 2800 cP). Additionally, it is noted that the comparative product only reaches 2000 cP after 165 minutes, whereas this is achieved in 30 minutes for the inventive compositions.

[0092] Unless otherwise stated, percentages herein are on a weight basis.

[0093] As used herein, "solids" refers to the material remaining after all water has been removed. Thus, a solution containing 20% ​​solids by weight will also contain the remainder (i.e., 80% by weight) of water.

[0094] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention or the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method for producing cream cheese, the method comprising: (i) providing cheese curds; (ii) providing a whey protein solution by blending a sweet rennet whey solution and an acid whey solution, said sweet rennet whey solution being present in a greater amount by weight than said acid whey solution; (iii) concentrating the whey protein solution by ultrafiltration to a whey protein concentration of 5-15% by weight, based on the weight of the concentrated whey protein solution; (iv) subjecting the concentrated whey protein solution to a cavitation treatment sufficient to heat the concentrated whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 70°C to provide a heat-treated whey protein solution; (v) mixing the cheese curd with the heat treated whey protein solution to form a mixture; (vi) subjecting the mixture to a texture-building heat treatment to form the cream cheese; The method of claim 1, wherein the whey in the whey protein solution provided in step (ii) consists of whey from the sweet rennet whey solution and whey from the acid whey solution.

2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the whey protein solution in step (ii) has a solids content of 4-8% by weight.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the concentrated whey protein solution has a solids content of 18-24% by weight.

4. 10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the sweet rennet whey solution and the acid whey solution each have a solids content of 3 to 10% by weight, preferably 4 to 8% by weight.

5. 10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the weight ratio of the sweet rennet whey solution to the acid whey solution blended in step (ii) is from 6:4 to 9:1, preferably from 7:3 to 8:

2.

6. 13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein no evaporation step is performed on either the sweet rennet whey solution, the acid whey solution, or the whey protein solution.

7. 2. The method of any preceding claim, wherein in step (ii) the whey protein solution is concentrated by ultrafiltration to a whey protein concentration of 10-12% by weight based on the weight of the concentrated whey protein solution.

8. 2. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein after step (ii) and before step (v), the pH of the whey protein solution is adjusted by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria or by addition of citric acid to obtain a pH of 4.5 to 5.1, preferably 4.8 to 4.

9.

9. The cheese curd is Providing a dairy liquid comprising cream, microfiltered milk concentrate, and milk; fermenting the dairy liquid to form the cheese curds and acid whey; and separating the cheese curd from the acid whey by ultrafiltration.

10. The dairy liquid is Separating the milk into cream and skim milk; microfiltering the skim milk to produce a microfiltered milk concentrate as a retentate and an ideal whey as a permeate; and mixing said cream and microfiltered milk concentrate together with said milk to form said dairy liquid.

11. 11. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the whey protein solution comprises acid whey from fermenting the dairy liquid.

12. 10. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the cavitation treatment is sufficient to heat the whey protein solution to a temperature of between 75°C and 90°C.

13. 10. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the texture-building heat treatment comprises heating the mixture to a temperature of from 65°C to 90°C while shearing for at least 15 minutes.

14. 13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the heat treated whey protein solution is added to the cheese curd in a weight ratio of heat treated whey protein solution to cheese curd of from 1:19 to 2:

3.

15. 13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises filling the cream cheese, preferably directly from the texture-building heat treatment, into packaging.

16. 20. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the step of mixing the cheese curd and the heat treated whey protein solution to form a mixture further comprises adding one or more additional ingredients selected from the group consisting of salts, stabilizers and gums.

17. 13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method is a continuous process from subjecting the whey protein solution to cavitation treatment to forming the cream cheese.

18. 10. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the cream cheese contains less than 33% by weight total solids.

19. A cream cheese obtainable by the method according to any preceding claim.

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