Methods for making cheese

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing unripened or ripened cheese from a dairy product mixture for cheese production, which on the one hand comprises one or more milk components selected from a microfiltration retained liquid of pasteurized skim milk, an ultrafiltration retained liquid of whole milk or pasteurized skim milk, and an ultrafiltration retained liquid of permeate from the microfiltration of pasteurized skim milk, and on the other hand comprises cream. The above method is: Step (I): Prepare a dairy product mixture for cheese production, where Step (I) is: Step (Ii): Heat-treat milk components(s) and cream, respectively, at a temperature of 65°C-120°C for 30-900 seconds; Step (Iii): Obtain a dairy product mixture by mixing the heat-treated milk components(s) and cream; Step (Iiii): Obtain a dairy product mixture for cheese production by standardizing the heated dairy product mixture by adjusting the protein content of the mixture to 3%-10% (w / w) relative to the mixture and adjusting the fat content of the heated mixture to 3%-10% (w / w) relative to the mixture; or Step (Ii'): Obtain a dairy product mixture by mixing milk components(s) and cream; Step (Iii'): Heat-treat the dairy product mixture at a temperature of 65°C-120°C for 30-900 seconds; and Step (Iiii'): Protein of the mixture Step (I) is to prepare a dairy mixture for cheese production by standardizing a heated dairy mixture by adjusting the quality content to 3%-10% (w / w) relative to the mixture and adjusting the fat content of the mixture to 3%-10% (w / w) relative to the mixture, thereby obtaining a standardized dairy mixture and a dairy mixture for cheese production; Step (II): to obtain curd by aging or coagulating the dairy mixture for cheese production; Step (III): to drain the curd; Step (IV): to cool the drained curd; Step (V): to salt and shape, or shape and salt; Step (VI): optionally to age, wherein after Step (II), all or part of the curd is heat-treated, and in Step (III), the heated curd is drained by ultrafiltration at least once and then homogenized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of the dairy industry and relates to the production of non-aged cheese or aged cheese. More specifically, the present invention relates to draining the milk mixture after aging in order to improve its draining ability, and more generally, to a method for making the curd thus drained equally or more suitable for cheese production than cheese produced by conventional methods.

[0002] It should be understood that the cheese according to the present invention is any dairy product obtained as a result of milk aging. More specifically, it refers to cow, goat, or sheep milk and any mixture of these milks, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It is actually also conceivable that this method can be applied to obtain cheese from buffalo milk.

[0003] According to the conventional method, the process of manufacturing cheese is obtaining pasteurized milk by pasteurizing the collected milk, optionally, by completely or partially defatting the pasteurized milk, obtaining on the one hand pasteurized and defatted milk and on the other hand collecting cream, ultrafiltrating the skim milk and recovering the retentate and permeate of the ultrafiltration respectively, heat-treating (i.e., heating) the retentate of the ultrafiltration and heat-treating (i.e., heating) the cream, combining all or part of the heated retentate of the ultrafiltration with all or part of the heated cream to obtain a standardized dairy product mixture, optionally, homogenizing the standardized dairy product mixture, aging, draining, salting and shaping, or shaping and salting, optionally, aging, This includes the following steps.

[0004] Before describing the present invention, some of the terms used herein are defined.

[0005] Raw milk should be understood as milk obtained directly by milking an animal. Whole milk used in cheese production should be understood as milk that has the same fat content as raw milk, but is obtained by at least partially skimming it and then mixing it with at least a portion of the cream obtained as a result of skimming to obtain a predetermined fat content. According to the method of the present invention, the raw milk is raw milk or whole milk.

[0006] Milk contains two main types of protein: casein, which is mainly in micelle form, and whey protein, also known as whey protein, which is water-soluble and small in size. Casein and whey protein have completely different properties. The former is thermally stable but coagulates at acidic pH, while the latter is heat-sensitive and denatures when heated, forming aggregates with different solubility depending on their size.

[0007] In dairy technology, whey proteins are classified according to the physical treatment(s) applied to them. Whey proteins from milk are called native. When milk undergoes microfiltration, they are recovered in the permeate. Heat treatment of the permeate causes denaturation, which is called denatured native whey protein. Whey proteins present in whey obtained from curd draining are also called whey proteins at this stage. When heat treatment is applied, they become insoluble and are known as denatured whey proteins (DWP).

[0008] Standardization of milk or milk components is a step in cheese production, which involves adjusting the composition of milk or milk components, particularly with respect to fat, protein, and possibly denatured natural whey protein, and / or possibly denatured whey protein (DWP). This is generally carried out by adding milk components such as cream, filtration retained liquid (microfiltration, ultrafiltration), or permeate until the desired content is reached.

[0009] Milk mixtures, or dairy product mixtures, include milk mixtures that may or may not differ in their collection method and animal origin, in addition to milk mixtures obtained as a result of applying various physical treatments as specified in each relevant step, such as filtration, heat treatment, standardization, and homogenization.

[0010] Dairy mixtures for cheesemaking are mixtures of milk components that, when processed individually or as a mixture, transform raw milk(s) into products that can be directly curdled for cheesemaking, possessing superior cheesemaking properties compared to raw milk(s). Cheesemaking properties should be understood as the ability to drain the curd, the ability to shape it, and the ability to exhibit all desired sensory characteristics while achieving high material yield. The higher the draining efficiency, the less moisture the curd will contain, allowing the cheese to be stored longer and becoming more suitable for aging.

[0011] During the filtration process, the components that pass through the filtration membrane are called the permeate, and the components that remain on the filtration membrane are called the retaining solution.

[0012] The maturation of milk or dairy mixtures, also known as coagulation or solidification, is understood as the step of solidifying the milk mixture, either naturally or by adding a fermentation agent, through the lactic acid method, which involves the production of lactic acid from lactose by lactic acid bacteria present in the milk or added to the mixture, or through the enzymatic method, which involves adding a coagulant such as rennet to the mixture. In the dairy industry, this is more commonly achieved by combining the two methods, which is called mixed coagulation. This maturation step is carried out at temperatures between 20°C and 45°C. During this process, casein is coagulated, forming curd.

[0013] Draining is the step in which curd is removed from a portion of the uncoagulated component, i.e., whey. This is a crucial step in cheese production as it ensures quality and shelf life. In particular, this step determines the amount of whey remaining, which directly affects the functional and sensory properties of the cheese. Depending on the nature of the curd to be drained, various techniques can be employed in this step. In lactic acid techniques, including mixed coagulation (enzymes and acids), draining is conventionally performed not only by simply draining the whey on a cloth or bank filter (filtre Berge), such as tangential flow filtration like ultrafiltration, but also by other methods such as centrifugation. These various methods can be combined with heat treatment performed before or after the draining step.

[0014] However, these methods have drawbacks.

[0015] Draining using bank filters has the following problems: The manufacturing process will be interrupted until the card draining operation is complete. The automating of the draining step is difficult and costly, and it is difficult to precisely control the card draining operation to the desired level. The draining level within the cheese matrix is ​​uneven. Significant loss of substances in whey, Depending on the desired production capacity, it may be necessary to increase the number of stages of draining equipment or increase the required floor space. The cleaning time for draining equipment is long, and the consumption of chemicals and water is high, and The maintenance costs for keeping draining equipment up to date are high. This presents a challenge.

[0016] Regardless of the draining method used, the maximum amount of dry extract obtainable is limited and insufficient for certain ranges of cheese intended for aging. When the ratio of fat (matiere grasse, MG) to dry extract (d'extrait sec, ES) (MG / ES) is 45%-55%, the dry extract is typically less than 38% (w / w) of the cheese.

[0017] This invention solves most of the aforementioned problems by combining specific treatment of milk before curdling with specific draining of the curd. [Overview of the project]

[0018] Therefore, the present invention relates to a method for producing unripened or ripened cheese from a dairy product mixture for cheese production, comprising, on the one hand, one or more milk components selected from the retained liquid from the microfiltration of pasteurized skim milk, the retained liquid from the ultrafiltration of whole milk or pasteurized skim milk, and the retained liquid from the ultrafiltration of the permeate of the microfiltration of pasteurized skim milk, and on the other hand, cream, The aforementioned method, Step (I): Preparing the dairy mixture for cheese production, wherein Step (I) is Step (Ii): The milk components(s) and the cream are heat-treated separately at a temperature of 65°C-120°C for 30-900 seconds. Step (III): To obtain the dairy product mixture by mixing the heat-treated milk components(s) and the heat-treated cream, Step (Iiii): Standardizing the heated dairy product mixture by adjusting the protein content of the mixture to 3% - 10% (w / w) with respect to the mixture and adjusting the fat content of the mixture to 3% - 10% (w / w) with respect to the mixture, Thereby preparing the dairy product mixture for cheese production, or Step (Ii’): Obtaining the dairy product mixture by mixing the milk component(s) and the cream, Step (Iii’): Heat - treating the dairy product mixture at a temperature of 65°C - 120°C for 30 seconds - 900 seconds, Step (Iiii’): Standardizing the heated dairy product mixture by adjusting the protein content of the mixture to 3% - 10% (w / w) with respect to the mixture and adjusting the fat content of the mixture to 3% - 10% (w / w) with respect to the mixture, Thereby preparing the dairy product mixture for cheese production, Step (II): Obtaining curds by aging or coagulating the dairy product mixture for cheese production, Step (III): Draining the curds, Step (IV): Cooling the drained curds, Step (V): Salting and then shaping, or shaping and then salting, Step (VI): Optionally aging, comprising, After said step (II), all or part of the curds are heat - treated, In said step (III), the heated curds are drained by at least one ultrafiltration and then homogenized.

[0019] Homogenization is essential and it can be carried out by a technique selected from high pressure, for example a pressure of 5 bar - 800 bar, applied to the mixture to be homogenized, or a shearing phenomenon.

[0020] From step (II) to step (III), prior to draining by ultrafiltration, some or all of the resulting card is heat-treated, preferably at a temperature of 25°C–60°C, for a few seconds to 600 seconds. This optional step corresponds to reheating the card, intended to optimize the draining performance.

[0021] Preferably, the heated curd components are drained by two consecutive ultrafiltrations.

[0022] In one modification, the entire card is heat-treated (i.e., reheated) and then drained by at least one ultrafiltration, preferably two ultrafiltrations.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the ultrafiltration steps(s) may be considered individually or in different combinations and satisfy the following characteristics:

[0024] The ultrafiltration membrane is a ceramic membrane or an organic membrane, preferably an organic membrane, more preferably a combination of at least one spiral-type organic membrane and at least one flat-type organic membrane.

[0025] Preferably, ultrafiltration(group) onto the card is performed at a pressure of approximately 1.5 bar–3 bar at the inlet and approximately 1 bar–2 bar at the outlet in the case of a spiral membrane, and at a pressure of approximately 5 bar–10 bar at the inlet and approximately 0.5 bar–2 bar at the outlet in the case of a flat membrane.

[0026] At least one or all of the filtration membranes have a molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of 10kDa-50kDa, preferably 10kDa-20kDa.

[0027] In one modification, standardizing the dairy mixture (Iiii) or (Iiii') may further include adjusting the content of heat-treated natural whey protein to 0%-20% (w / w) relative to the total protein content of the standardized milk.

[0028] The method of the present invention may include other intermediate steps for homogenizing the dairy mixture during processing. Thus, one or more homogenizations may be provided during step (I) of preparing the dairy mixture for cheese production, particularly after any of the substeps (Ii), (Iii), (Iiii), (Ii'), (Iiii'), or (Iiii'). Homogenization may be carried out by a technique selected from high pressure, such as a pressure of 5 bar to 800 bar, or a shearing phenomenon, applied to the mixture to be homogenized.

[0029] In embodiments in which not all cards are heat-treated and subjected to one or more ultrafiltrations, the method of the present invention may further include a step of draining the remaining parts of the cards that have not been heat-treated and ultrafiltered, which may be performed by conventional methods, for example, with a bank filter. Finally, this part of the card thus drained, i.e., the retaining liquid and the permeate, may be recovered.

[0030] The conventionally drained portion of the curd and the ultrafiltration-drained portion are cooled and preferably combined before shaping or salting. This modification does not significantly impair the cheesemaking properties of the curd thus obtained. Under these conditions, the permeate of the conventionally drained curd is collected and may be ultrafiltration, and the resulting filtrate containing whey protein can be heat-treated to obtain denatured whey protein (DWP). Preferably, the denatured whey protein is reused upstream of the method during the standardization of the dairy mixture (Iiii) or (Iiii') in step (I) of preparing the dairy mixture for cheesemaking.

[0031] In one variation, the cooling of the card in step (IV) is performed by lowering the temperature to a value of 0°C-30°C.

[0032] The benefits of the present invention's method are enhanced when combined with a specific method for obtaining a dairy mixture for cheesemaking. By obtaining a dairy mixture for cheesemaking as described below, while improving draining performance, a standardized milk that is ideally suited to the type of cheese to be produced can be obtained.

[0033] Therefore, the mixture can be obtained from cow's milk, goat's milk, or sheep's milk, but can also be obtained from the milk of other mammals and any mixture of these milks. According to the present invention, it is preferably goat's milk and optionally mixed with cow's milk. Therefore, the method of the present invention is Step (a): Pasteurizing the raw milk, Step (b): Skimming the pasteurized whole milk, collecting the skimmed milk on one side and the cream on the other, Step (c): Further comprising microfiltration of skim milk and repeated filtration of the retained liquid from the microfiltration, The microfiltration retained liquid recovered in step (c) is a milk component intended to be mixed with the cream recovered in step (b) for the preparation of the dairy mixture for cheese production, which is prepared in step (I).

[0034] According to a preferred modification of the present invention, the defatting (c) of the whole milk is carried out to the maximum extent or completely.

[0035] Microfiltration (c) allows some of the soluble proteins to pass through the filtration membrane and captures macromolecules, i.e., casein micelles, residual fats, and any bacteria present by this membrane.

[0036] In a specific implementation of the method, (c) microfiltration of skim milk is performed using a microfiltration membrane with an average pore size of 0.1 μm–10 μm, preferably 0.1 μm–3 μm. The microfiltration membrane may be a ceramic membrane or an organic membrane, preferably a ceramic membrane, and more preferably a ceramic membrane having a transmittance gradient (GP).

[0037] Microfiltration of skim milk (c) is carried out, according to a particular embodiment, by applying a pressure difference of 1 bar–2 bar, preferably 1.5 bar–2 bar, between the inlet and outlet of the microfiltration membrane. Preferably, the pressure at the inlet is 2 bar–4 bar and the pressure at the outlet is 0.5 bar–2 bar.

[0038] After microfiltration of the skim milk according to the above-described modification (c), the microfiltration retained liquid constituting the milk components and the cream intended for preparing a dairy product mixture for cheese production (I) are heat-treated separately (Ii) or pre-mixed and heat-treated (Iii'). This can be carried out at a temperature of 65°C–120°C, preferably 80°C–95°C, for 30–900 seconds, preferably 50–600 seconds.

[0039] According to one variation, the above method is Step (d): The permeate from step (c) is collected, the permeate is ultrafiltered, and the retained liquid from the ultrafiltration is collected. Step (e): Heat-treat all or part of the retained liquid from the ultrafiltration at a temperature of 65°C-100°C for 30-900 seconds. Step (f): The heated ultrafiltration retained liquid is mixed with the mixture from step (Iii) or the mixture from step (Iiii') in steps (Iiii) and (Iiii'), respectively, to obtain a dairy mixture for cheese production. This may be supplemented by the following steps.

[0040] Ultrafiltration makes it possible to retain and concentrate the natural whey proteins present in the permeate obtained as a result of the microfiltration of skim milk in a holding solution.

[0041] In this modified example, the soluble protein content in the ultrafiltration retained liquid recovered in step (d) is preferably 0%-10.0% (w / w), more preferably 0.3%-0.6%, relative to the initial soluble protein content of the finely filtered skim milk from step (c), regardless of the time of year.

[0042] In step (e) of this modified example, the heat treatment of the ultrafiltration holding solution is preferably carried out at a temperature of 78°C–90°C for 50–600 seconds.

[0043] Optionally, but preferably, the heated ultrafiltration retaining solution is homogenized after step (e) and before step (f).

[0044] The method may include the steps of recovering at least a portion of the ultrafiltration retaining liquid (f), and then drying the recovered ultrafiltration retaining liquid for use in human food or supplemental diets. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0045] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the implementation of the method of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the method of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0046] The method of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 and 2. These figures illustrate an example of the method of the present invention, from the step of pasteurizing the milk (a) to the step of obtaining aged cheese, i.e., a block of aged goat cheese (VI), and show several preferred modifications, which are considered optional but contribute to obtaining cheese having the desired properties.

[0047] In these diagrams, raw milk or whole goat's milk is pasteurized and defatted in a cream separator, for example by centrifugation. Defatting can be performed on cold or warm milk. This may be done during pasteurization, for example in a centrifuge, as is commonly done in the dairy industry. Additional processing may be performed on the raw or pasteurized milk, such as purification in a purifier, to optimize defatting. Preferably, skimmed milk with a fat content of 0.05%-0.1% (w / w) is obtained.

[0048] More precisely, since the permeate contains only small-sized whey proteins, the skim milk is heated to a temperature preferably on the order of 50°C to optimize the efficiency of microfiltration before undergoing microfiltration by the method of the present invention, which is intended to retain casein micelles in the retaining solution.

[0049] Microfiltration (MF) is sold under the trade name Membralox® as P1940 GP and is equipped with a ceramic membrane with a pore size of 0.1 μm, and is 4.56 m². 2 This is carried out in a membrane module. The supply flow rate is 400 l / h, the pressure at the inlet of the GP ceramic membrane module is approximately 3 bar, and the pressure at the outlet is approximately 1 bar. The volume reduction rate, or concentration factor (VRF), applied to the skim milk during microfiltration is approximately 2.2. VRF is defined as the ratio of the initial volume of skim milk (to be processed) to the volume of the retaining liquid at a given time.

[0050] Steps (Ii)-(Iiii) of step (I) of the method of the present invention are shown in Figure 1. Thus, the retained liquid from the microfiltration is heated to a temperature of 65°C-120°C for a period of 30-900 seconds. For example, heating is carried out at 75°C for 60 seconds. The retained liquid (Iii) from the microfiltration is homogenized, as is done in preferred modifications of the method of the present invention. This step aims to disperse the fat particles to give the mixture a uniform texture. Homogenization is carried out under a high pressure of 60 bar. The cream is then added for the standardization step (Iiii).

[0051] Steps (Ii')-(Iiii') of step (I) of the method of the present invention are shown in Figure 2. Thus, after the microfiltration retained liquid and the cream are mixed, the mixture is heated to a temperature of 65°C-120°C for a period of 30-900 seconds. For example, heating is carried out at 75°C for 60 seconds. The mixture of microfiltration retained liquid and cream (Iii') is homogenized, as is done in preferred modifications of the method of the present invention. This step aims to disperse the fat particles to give the mixture a uniform texture. Homogenization is carried out under a high pressure of 60 bar.

[0052] In a specific implementation of the method described above, the permeate from a microfiltration containing the small-sized whey protein (4 g / l-5 g / l of natural whey protein) is recovered and cooled and concentrated by ultrafiltration (UF) (VRF of approximately 6) in a Dairy-Pro® organic spiral ultrafiltration membrane module (Koch Membrane Systems) with a molecular weight cutoff of 20 kDa. This ultrafiltration retain is then heated to a temperature of 80°C for 300 seconds according to step (e). The heated ultrafiltration retain is homogenized before being mixed with mixture (Iii'). Homogenization is carried out under high pressure of 20 bar. It is then mixed with the homogenized mixture (Iii') of the microfiltration retain and cream according to step (f). The composition of the mixture thus obtained is such that the dry extract (ES) is 13%-25% (m / m), the fat content (MG) is 3%-10% (m / m), which corresponds to 50%-120% of the total milk fat, and the ratio of fat (MG) to protein (matiere proteique, MP) is in the range of 0.4-1.35.

[0053] The dairy mixture for cheese production thus obtained at the end of Step I is allowed to coagulate according to Step II at 26°C for 18 hours until it reaches a pH of 4.75.

[0054] In the illustrated method, the resulting curd is drained by two ultrafiltration (UF) steps (collectively referred to as Step III). To optimize draining efficiency, the curd is first heated to a temperature of 45°C before the ultrafiltration step. The first ultrafiltration is performed using a 3.53m film equipped with a 50kDa molecular weight cutoff membrane, sold as MQ 5 B 3838 by SYNDER®. 2 This is performed in a spiral-type organic membrane module. The retained liquid for this first ultrafiltration is a 2.25m membrane equipped with a 50kDa molecular weight cutoff, sold under the trade name NADIR® PM UH050 M37N. 2The milk is ultrafiltered using a flat-membrane organic membrane module. The feed flow rate of this equipment is 400 l / h, and the product recirculation flow rate in the flat membrane is approximately 15,000 l / h when the inlet pressure is 6 bar and the outlet pressure is 1.5 bar. The volume reduction rate (VRF) applied to the milk during the ultrafiltration step is approximately 2.

[0055] Cards that have been drained in this manner have a solid content of approximately 38%-40% (m / m).

[0056] The curd is homogenized under high pressure of 100 bar. It is then cooled to 10°C (Step IV), salted and shaped (Step V), and aged (Step VI) under the usual conditions for producing goat's milk cheese blocks.

[0057] As specified in the modified method of the present invention described above, a portion of the curd obtained as a result of step (II) is drained by a conventional method, for example, by a bank filter, without being drained by ultrafiltration. The curds drained by ultrafiltration and bank filter, respectively, are mixed during salting, then formed together and aged.

[0058] In an optional additional step, the permeate from filtration through a bank filter is ultrafiltered and then heated to pasteurization temperature and reused in step (Iiii') of step (I), which is upstream in the method for preparing a dairy mixture for cheese production. This concentrated and heat-treated permeate mainly contains denatured whey protein (DWP).

[0059] The cheese produced in this way Its composition is completely controlled (homogenized) in terms of dry extract (ES) and fat (MG), i.e., MG / ES. The method according to the present invention makes it possible to obtain cheese with a high dry extract ratio exceeding 40% and reaching 45%, and with an MG / ES ratio of 45%-55%. Being controlled, The cheese has a firm yet delicate texture, and melts in your mouth. Cheese gradually matures over time, developing its characteristic aroma, The shelf life of the cheese itself is suitable for all distribution channels, Cheese is suitable for a variety of uses, whether served on a large platter, used in cooking, or as a snack, whether warm (in the oven, on a griddle, etc.) or cold. It has the following characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for producing unripened or ripened cheese from a dairy product mixture for cheese production, which includes one or more milk components selected from the retained liquid from the microfiltration of pasteurized skim milk, the retained liquid from the ultrafiltration of whole milk or pasteurized skim milk, and the retained liquid from the ultrafiltration of the permeate of the microfiltration of pasteurized skim milk, as well as cream, The aforementioned method, Step (I): Preparing the dairy mixture for cheese production, wherein Step (I) is Step (Ii): The milk components(s) and the cream are heat-treated separately at a temperature of 65°C–120°C for 30–900 seconds. Step (III): To obtain the dairy product mixture by mixing the heat-treated milk components(s) and the heat-treated cream, Step (III): Standardize the heated dairy mixture by adjusting the protein content of the mixture to 3%–10% (w / w) relative to the mixture, and by adjusting the fat content of the mixture to 3%–10% (w / w) relative to the mixture, or Step (Ii'): To obtain the dairy product mixture by mixing the milk components (group) and the cream, Step (III'): The dairy mixture is heat-treated at a temperature of 65°C–120°C for 30–900 seconds. Step (III'): Standardize the heated dairy mixture by adjusting the protein content of the mixture to 3%-10% (w / w) relative to the mixture and adjusting the fat content of the mixture to 3%-10% (w / w) relative to the mixture. To prepare the dairy product mixture for cheese production, Step (II): To obtain curd by aging or coagulating the dairy mixture for cheese production, Step (III): Draining the card, Step (IV): Cooling the drained card, Step (V): Salting followed by shaping, or shaping followed by salting. Step (VI): As an option, let it mature, Includes, After step (II), all or part of the card is heat-treated. In step (III) above, the heated card is drained by at least one ultrafiltration and then homogenized. method.

2. In step (III) above, the heated card is drained by two consecutive ultrafiltrations. The method according to claim 1.

3. In step (III) above, the ultrafiltration membrane is a ceramic membrane or an organic membrane, preferably an organic membrane, and more preferably a combination of at least one spiral-type organic membrane and at least one flat-type organic membrane. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. In step (III), the ultrafiltration(group) of the heated card is performed in the spiral-type organic membrane at a pressure of approximately 1.5 bar–3 bar at the inlet and approximately 1 bar–2 bar at the outlet, and in the flat-type organic membrane at a pressure of approximately 5 bar–10 bar at the inlet and approximately 0.5 bar–2 bar at the outlet. The method according to claim 3.

5. The ultrafiltration membrane in step (III) has a molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of 10 kDa–50 kDa, preferably 10 kDa–20 kDa. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The heat treatment of all or part of the card after step (II) is carried out at a temperature of 25°C–60°C for a period of several seconds to 600 seconds. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. During step (I), preferably after step (III) or step (III'), the dairy mixture is homogenized. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The homogenization is carried out by a method selected from high pressure or shear phenomena applied to the mixture to be homogenized. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The homogenization is carried out under high pressure of 5 bar to 800 bar. The method according to claim 8.

10. Standardizing the dairy product mixture (iiii) or (iiii') further includes adjusting the content of heat-treated natural whey protein to 0%–20% (w / w) relative to the total protein content of the standardized dairy product. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The cooling of the card in step (IV) is performed by lowering the temperature to a value of 0°C to 30°C. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The portion of the aforementioned card that has not been heated and has not been drained by ultrafiltration is, for example, drained using a bank filter (filtre Berge). Of the aforementioned cards, the portion that has been heated and drained by ultrafiltration is homogenized and then cooled (IV). The drained card is mixed before shaping or salting (V). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The permeate from the conventionally drained card is subjected to ultrafiltration, and the resulting ultrafiltration retained liquid is subjected to heat treatment. The method according to claim 12.

14. The heated ultrafiltration retained liquid is reused upstream of the method in step (I) of preparing the dairy mixture for cheese production, in step (III) or step (III') of standardizing the dairy mixture. The method according to claim 13.

15. The aforementioned dairy product mixture is obtained from raw milk or whole milk from goats, sheep, or cows. The aforementioned method, Step (a): Pasteurizing the raw milk or whole milk, Step (b): Skimming the pasteurized milk and recovering the skimmed milk and the cream, Step (c): The skim milk is microfiltered, and the retained liquid from the microfiltration is recovered. It further includes, The retained liquid of the microfiltration recovered in step (c) is the milk component of the dairy product mixture in step (I). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The process of microfiltration (c) of the skim milk is carried out using a microfiltration membrane with an average pore size of 0.1 μm to 10 μm, preferably 0.1 μm to 3 μm. The method according to claim 15.

17. The heat treatment, performed on the retaining liquid from the microfiltration and the cream as a mixture (III') or separately (Ii), is carried out at a temperature of 65°C–120°C, preferably 80°C–95°C, for 30 seconds–900 seconds, preferably 50 seconds–600 seconds. The method according to claim 15 or 16.

18. The aforementioned method, Step (d): Microfiltration of the permeate from step (c) and recovery of the retained liquid from the microfiltration, and recovering the permeate from the microfiltration. Step (e): Heat-treat all or part of the ultrafiltration retaining liquid at a temperature of 65°C–100°C, preferably 78°C–90°C, for 30 seconds–900 seconds, preferably 50 seconds–600 seconds. Step (f): To obtain a dairy product mixture for cheese production by mixing the heated ultrafiltration retained liquid with the mixture from step (III) or the mixture from step (III') in step (IIIi) and step (III'), respectively, The method according to any one of claims 15-17, further comprising:

19. The content of soluble protein in the ultrafiltration retained liquid recovered in step (d) is 0%–10.0% (w / w), preferably 0.3%–0.6%, regardless of the time of year, relative to the initial content of soluble protein in the microfiltered skim milk from step (c). The method according to claim 18.

20. After step (e) and before step (f), the heated ultrafiltration retaining liquid is homogenized under a pressure of 5 bar to 800 bar. The method according to claim 18 or 19.

21. The method includes the steps of recovering at least a portion of the ultrafiltration retaining liquid (f), and then drying the recovered ultrafiltration retaining liquid for use in human food or supplemental diets. The method according to any one of claims 18-20.

Images