Continental Cheese Making Without Curd Washing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The traditional cheese manufacturing process for continental cheese requires a washing step to control pH, which is resource-intensive and costly, but bypassing this step using thermophilic cultures results in unsatisfactory proteolysis, flavor, and shortened shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A culture composition of Lactococcus lactis with low post-acidification, lactose-negative Lactococcus lactis, and sensitive Streptococcus thermophilus, optionally with a chemical booster, allows for the production of continental cheese without the washing step, maintaining desired flavor, texture, and pH levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the washing step is performed to control pH and lactose content, then the final pH can be maintained above 5.15, but water consumption, energy consumption, time consumption, and yield loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the washing step from the traditional cheese manufacturing process by using a specially designed culture composition that naturally controls pH through its metabolic activities, eliminating the need for water addition and whey removal operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the biological parameters of the fermentation process by using a specific culture composition with defined lactose metabolism capabilities, which naturally regulates pH progression to maintain final pH above 5.15 without requiring physical washing operations
2Productivity
If the washing step is removed to reduce costs and improve efficiency, then water, energy, and time consumption decrease, but risks of post-acidification, undesirable taste/flavor development, and reduced shelf life increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by selecting and pre-combining specific bacterial strains in a defined culture composition before inoculation, where the strains are chosen for their low post-acidification characteristics and complementary lactose metabolism, thereby preventing pH problems before they occur during ripening
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite culture composition containing multiple bacterial strains (Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus) with specific functional characteristics, where each strain contributes different metabolic capabilities that together ensure stable pH control, proper flavor development, and extended shelf life without washing
3Device complexity
If thermophilic cultures are used to bypass the washing step, then the washing operation can be eliminated, but proteolysis, flavor development, and shelf life become unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the biological parameters by using mesophilic cultures with specific metabolic characteristics (low post-acidification, controlled lactose utilization) instead of thermophilic cultures, achieving the desired flavor profile and proteolysis control while maintaining process simplification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning specific functional roles to different bacterial strains in the culture composition, where Lactococcus lactis strains handle primary acidification with controlled post-acidification, and Streptococcus thermophilus strains contribute to flavor development and texture, creating a differentiated functional system that achieves superior results compared to uniform thermophilic culture use
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases cheese yield by 2-3% while ensuring the desired acidification and flavor profile, overcoming the limitations of using thermophilic cultures alone.
Implementation Method 1
A culture composition of Lactococcus lactis with low post-acidification, lactose-negative Lactococcus lactis, and sensitive Streptococcus thermophilus allows for the production of continental cheese without the washing step, maintaining desired flavor, texture, and pH levels
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for producing continental cheese in a non-wash process.