Cheese Milk Microfiltration for Germ Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cheese milk production processes require double thermal treatment and bacterofuge processing to eliminate thermoresistant spores, which is complex, energy-intensive, and can lead to cheese defects and specification violations due to incomplete germ removal.
Innovation Solution
A single thermal treatment step followed by microfiltration using ceramic membranes with pore sizes of 1.3 to 1.5 μm, which separates thermolabile germs and avoids membrane clogging, allowing for direct pasteurization of standardized milk without further thermal or bacterofuge treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If double thermal treatment and bacterofuge processing are used to eliminate thermoresistant spores, then germ removal is improved, but process complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes thermoresistant spores and thermo-resistant germs from the milk stream through a bacterofuge separation process, concentrating these harmful elements in a separate fraction that can be discarded, thereby eliminating the need for complex multi-stage thermal treatments
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces multiple thermal treatment steps with a mechanical separation process using a bacterofuge, which physically separates germs and spores from the milk based on their density and size, achieving germ removal without extensive heating
2Reliability
If double thermal treatment and bacterofuge processing are used to eliminate thermoresistant spores, then germ removal is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes thermoresistant spores and thermo-resistant germs from the milk stream through a bacterofuge separation process, concentrating these harmful elements in a separate fraction that can be discarded, thereby eliminating the need for complex multi-stage thermal treatments
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces multiple thermal treatment steps with a mechanical separation process using a bacterofuge, which physically separates germs and spores from the milk based on their density and size, achieving germ removal without extensive heating
3Ease of manufacture
If pasteurization is carried out at 72-74°C for 15-30 seconds, then vegetative germs are removed, but thermoresistant spores and thermo-durous germs remain
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the milk into different fractions based on the properties of its components: a pasteurized milk fraction containing vegetative germs that are heat-treated, and a separate concentrate fraction containing thermoresistant spores and thermo-resistant germs that are removed through bacterofuge separation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces multiple thermal treatment steps with a mechanical separation process using a bacterofuge, which physically separates germs and spores from the milk based on their density and size, achieving germ removal without extensive heating
4Ease of manufacture
If thermoresistant germs are present in whey, then specification violations occur, but high heating temperatures are not used in whey processing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary separation of thermoresistant germs and spores from the milk and whey streams using bacterofuge technology, removing these harmful elements before the whey is processed and before final product formulation, thereby preventing specification violations without requiring high-temperature heating
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 method effectively reduces bacterial counts below legal limits, simplifies the process, reduces energy consumption, and prevents cheese defects by ensuring complete germ elimination in a continuous operation.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the skimmed milk thus obtained to microfiltration and (e) the resulting permeate by adding a quantity of im
Implementation Method 2
microfiltration using ceramic membranes with pore sizes of 1.3 to 1.5 μm
Implementation Method 3
as claimed in the claims, (e) subjecting the standardized milk thus obtained to pasteurization
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Preparing cheese-making milk, comprises (a) subjecting raw milk to heat treatment, (b) separating solids from the heat treated product, (c) defatting the obtained intermediate, (d) subjecting the obtained skimmed milk to microfiltration, (e) adjusting the fat content of the obtained permeate to the desired fat content by adding an amount of cream separated in the step (c), and (f) pasteurizing obtained standardized milk.