Cheese Products Using Supplemental Phospholipids to Reduce Melt Restriction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Processed cheese products often exhibit issues with melt restriction and oiling-off, which can affect their stability and consumer acceptance, and existing methods to control these characteristics are limited in effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The use of supplemental phospholipids, such as those from milk and soy sources, in combination with specific cheese ratios and homogenization pressures, to produce cooked and homogenized cheese products that reduce melt restriction and modulate oiling-off without relying on emulsifying salts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If homogenization pressure is increased to reduce oiling-off, then oil separation is reduced, but melt restriction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the phospholipid composition parameters - specifically using supplemental phospholipids at 0.1-1% weight to alter the chemical composition of the cheese product. This enables the system to achieve both reduced oiling-off and maintained meltability by changing the molecular structure and interactions within the cheese matrix, allowing higher homogenization pressures without the traditional penalty of increased melt restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining multiple phospholipid sources (milk phospholipids and/or soy phospholipids) with cheese components to create a composite system. This composite approach allows the phospholipids to work synergistically with the cheese matrix to simultaneously reduce oil separation and maintain melt characteristics, overcoming the traditional trade-off between these two properties.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If enzyme treatment is used to control oiling-off, then fat stability is improved, but melt characteristics may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phospholipid supplements as a simpler, more controllable alternative to complex enzyme treatments. The phospholipids act as a direct functional additive that provides oiling-off control without the unpredictable side effects on melt characteristics that can result from enzymatic degradation of cheese components. This approach is more precise and easier to control in the manufacturing process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If lecithin is added to improve meltability of homogenized cheese, then melt characteristics are enhanced, but the mechanism is not fully understood and control is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically defines and controls phospholipid parameters including source (milk and/or soy), concentration (0.1-1% weight), and timing of addition. This precise parameter control enables reproducible results and better process control compared to the undefined 'some unknown level' of lecithin coating mentioned in prior art. The method transforms an unpredictable process into a controlled, scalable manufacturing parameter.
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 enhances the melt characteristics and stability of cheese products while minimizing oil separation, maintaining desirable organoleptic properties and allowing for higher homogenization pressures without negatively impacting meltability.
Implementation Method 1
using supplemental phospholipids to provide reduced melt restriction and modulate oiling-off
Implementation Method 2
as homogenization pressure increases, there can also be decreases in the cheese product's stretchability and oiling-off
Implementation Method 3
using supplemental phospholipids to provide reduced melt restriction and modulate oiling-off
Data Source
AI summary
Cooked and homogenized cheese products and methods, using supplemental phospholipids to provide reduced melt restriction and modulate oiling-off. One embodiment provides a cooked cheese product having at least one natural cheese in the range of 20 to 92 percent weight; a protein supplement in the range of 0.25 to 30 percent weight; and a phospholipid supplement in the range of about 0.1 to 1 percent weight; wherein cooked cheese product is homogeneous does not contain significant levels of emulsifying salts. The phospholipid supplement can be in the range of about 0.25 to 1 percent weight, and preferably 0.4 percent weight. Homogenizing the cooked cheese product can be by a pressure in the range of about 70 to 246 Kg/cm.