Co-extruded Filled Cheese Sheet Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing filled cheese sheets lack efficiency and reliability in mass production, failing to provide a novel combination of textures and tastes while maintaining the advantages of process cheese slices.
Innovation Solution
A continuous co-extrusion process that combines meltable process cheese with a filling, encasing it fully within the cheese, followed by reduction in thickness and separation into sheets, using a machine with specific nozzle designs and packaging to ensure efficient production and distinct texture preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If process cheese is extruded at high temperature (70°C or above) to maintain meltable properties, then the cheese maintains its meltability and texture advantages, but the filling components may mix together during cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The filling is completely enclosed within the process cheese matrix during extrusion, creating a nested structure where the hot process cheese acts as a protective barrier that prevents mixing of filling components while maintaining the desired temperature for meltable properties
2Productivity
If a continuous co-extrusion process is used to produce filled strands, then mass production efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the extrusion machine increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple extrusion functions are combined into a single continuous co-extrusion process where process cheese and filling are extruded simultaneously in one operation, eliminating the need for separate extrusion and assembly steps while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The filling is pre-formed and positioned within the extrusion die before the process cheese is extruded, allowing the filling to be pre-configured in its final position within the cheese matrix without requiring post-extrusion assembly operations
3Shape
If the filled strand thickness is reduced after extrusion to achieve final product dimensions, then the sheet thickness is optimized, but the risk of filling exposure or deformation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extrusion process parameters are optimized to extrude the filling and process cheese at a ratio that ensures sufficient cheese matrix thickness around the filling even after subsequent thickness reduction, maintaining enclosure integrity while achieving the desired final product dimensions
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
Enables the mass production of filled cheese sheets with a novel texture and taste experience, maintaining the advantages of process cheese while incorporating various fillings, with high output rates and minimal mixing of components during cooling.
Implementation Method 1
process or processed cheese and a filling are co-extruded to produce a filled strand
Implementation Method 2
The process cheese is preferably supplied in a hot, i.e. molten state which means, for example, a temperature of about 70° C. or above
Implementation Method 3
In an optional second step, the continuous strand is reduced in thickness
Implementation Method 4
in a third step, the strand is separated at predetermined locations to produce separate sheets
Implementation Method 5
the filled strand is already in a state, in which its thickness is substantially equal to the thickness of the final product, and may, for example, have a thickness of 6 mm or less
Data Source
AI summary
A process of producing a filled sheet of process cheese, in which process cheese and a filling are co-extruded into a packaging material to produce a strand having a thickness, the strand is separated at predetermined locations to produce separate sheets, in which the filling is fully enclosed. A machine for producing filled sheets of process cheese, having a co-extrusion nozzle with an outer port for extruding an outer component and an inner port for extruding an inner component fully enclosed by the outer component into packaging material to form a co-extruded strand. The machine may comprise a device for reducing the thickness of the co-extruded strand, such as two or more cooperating rollers, and a device for separating the co-extruded strand, such as two or more rollers having ridges. A sheet of process cheese filled with a filling fully enclosed by the process cheese and having a thickness of 6 mm or less is also disclosed.