Microfiltration for French-type Goat Cheese Whey Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of French-type goat cheese generates significant acid whey waste, which is difficult to utilize effectively, limiting large-scale industrial production due to its acidic nature and the economic challenges of transporting large amounts of waste streams.
Innovation Solution
The process involves microfiltration to separate whey from casein, reducing the amount of acid whey produced by separating whey before acidification, and utilizing the whey-reduced milk fraction for cheese production, allowing for the recirculation of whey proteins and the addition of fat to standardize the cheese milk, thereby reducing waste and increasing production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional French-type goat cheese production is used, then authentic cheese quality is maintained, but large amounts of acid whey waste are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by separating whey from casein-micelles BEFORE acidification occurs. This is achieved through microfiltration or ultrafiltration of pasteurized goat milk to obtain a casein-micelle rich fraction, which is then acidified and coagulated. This preliminary separation prevents the formation of large volumes of acid whey waste while maintaining authentic cheese quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the whey fraction from the milk before the acidification step. Through microfiltration or ultrafiltration, whey proteins and lactose are separated from the casein-micelles. The extracted whey can be discarded or utilized separately, while the concentrated casein-micelle fraction proceeds to acidification and cheese making, significantly reducing acid whey waste generation.
2Loss of substance
If microfiltration is applied to separate whey before acidification, then acid whey waste is reduced, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical whey separation methods (draining, pressing) with membrane filtration technology (microfiltration or ultrafiltration). This substitution occurs before acidification, allowing for more efficient and controlled whey removal. The membrane process is integrated into the existing pasteurization and cooling steps, adding complexity only in the filtration stage while simplifying downstream waste handling.
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 significantly reduces acid whey waste, enables large-scale production of French-type goat cheese, and allows for the use of whey proteins as valuable by-products, enhancing the efficiency and scalability of cheese production.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the goat skim milk to microfiltration so as to obtain a whey-reduced milk fraction and a whey fraction
Implementation Method 2
subjecting the acidified goat milk to enzymatic coagulation so as to form a cheese composition comprising curd and whey
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method of making French-type goat cheese whereby the production of acid whey waste is prevented. Goat milk is subjected to microfiltration so as to obtain a whey-reduced milk fraction and a whey fraction. The whey-reduced milk fraction is then subjected to acidification and (typically enzymatic) coagulation, so as produce French-type goat cheese.