Microwave Expanded Hard Cheese Snacks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hard cheeses like Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano lack versatility in shape and convenience for consumption as snacks or appetizers, with existing expanded dairy products limited to specific shapes and greasy to handle.

Innovation Solution

A method involving finely dividing hard cheese to 0.2-5 mm particles, subjecting it to microwave treatment under controlled conditions to achieve a crumbly, expanded product with <15% humidity, and immediate cooling to stabilize the product, allowing it to be molded into various shapes and forms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If hard cheese is used in traditional forms (irregular pieces or flakes), then the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics are maintained, but the product lacks versatility in shape and is inconvenient for consumption as snack or appetizer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape versatilityVSAvoidconvenience for consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hard cheese is divided into fine particles (0.2-5 mm) through grating and sieving, creating a uniform fine crumbly structure that can be molded into various shapes while maintaining the original cheese's organoleptic properties. This segmentation enables shape versatility and ease of consumption as snack or appetizer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cheese particles are subjected to microwave treatment that changes their physical state and structure, transforming them into an expanded crumbly product with modified texture and volume. This parameter change enables the cheese to be molded into diverse shapes and consumed conveniently as snack food.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If existing expanded dairy product (FR 2 750 015) is used, then the cheese is dried and expanded to reduce moisture, but the product is limited to pop-corn type spheroid shape or chip shape dictated by the starting product shape

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture content reductionVSAvoidshape variety
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cheese is divided into fine particles (0.2-5 mm) through grating and sieving, creating a uniform fine crumbly structure that can be molded into various shapes while maintaining the original cheese's organoleptic properties. This segmentation enables shape versatility and ease of consumption as snack or appetizer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cheese is pre-grated and sieved to achieve uniform fine particles before molding and microwave treatment. This preliminary action ensures that the final expanded product can take any desired shape while maintaining consistency in texture and composition throughout the product.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If hard cheese pieces or flakes are consumed as snack, then the nutritional characteristics are maintained, but the thick consistency causes finger greasiness and prevents use of toothpicks or picking up means

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenutritional characteristicsVSAvoidhandling convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hard cheese is divided into fine particles (0.2-5 mm) through grating and sieving, creating a uniform fine crumbly structure that can be molded into various shapes while maintaining the original cheese's organoleptic properties. This segmentation enables shape versatility and ease of consumption as snack or appetizer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The microwave treatment transforms the cheese particles into an expanded crumbly structure with modified texture and volume, reducing the thickness and improving handling characteristics while preserving the nutritional profile. The product becomes suitable for finger food consumption without greasiness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The method produces a crumbly, expanded dairy product with enhanced protein-to-fat ratio, suitable for diverse shapes and consumption forms, eliminating finger greasiness and maintaining organoleptic properties, suitable for snacks, appetizers, and dietary supplements.

Implementation Method 1

During the microwave treatment, the water molecules contained in the finely divided cheese evaporate very easily

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

subjecting it to microwave treatment until a crumbly and expanded product is obtained

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMicrowave heating: Dielectric Heating

Implementation Method 3

Simultaneously to the water evaporation, melting of the fat part of the cheese particles also takes place, with the formation of a porous, expanded mass

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 4

which is subjected to immediate cooling with dry air at 4-10° C.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS8119177B2Method for preparing a crumbly dairy product with expanded structure
Publication Date: 2012.02.21 SLB SRL

AI summary

Method for the preparation of a crumbly, and expanded dairy product, comprising the steps of subjecting a hard cheese with a humidity content lower than or equal to 45% to a microwave treatment until a crumbly and expanded product with a humidity content lower than 15% is obtained, which is subjected to immediate cooling with dry air at 4-10° C., wherein the starting hard cheese is finely divided.