Natural Cheese Texture Control via Calcium Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Natural cheeses often lack specific texture attributes such as controlled melt behavior, reduced stringiness, and uniform physical behavior, which are achieved in processed cheeses through the addition of emulsifiers and other ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the creation of multiple milk streams, including concentrated acidified skim milk, mineral reduced milk, cream with greater than 25% milk fat, and homogenized milk with varying fat content, which are then combined to produce natural cheese with tailored texture attributes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If processed cheese is made with emulsifiers and additives, then uniform physical behavior and resistance to oiling off are achieved, but sodium content and artificial ingredients increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of milk by controlling pH levels and calcium content through acidification and ultrafiltration processes. This creates a modified milk composition that enables natural cheese to achieve uniform physical behavior and resistance to oiling off without requiring emulsifiers or artificial additives, thus reducing sodium content while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific zones with different calcium concentrations and pH levels within the cheese matrix. The acidified and ultrafiltered milk creates localized regions with modified properties that control melt behavior and physical uniformity naturally, eliminating the need for widespread use of artificial emulsifiers
2Reliability
If processed cheese is made with emulsifiers and additives, then resistance to oiling off and uniform look are achieved, but the number of artificial ingredients increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unwanted components from milk through ultrafiltration, specifically removing excess calcium and standardizing composition. This creates a purified, acidified milk base that naturally resists oiling off without requiring the addition of artificial emulsifiers or stabilizers, thus reducing device complexity by eliminating multiple artificial ingredients
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the cheese system to self-regulate its physical properties through the acidified and ultrafiltered milk composition. The modified milk composition inherently provides resistance to oiling off and uniform physical behavior through its own chemical properties rather than requiring external artificial additives, making the system self-sufficient
3Ease of manufacture
If natural cheese is made with standard composition, then simplicity of ingredients is maintained, but specific texture attributes such as controlled melt behavior and reduced stringiness are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary acidification and ultrafiltration of milk before cheese making to pre-establish the desired texture properties. By modifying the milk composition in advance with controlled pH and calcium levels, the cheese naturally develops controlled melt behavior and reduced stringiness during standard manufacturing processes, maintaining ingredient simplicity while achieving manufacturing precision
4Manufacturing precision
If calcium content is reduced in natural cheese, then melt behavior and texture are improved, but the cheese composition deviates from standard natural cheese
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically changes the calcium parameter through controlled acidification and ultrafiltration, reducing calcium content to optimize melt behavior and texture. Simultaneously, it adjusts other parameters such as pH, protein concentration, and fat content to maintain overall compositional stability and ensure the cheese remains a authentic natural product meeting standard identity requirements
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 results in natural cheese with a 35-50% calcium reduction, improved texture attributes such as reduced stringiness, controlled melt behavior, and homogeneous melt, while maintaining an ingredient statement consistent with Standard of Identity cheese.
Implementation Method 1
adding concentrated acidified skim milk
Implementation Method 2
adding an acidulant to skim milk to reduce the milk pH
Implementation Method 3
ultrafiltrating the acidified milk
Implementation Method 4
separating milk to produce cream
Implementation Method 5
producing a controlled homogenization stream by separating milk to produce cream and to produce homogenized high fat milk
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides natural cheese and a method for making natural cheese with specific texture attributes.