Ohmic Heating for Pasta Filata Cheese Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing pasta filata cheese, such as submerging curds in a hot water bath or using steam, result in uneven heating, flavor loss, high energy consumption, and a large spatial footprint, while existing ohmic heating methods are primarily used for pasteurization and compromise cheese quality.
Innovation Solution
A device and process using direct electrical heating to achieve even temperature distribution in pasta filata cheese production, eliminating the need for liquid brine, allowing for flexible salting and seasoning, and incorporating a texturizing tool like an auger or counter-rotating dual compression belt system to form the cheese mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional hot water bath heating is used, then the cheese curds can be heated and processed, but the heating is uneven with warmer external layers and cooler internal layers requiring higher temperatures and longer exposure times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional thermal conduction heating system (hot water bath) with an ohmic heating system that uses electrical current to generate heat directly within the cheese curds. This substitution of heating mechanism enables uniform internal heating without the external-to-internal heat transfer limitations of conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the heating parameter from external thermal conduction to internal ohmic heating by applying electrical current. This parameter change allows the heat to be generated uniformly throughout the curd mass, eliminating the temperature gradient between external and internal layers.
2Temperature
If higher water temperature and longer immersion time are used to reach proper internal temperature, then the cheese can be adequately heated, but there is greater denaturation of enzymes and bacteria at the outer layer as well as butterfat loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hot water bath thermal conduction system with ohmic heating that generates heat internally within the curds. This eliminates the excessive external heating requirement and its associated harmful effects of enzyme denaturation and butterfat loss while achieving the necessary internal temperature.
3Ease of manufacture
If large volume of brine liquid is used for heating and cooling in large scale manufacturing, then the traditional process can be maintained, but substantial floor space is required and large amounts of pollution and toxins are disposed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the brine liquid heating and cooling system with direct ohmic heating. This eliminates the need for large volumes of brine liquid, thereby reducing the floor space required for brine storage and handling equipment, and eliminating the disposal of polluted brine waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the brine liquid medium from the heating process, retaining only the essential heating function through ohmic heating. This removal of the brine system eliminates the associated space and pollution problems while maintaining process scalability.
4Speed
If steam is used to heat the nascent cheese mass, then heating speed is improved as higher temperature is achievable, but the quality of the cheese is compromised by overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces steam heating with ohmic heating that generates heat internally within the curds. This provides rapid heating like steam but with superior temperature control and uniformity, preventing overheating and quality compromise while maintaining fast heating speed.
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 ensures consistent flavor and moisture retention, reduces energy expenditure, and minimizes spatial requirements by providing precise control over heating and texturizing, enabling faster production with improved cheese quality.
Implementation Method 1
heating the cheese curds uniformly throughout by conversion of electrical energy to thermal energy
Data Source
AI summary
An invention directed to a process and device for electrically heating and preparing pasta filata type cheeses. The ohmic heating process of this invention is introduced after separation of initial curd from whey, as heated stretching is initiated to create nascent pasta filata cheese fibers. An apparatus is devised to receive the newly formed curd mass and to provide contact of the mass with an electric coupler that channels electric current through the conductive cheese mass as it is concurrently stretched. The features of this device include an electrically charged element, a grounding element and a texturizing tool.