Closed Plant-Based Cheese Processing for Hygienic Continuous Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cheese-making processes are inefficient, labor-intensive, and prone to contamination when applied to plant-based cheeses, as they are tailored to dairy-based ingredients and expose the product to air and contaminants, failing to replicate the texture and taste of traditional cheeses.
Innovation Solution
A continuous and closed cheese-making process using a vacuum mixer, positive displacement pumps, and scraped surface heat exchangers to create a dairy-free plant-based cheese with high shear mixing and controlled temperature treatments, eliminating manual operations and reducing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional open cheese-making processes are used, then manual operations can be performed, but the process is inefficient, labor-intensive, and prone to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a closed system that creates a controlled environment throughout the cheese-making process. The system includes sealed mixing vessels, closed transfer lines, and automated filling stations that prevent exposure to ambient air and contaminants, thereby improving reliability while maintaining high productivity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with automated systems. Automated dispensing mechanisms, robotic mixing, and computer-controlled processing eliminate the need for manual labor while reducing contamination risks. This substitution improves both productivity and reliability simultaneously.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional dairy-based cheese-making methods are applied to plant-based cheeses, then the process can be familiar, but it fails to replicate the texture and taste of traditional cheeses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies key process parameters including temperature profiles, mixing speeds, and processing times to suit plant-based ingredients. The system uses controlled temperature zones and adjustable mixing intensities to achieve proper emulsion and texture development in plant-based cheeses, thereby improving manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of manufacture through systematic parameter optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing conditions to different stages of the cheese-making process. Specific mixing intensities, temperature zones, and processing parameters are tailored to each step (emulsification, heating, cooling, packaging) to optimize the local quality of the plant-based cheese at each stage, achieving overall high-quality product while keeping the process adaptable.
3Reliability
If manual operations are used in cheese production, then flexibility can be maintained, but the process is time-consuming and exposes product to air and contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous closed-system process where ingredients are mixed, processed, and packaged without interruption or exposure to the environment. The sealed system allows continuous operation from raw material input to finished product output, eliminating time losses associated with manual handling and maintaining constant hygiene conditions throughout the process.
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 process significantly reduces production time, minimizes contamination, and ensures high-quality, consistent plant-based cheeses with efficient automation, achieving a 100% yield and hygienic conditions from start to finish.
Implementation Method 1
The system utilizes an inclined tank with a bottom-mounted high shear mixer, e.g., an SPXFLOW Processor, under vacuum at 200 to 500 mbar
Implementation Method 2
Present embodiments utilize an inclined tank with a bottom-mounted high shear mixer, e.g., an SPXFLOW Processor, under vacuum at 200 to 500 mbar, thus providing continuous gentle axial agitation and high shear mixture for emulsification. A positive booster pump can assist in achieving homogeneous mix during mixing and internal recirculation.
Implementation Method 3
Present embodiments utilize an inclined tank with a bottom-mounted high shear mixer, e.g., an SPXFLOW Processor, under vacuum at 200 to 500 mbar, thus providing continuous gentle axial agitation and high shear mixture for emulsification
Implementation Method 4
A positive booster pump can assist in achieving homogeneous mix during mixing and internal recirculation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for preparing plant-based cheese comprise preparing a plant-based cheese mixture, transferring the plant-based to a heat exchanger, heat treating* and cooling the plant-based mixture, dynamically mixing additional ingredients, possible homogenizing the plant-based cheese mixture, and packaging the homogenized plant-based cheese product. In embodiments, heat treatment can occur between 85-95° C. and cooling occurs at 65-70° C. Homogenization can occur before or after heat treatment. A related cheese making apparatus is also disclosed.