Treated Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder for Cheese Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional pasta filata cheese production using non-fat dry milk (NFDM) lacks structural and textural qualities, making it difficult to cut and shred due to unaltered milk proteins, necessitating new processes that impart stiffness and structure to the final cheese product.
Innovation Solution
The method involves adding a sequestrant for calcium and rennet to milk to create treated milk, which is then formed into a powder, and this powder is added to the cheese curd or mass during the pasta filata process to coagulate and impart structure, using calcium sequestrants to control calcium ion concentration and facilitate coagulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If NFDM is added to fluid milk before coagulation or during heating/kneading/stretching steps, then the quantity of cheese obtained from milk is increased, but the milk proteins in the NFDM lack structural and textural qualities, making it more difficult to cut and shred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by treating the NFDM proteins with rennet and calcium sequestrants before they are added to the cheese curd. This pre-treatment modifies the proteins in advance so that when they are later incorporated into the cheese mass, they already possess the necessary structural and textural properties for easy cutting and shredding, rather than requiring the proteins to be modified after incorporation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the NFDM proteins by exposing them to rennet enzymes and controlling calcium ion concentrations using sequestrants. These parameter changes transform the proteins from a state that lacks structure to a state that exhibits stiffness and structural qualities similar to traditional cheese curd proteins, thereby resolving the contradiction between increased cheese quantity and ease of processing.
2Device complexity
If NFDM proteins are added without enzymatic treatment, then the production process is simpler, but the proteins do not impart stiffness or structure to the final cheese product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the enzymatic treatment of NFDM proteins in advance, before the proteins are incorporated into the cheese curd. This preliminary action ensures that the proteins develop the necessary structural properties without adding complexity to the main cheese-making process, as the treatment occurs in a separate preparatory step.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses rennet enzymes and calcium sequestrants as intermediaries to modify the NFDM proteins. These intermediaries facilitate the transformation of the proteins, imparting stiffness and structure without requiring direct manipulation of the cheese curd itself, thereby maintaining process simplicity while achieving the desired structural properties.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional pasta filata process is used without modified NFDM, then the process is well-established, but adding regular NFDM does not provide the structural qualities needed for easy cutting and shredding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the versatility of the traditional pasta filata process by allowing NFDM to be added at various stages (before, during, or after heating and stretching), but resolves the cutting and shredding issue through preliminary treatment of the NFDM proteins with rennet and calcium sequestrants, ensuring they possess the necessary structural properties regardless of when they are incorporated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the NFDM proteins through enzymatic treatment and calcium control, transforming them from incompatible with the pasta filata process to fully compatible. This allows the proteins to integrate seamlessly into the traditional process while providing the structural qualities needed for easy cutting and shredding.
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 treated NFDM powder coagulates in the presence of free calcium ions, increasing the stiffness and ease of cutting and shredding of the cheese, allowing it to be added at various stages of the cheese-making process, including before, during, or after heating and stretching.
Implementation Method 1
adding a sequestrant for calcium and rennet to a milk composition to make treated milk
Implementation Method 2
adding a sequestrant for calcium to a milk composition to make treated milk
Implementation Method 3
forming the treated milk into a milk powder
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of making a powdered dairy composition are disclosed. The methods may include the steps of adding a sequestrant for calcium and rennet to a milk composition to make treated milk, and forming the treated milk into a milk powder. Powdered non-fat dry milk products are also disclosed. The products may include one or more milk proteins that have been enzymatically altered by chymosin, where the chymosin altered proteins are not coagulated. The products may also include one or more sequestants to bind calcium ions in the powdered product.