Cheese products with enhanced melt and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10264803-B2
Application number	US-201113221193-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2011
Priority date	Sep 1, 2010
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

Cooked and homogenized cheese products and methods, using supplemental phospholipids to provide reduced melt restriction and modulate oiling-off. One embodiment provides a cooked cheese product having at least one natural cheese in the range of 20 to 92 percent weight; a protein supplement in the range of 0.25 to 30 percent weight; and a phospholipid supplement in the range of about 0.1 to 1 percent weight; wherein cooked cheese product is homogeneous does not contain significant levels of emulsifying salts. The phospholipid supplement can be in the range of about 0.25 to 1 percent weight, and preferably 0.4 percent weight. Homogenizing the cooked cheese product can be by a pressure in the range of about 70 to 246 Kg/cm.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method to produce a cooked cheese product, comprising, in order:
blending at least one raw natural cheese and a fresh slurry comprising a phospholipid supplement and a protein supplement;
cooking the blend at a temperature in the range of about 63 to 121 degrees C. for a period up to about 30 minutes to produce a cooked cheese product;
pasteurizing the blend;
homogenizing the cooked cheese product by a single stage pressure in the range of about 70 to 246 Kg/cm 2 right after pasteurization of the cooked and blended cheese composition;
wherein the cooked and homogenized cheese product is about 20 to 92 percent weight of at least one natural cheese, about 0.25 to 30 percent weight protein supplement, and about 0.1 to 1 percent phospholipid and wherein the cooked and homogenized cheese product contains emulsifying salts in an amount of 0 to 0.5 percent weight;
wherein the cooked cheese product does not comprise any further emulsifier, and
wherein the supplemental phospholipid source is selected from the group consisting of: buttermilk powders, egg phospholipids, and combinations thereof.

2. The method to produce a cooked cheese of claim 1 , wherein the phospholipid supplement is about 0.4 percent weight.

3. The method to produce a cooked cheese of claim 1 , wherein the step of cooking the blend is at a temperature in the range of about 68 to 72 degrees C. for a period of about 2 minutes.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooked cheese product has NaCl in the range of about 1.8 to 1.98 percent weight; moisture in the range of about 40 to 50 percent weight; fat in the range of about 10 to 35 percent weight; and total protein in the range of about 10 to 30 percent weight product.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooked cheese product has total moisture content in a range of about 35 to 60 percent weight.

6. The method to produce a cooked cheese of claim 1 , wherein the step of cooking the blend at a temperature in the range of about 63 to 121 degrees C. is for a period in a range of 15 to 30 minutes.

7. The method to produce a cooked cheese of claim 1 , wherein the step of homogenizing the cooked cheese product is by a pressure in the range of about 180 to 246 Kg/cm 2 .

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of blending the protein supplement at 45 Hz for a total of about 20 minutes to produce an uncooked intermediate blend.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooked cheese product further comprises a supplemental anhydrous milk fat to bring the total fat content of the cooked cheese product to 0.25-35 percent weight.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emulsifying salts are in an amount of 0 percent weight.

11. A method to produce a cooked cheese product, comprising, in order:
blending at least one raw natural cheese and a fresh slurry comprising a phospholipid supplement and a protein supplement;
cooking the blend at a temperature in the range of about 63 to 121 degrees C. for a period up to about 30 minutes to produce a cooked cheese product;
pasteurizing the blend;
homogenizing the cooked cheese product by a single stage pressure in the range of about 70 to 246 Kg/cm2 right after pasteurization of the cooked and blended cheese composition;
wherein the cooked and homogenized cheese product is about 20 to 92 percent weight of at least one natural cheese, about 0.25 to 30 percent weight protein supplement, and about 0.1 to 1 percent phospholipid and wherein the cooked and homogenized cheese product contains emulsifying salts in an amount of 0 to 0.5 percent weight;
wherein the cooked cheese product does not comprise any further emulsifier; and wherein the supplemental phospholipid source is egg phospholipids.

Assignees

• Rivera Edwin Gerardo
• Roesch Rodrigo R
• Kraft Foods Group Brands Llc

Inventors

• Rivera Edwin Gerardo
• Roesch Rodrigo R

Classifications

• A23C19/082 Primary

  Adding substances to the curd before or during melting; Melting salts · CPC title

• A23C2250/054

  Emulsifying cheese without melting or emulsifying salts, e.g. citrates or (poly-) phosphates or alkali metal (bi-) carbonates or sodium or calcium salts of organic acids · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23V2250/54252

  Whey protein · CPC title

• A23V2250/054

  Sorbic acid · CPC title