Adding of ingredients to a granular product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016366902-A1
Application number	US-201414902386-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2013
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for adding ingredients to a mass of curd, comprises a step of separating whey from curd grains, a step of transferring curd grains from the separating step to a step of arranging the curd grains in a mould. A step of adding the ingredients is performed in the transferring step.

First claim

1 . A method for adding an ingredient to a mass of curd, comprising:
separating whey from curd grains, transferring the curd grains, after the separating of the whey from the curd grains, to a mould to arrange the curd grains in the mould, and adding the ingredient to the curd grains while the curd grains are being transferred to the mould.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transferring of the curd grains comprises allowing the grains to fall under gravity from a separating device to the mould.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ingredient are transported to the curd grains by a fluid flow.

4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising allowing the curd grains to fall under gravity as the ingredient is added to the curd grains.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of separating of the curd grains from the whey is performed with a conical sieve.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the conical sieve is rotating around a longitudinal axis of symmetry.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the conical sieve is vibrating.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the adding of the ingredient to the curd grains is performed by arranging a nozzle in a narrow region of the conical sieve ejecting a flow of fluid and the ingredient in a longitudinal direction towards an outlet of the conical sieve.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising pumping a mix of curd grains and whey from a buffer tank to a separation means.

10 . A device for adding ingredient to a mass of curd grains, having an inlet end for receiving a mass of curd grains and an outlet end directing the curd grains towards a mould, wherein a nozzle for injecting the ingredient in the mass of curd grains is arranged in an area of the outlet end.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the device has sloping sidewalls to impart a momentum to the curd grains on their way from the inlet to the outlet.

12 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the ingredient is mixed into a fluid flow before being injected into the mass of curd grains.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the sloping sidewalls form part of a conical sieve, arranged to separate the curd grains from residual whey.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the conical sieve is arranged to rotate along a longitudinal axis of symmetry.

15 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the conical sleeve is arranged to vibrate.

16 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle is arranged to inject a mixture of fluid and ingredient in a direction out through the outlet of the device, such that mixing of the ingredient and the curd grains is effected when the curd grains are unsupported by the device.

17 . The device of claim 10 , wherein one or several additional nozzles are provided for injecting at least one additional ingredient.

18 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein said one or several additional nozzles are placed next to said nozzle.

19 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein said one or several additional nozzles are placed inside said nozzle.

20 . A device for adding ingredient to a mass of curd grains, having an inlet end for receiving a mass of curd grains and an outlet end directing the curd grains towards a mould, wherein a nozzle is provided for injecting the ingredient in the mass of curd grains in an area of the outlet end.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance
• Tera Laval Holdings & Finance S A

Inventors

• Spijkerman Harrie

Classifications

• A23C19/06 Primary

  Treating cheese curd after whey separation; Products obtained thereby · CPC title

• A01J25/13

  Moulds therefor · CPC title

• A01J25/117

  Filter design · CPC title

• A01J25/111 Primary

  by continuous separation · CPC title

• A01J25/12

  Forming the cheese · CPC title