Method for determining values of processing variables for a processing line for producing cheese

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025301999-A1
Application number	US-202418622355-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2024
Priority date	Mar 29, 2024
Publication date	Oct 2, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for determining values of processing variables relating to processing steps in a cheese vat arrangement of a processing line for producing cheese. By a control device, obtaining a target moisture content value of the cheese, milk properties comprising pH, protein content, and fat content of milk fed into the cheese vat arrangement, obtaining, coagulant properties comprising type and amount of a coagulant fed into the cheese vat arrangement, obtaining, starter properties comprising type and amount of a starter culture fed into the cheese arrangement, then feeding the target moisture content value, the milk properties, the coagulant properties, and the starter properties into an artificial intelligence (AI) model, and in response, obtaining predictions in the form of values of the processing variables from the AI model comprising at least one number of cuts and at least one cooking time used in the cheese vat arrangement during cheese production.

First claim

1 . A method for determining values of processing variables for a processing line for producing cheese, wherein the processing variables relate to processing steps taking place in a cheese vat arrangement of the processing line, said method comprising:
obtaining, by a control device, a target moisture content value of the cheese, obtaining, by the control device, milk properties of milk fed into the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the milk properties comprise pH of the milk, protein content of the milk and fat content of the milk, obtaining, by the control device, coagulant properties of a coagulant fed into the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the coagulant properties comprise coagulant type and coagulant amount of the coagulant, obtaining, by the control device, starter properties of a starter culture fed into the cheese arrangement, wherein the starter properties comprise starter culture type and starter culture amount of the starter culture, feeding the target moisture content value, the milk properties, the coagulant properties and the starter properties as input features to an artificial intelligence (AI) model, and in response to providing the input features to the AI model, obtaining, by the control device, predictions comprising values of the processing variables from the Al model, wherein the processing variables comprise at least one number of cuts performed in the cheese vat arrangement during cheese production and at least one cooking time used in the cheese vat arrangement during the cheese production.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the AI model is configured to be trained for meeting the target moisture content value as well as a target standard deviation value for the moisture content value, thereby being able to produce the cheese in the production line with an improved consistency.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing line comprises a fat standardizing apparatus placed upstream the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the fat standardizing apparatus is configured to be arranged to combine skim milk and cream to meet a pre-determined fat content of the milk, wherein the pre-determined fat content corresponds to the fat content of the milk of the milk properties obtained by the control device.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing line comprises a protein standardizing apparatus placed upstream the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the protein standardizing apparatus is configured to be arranged to combine different batches or fractions of the milk to meet a pre-determined protein content, wherein the pre-determined protein content corresponds to the protein content of the milk of the milk properties obtained by the control device.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cheese vat arrangement comprises multiple cheese vats filled and emptied in sequence.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing variables comprise variables relating to two or more processing sequences performed for each batch in the cheese vat arrangement, each sequence comprising a cutting speed or stirring speed and a cooking temperature.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , said method further comprising:
obtaining, by the control device, a target pH value of the cheese, wherein the target pH value is fed together with the target moisture content value, the milk properties, the coagulant properties and the starter properties as the input features to the AI model.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , said method further comprising:
optimizing the predictions made by the AI model by using a metaheuristic optimization algorithm.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the metaheuristic optimization algorithm comprises an evolutionary algorithm.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the evolutionary algorithm comprises a differential evolution algorithm, such as Non-Dominated Sorting Differential Evolution Algorithm II (NSDE-II).

11 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the metaheuristic optimization algorithm is constrained by limits governing cheese production, such as allowed temperature intervals and/or cutting speeds.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adjusting setting of the cheese arrangement in accordance with the values of the processing variables.

13 . A cheese vat arrangement comprising at least one cheese vat comprising:
a body for holding milk and/or curd, a heating device arranged to heat the milk and/or the curd held in the body, a cutting device arranged to cut the curd held in the body, a control device arranged to control operation of the heating device and the cutting device, said control device configured to:
obtain a target moisture content value of cheese produced from the curd output from the cheese vat arrangement,
obtain milk properties of the milk fed into the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the milk properties comprise pH of the milk, protein content of the milk and fat content of the milk,
obtain coagulant properties of a coagulant fed into the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the coagulant properties comprise coagulant type and coagulant amount of the coagulant,
obtain starter properties of a starter culture fed into the cheese arrangement, wherein the starter properties comprise starter culture type and starter culture amount of the starter culture,
feed the target moisture content value, the milk properties, the coagulant properties and the starter properties as input features to an artificial intelligence (AI) model, and
in response to providing the input features to the AI model, obtain predictions comprising values of processing variables for a processing line for cheese production from the AI model,
wherein the processing variables comprise at least one number of cuts performed in the cheese vat arrangement during the cheese production and at least one cooking time used in the cheese vat arrangement during the cheese production, and
adjust settings of the cheese arrangement in accordance with the values of the processing variables.

14 . The cheese vat arrangement according to claim 13 , said cheese vat arrangement comprising multiple cheese vats filled and emptied in sequence.

15 . A processing line for producing cheese, said processing line comprising:
the cheese vat arrangement according to claim 13 , and a protein standardizing apparatus placed upstream the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the protein standardizing apparatus is configured to be arranged to combine different batches or fractions of the milk to meet a pre-determined protein content, wherein the pre-determined protein content corresponds to the protein content of the milk of the milk properties obtained by the control device.

16 . A processing line for producing cheese, said processing line comprising:
the cheese vat arrangement according to claim 13 , and a fat standardizing apparatus placed upstream the cheese vat arrangement, wherein the fat standardizing apparatus is configured to be arranged to combine skim milk and cream to meet a pre-determined fat content of the milk, wherein the pre-determined fat content corresponds to the fat content of the milk of the milk properties obtained by the control device.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Tran Do
• Schellenberg Noah
• Bradley Herman
• Erdenebat Tergel
• Steffens Mark

Classifications

• A23C19/072

  Cheddar type {or similar hard cheeses without eyes} · CPC title

• A23C19/024

  using continuous procedure · CPC title

• A01J25/002

  continuously · CPC title

• A23B11/12

  by heating (by irradiation, e.g. by microwaves A23B11/16) · CPC title

• G06F2119/18

  Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability · CPC title