HK1073587B - Dairy product and process - Google Patents

Description

Dairy product and process for making

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a novel process for making cheese and to cheese products made by said process.

Background

Traditional cheese making processes typically add enzymes to the vat of cheese milk to form a coagulum. The coagulum is thereafter mechanically cut to form curd particles, thereby allowing the dewatering process to take place.

In conventional canning and cutting processes, there is considerable variability in curd characteristics, impairing product consistency, resulting in final cheese that does not meet industry or consumer acceptable standards in terms of ingredient and functional characteristics.

In particular, texture, melting and flavor characteristics are important cheese characteristics. Any cheese making process that reduces variability and criticality in the traditional cheese making step still retains the softness ultimately in the functional characteristics of the cheese product, which provides the cheese making industry with a way to produce cheese with desired functional characteristics in a consistent manner. This is advantageous for cheese making, larger consumers (such as the pizza industry) and individual consumers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and/or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Summary of The Invention

The present invention provides a process for making cheese wherein the conventional step of making a solid coagulum of protein or making a coagulum from protein containing raw milk and requiring cutting to aid separation of the curd from the whey is replaced by a further step in which such coagulum is broken down into small curd particles without mechanical cutting and the curd particles are separated from the whey by simple sieving or mechanical separation. The preparation of such curd particles provides a more reliable and consistent curd for typical cheese making. The curd made according to the invention is thereafter heated and mechanically processed (stretched) by immersing the curd in hot water or heating and processing in a substantially liquid-free environment, as in the conventional manufacturing process for mozzarella cheese (mozzarella). In addition, the process can be used to make a variety of cheeses including, but not limited to, cheddar-like, gudao (gouda), gudao-like, and mozzarella and pizza-like cheeses. The term mozzarella herein includes the general range of mozzarella-type cheeses including standard fat and moisture mozzarella, partially defatted mozzarella, and low moisture mozzarella.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other GRAS (Generally recognized As Safe) ingredients commonly used in cheese making processes may be added at any suitable step of the above process to modify any functional characteristic or to improve flavor, texture, color, etc.

The invention also relates to cheese, including soft, semi-soft, hard and extra hard cheeses, made using the method of the invention. Preferred cheeses include cheddar, cheddar-like, guda-like and mozzarella-like cheeses. Mozzarella and mozzarella-like (pizza) cheeses refer to cheeses made using the method of the invention that have the characteristic of being fibrous when melted.

Drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a process according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention provides an alternative method of making cheese having consistent compositional and functional characteristics, such as melting and organoleptic properties.

In particular, the present invention is advantageous in that the formation of the coagulum and its subsequent decomposition into curd and whey is carried out in an ordered (in-line) continuous flow process, thus eliminating the need for vats containing the coagulum or cutting it.

In particular, the novel process of the present invention comprises continuously producing small curd particles to replace the barreled coagulated cheese milk produced in conventional cheese making processes and performing a mechanical processing step wherein the curd particles are heated and processed into cheese loaves in a manner conventional in mozzarella-type cheese making processes.

Surprisingly, all types of cheese can be made with the new process, including soft, semi-soft, hard, extra hard cheeses such as Cheddar, Cheddar-like, Gudar-like and Murraya-like.

The advantage of the novel process of the present invention is its ability to closely control the functional and compositional characteristics of the final cheese product, thereby allowing for consistently prepared cheeses with enhanced functional and compositional characteristics. In particular, the present invention allows the manufacture of cheese with high moisture and low calcium content compared to cheese obtained by conventional methods.

NZ 199366 teaches the continuous manufacture of a liquid stream containing small cheese particles, which relates to the manufacture of dairy-based food products, including cheese and cheese-like products that are added as raw materials to processed food products.

The present invention utilizes curd particles made according to the NZ 199366 process and subjected to heating and mechanical processing steps to produce natural cheese including cheddar, cheddar-like, guddar-like and mozzarella-like (pizza) cheese for the first time. In addition, the novel process allows control of the characteristics of the curd particles, thereby allowing the cheese to have higher moisture and lower calcium levels than the product produced by the process of NZ 199366 alone.

The present invention provides a process for preparing cheese comprising: adding a coagulant to pasteurized and standardized raw milk and reacting at a temperature that inhibits the formation of coagulum, passing the reaction mixture through a flow channel while adjusting the pH to 4.0-6.0, cooking the mixture at a temperature up to 55 ℃ while inducing a controlled disturbance in the mixture to cause rapid coagulation thereof and then break down into small curd particles in the flow channel, separating the curd particles from the whey liquid, heating the curd at a curd temperature of 50-90 ℃ and mechanically processing into cheese mass, shaping and cooling the cheese mass.

The curd may be made into the final cheese product immediately when fresh, or it may be frozen and/or dried and thawed and/or reconstituted prior to cheese making.

Preferably, the present invention provides a method of making cheese, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a raw milk component having a fat content of at least 0.05%;

b. optionally pasteurizing and/or acidifying the milk component of step (a) to a pH of 6.0-6.5;

c. adding a coagulant to the raw milk component and reacting for preferably 20 hours at a temperature that inhibits the formation of coagulum;

d. optionally adjusting the pH of the reacted milk to 4.0-6.0;

e. cooking the milk component under conditions to form coagulated curd particles;

f. separating the whey from the curd particles;

g. optionally washing the curd particles of step (f);

h. optionally freezing and/or drying the curd particles;

i. heating the freshly prepared curd particles of step (f) or step (g), or the thawed and/or reconstituted curd particles of step (h), at a curd temperature of 50 ℃ to 90 ℃ and performing mechanical processing; and

j. the cheese mass is shaped and cooled.

The general steps of this preferred method are set forth in fig. 1, and the skilled artisan will appreciate that these steps may be performed in any suitable order. Preferably, steps (a) to (j) of the method are carried out in the order described.

The cheese produced by the present process may comprise soft, semi-soft, hard or extra hard cheeses such as cheddar, cheddar-like, guddar-like, mozzarella and mozzarella-like.

The raw milk may be selected from one or more of the following: whole milk, whole milk retentate/concentrate, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk retentate/concentrate, butter milk retentate/concentrate and whey protein retentate/concentrate, or from a milk product as understood by a person skilled in the art. One or more reconstituted or dried, single or mixed powders are selected as or added to the starting milk, such as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate powder, whey protein concentrate powder, pure whey protein powder, butter milk powder or other milk powder.

The raw milk may be derived from any milk producing animal.

The protein or fat content of the raw milk components can be varied using known standardisation methods. The standardisation process involves removing the variable factors of the fat and protein content of the starting milk to obtain a specific final cheese component. The traditional milk standardization method is achieved by: almost all of the fat (cream) is removed (separated) from the raw milk, and a known amount of cream is added thereto, thereby obtaining a predetermined protein/fat ratio in the raw milk. The amount of fat (cream) to be removed depends on the fat content of the starting milk and the desired final cheese component. Preferably, the fat content of the starting milk is at least 0.05%. The skilled person will appreciate that if a higher fat content is desired, a separate cream side stream may be added to increase the fat content of the starting milk or the final cheese product. Additionally or alternatively, the protein concentration may be varied by adding a protein concentrate (such as a UF retentate or a powder concentrate) to the raw milk components, or by any other method as would be understood by one skilled in the art.

It is well known in the art that pasteurization can be carried out on any liquid stream and at any stage of the process, especially for raw milk and cream streams, which can be carried out under standard conditions. Optionally, the cream is homogeneous.

Alternatively, the raw milk may be pre-acidified to a pH of preferably 6.0 to 6.5 with any food grade acidulant.

The coagulant is added to the standardized starting milk and the mixture is stirred to disperse the coagulant. The raw milk components containing the coagulant are reacted in the presence of an enzyme at a suitable concentration and under conditions which do not form a coagulum (typically at a temperature < 22 ℃, preferably at a temperature of 8 to 10 ℃) for a time sufficient to react with Kappa casein. The reaction time is usually 3 to 20 hours. This process is known as "cold processing" or "condensed lactase fermentation". In particular, the coagulant is left in the starting milk for a sufficient time for the enzyme to break down the kappa-casein bonds and expose the casein micelles. If the temperature of the reaction mixture is not controlled, the starting milk will coagulate.

Preferably, the coagulant is an enzyme, and the preferred enzyme is rennet (rennet). Sufficient coagulant is added to the raw milk to coagulate the cheese milk in the cooking step. For rennin (rennet), the concentration is 1 part rennin: 5,000 parts of raw milk-1 part of rennin: 50,000 parts of raw milk. More preferred chymosin concentrations are 1 part chymosin: 15,000 parts of raw milk-1 part of rennin: 20,000 parts of raw milk.

At this stage, the milk components are pumped through the apparatus and subjected to an ordered treatment.

After reaction with the coagulant, the pH of the milk component is adjusted to pH4.0 to 6.0, preferably pH 5.2 to 6.0, by adding an acidulant, if necessary.

Preferably, the acidulant is a food grade acid such as lactic acid, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, citric acid or sulfuric acid, diluted to about 1-20% w/w with water and added to the reacted milk. More preferably, a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid is diluted to 2-5% w/w and a weak acid such as lactic acid is diluted to 10-15% w/w before addition to the reacted milk. Acidulants may be added sequentially directly to the reacted milk to lower the pH to the desired pH.

Alternatively, the acidulant may comprise a medium that has been grafted with a starter culture and reacted to form a starter.

Pasteurized skim milk is the preferred medium. The fermentation can be carried out as follows: the starter culture is added to the medium and allowed to stand at a suitable temperature for a suitable time to produce acid, thereby lowering the pH to a pH of 4.0 to 6.0, preferably pH 4.6.

The starter culture added to the pasteurized medium stream may be mesophilic or thermophilic or a mixture and is added in an amount of 0.0005-5%, preferably 0.01-0.2%, more preferably 0.1% of the milk volume. Examples of starter cultures are: streptococcus thermophilus (Streptococcus thermophilus), Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lactobacillus bulgaricus), Lactobacillus helveticus (Lactobacillus helveticus), Lactococcus lactis cremoris (Lactobacillus lactis cremoris), and Lactococcus lactis (Lactobacillus lactis subspecies lactis).

Once the fermentation stream has reached the target pH, the fermentate may be mixed with the reacted milk in order. If the two streams are mixed, a further step of mixing and standing the two streams is required, typically 1 to 20 minutes, to ensure that if the ferment contains a dairy medium (such as skim milk), the coagulant in the reacted milk has time to act on the kappa-casein in the ferment. Alternatively, the fermentation may be cooled and left for later use.

Alternatively, the reacted milk may be acidified with a mixture of fermentate and food grade acid.

Once the fermentate and/or food grade acid (if desired) are added and mixed by a liquid stream or with a mechanical mixer (such as an in-line static mixer) and maintained at the target pH, the milk component is heated/cooked using direct or indirect heating means to a temperature preferably in the range of 30-55 ℃ to coagulate the protein and form coagulated curd particles. In the case of direct heating, steam may be injected into the liquid milk component stream, while in the case of indirect heating, a jacketed heater or heat exchanger is in contact with the conduit from which the liquid is drawn. The final temperature reached by the curd mixture depends on the desired characteristics of the final cheese curd. For example, to reduce the water content in the curd requires an increase in the cooking temperature. In a preferred embodiment, the flow rate in the cooking is sufficiently high to ensure that the liquid mixture flowing through the digester remains turbulent. This enables the protein coagulum to break into relatively uniform small curd particles and begin to dehydrate. Preferably, the resulting curd particles are between 0.5cm and 2 cm.

It is necessary to allow a certain time for dehydration. Preferably, the residence time in the cooking tube is 10-15 seconds at the desired final cooking temperature and the flow is laminar. The cooked mixture is passed through a separator to separate the curd from the whey. The separation can be achieved by any physical means, preferably by a sieve or decanter. Alternatively, the curd is separated and washed with water. In a preferred embodiment, the pH of the water can be adjusted and the washing system consists of a set of charging pipes. At the end of the filling tube, the washed curd can be separated using any physical means, preferably by a sieve or decanter.

Lowering the pH of the wash water causes the calcium to dissolve and be lost from the curd. The preferred embodiment is to wash with hot water at 30-90 ℃ and pH 3.0-5.4 under turbulent conditions.

Mineral conditioning, particularly calcium conditioning, is an important step in the cheese making process, as the calcium content in the final cheese product affects its functional and compositional properties. The pH of the acidulant, target pH of the mixture treated with acidulating enzyme, cooking temperature, and pH of the wash water (if used) are all steps in controlling the calcium solubilization process. Surprisingly, the present invention allows the manufacture of cheese products with significantly lower calcium content than cheese made using conventional cheese making processes.

The removal of whey and thereafter wash water is known in the art as de-whey and dewatering. Alternatively, the whey/dehydrated curd may be frozen and stored for later use. In other alternatives, the strained/dehydrated curd can be dried. In other alternatives, the strained/dewatered curd may be subjected to a curdling treatment to form a coherent curd mass. Cheddar processing is well known in the art of cheese manufacture. The cut and cooked cheese is thereafter ground into granules and optionally treated with salt.

In more traditional cheese making processes, all or a portion of the salt is added at this point, or no salt at all is added. If salt is added after milling, time is required for the salt to penetrate into the curd (maturation).

In the next stage of the process, the curd particles are melted together by mechanical processing and heating at a suitable temperature, thereby converting them into cheese mass. In a preferred embodiment a heated mixing device is used to melt the particles. It takes 1-30 minutes to perform the mixing and heating process to obtain a homogeneous cheese mass. Preferably about 8 to about 12 minutes.

The heating and mechanical processing (stretching) steps are carried out at curd temperatures of about 50 ℃ to 90 ℃ and can be carried out by soaking the curd in hot water or hot whey as in conventional mozzarella cheese making processes, or in a dry environment as described in US 5,925,398 and US 6,319,526. In either method, the curd is heated and processed into a homogeneous plastic mass. Preferably, the curd is heated to a curd temperature of about 50 ℃ to 75 ℃ using equipment common in the art, such as single or twin screw stretcher/extruder type equipment or steam jacketed vessels and/or impregnation vessels (waterless digesters) equipped with mechanical stirrers.

Optionally, cream, high fat cream or milk fat, water, whey protein retentate or whey protein concentrate or salt may be added to the curd in this mixing step. When cream is added, homogeneous cream is preferred.

As with the traditional mozzarella cheese making process, the hot cheese mass can be immediately extruded into a mold or hoop and the cheese cooled by spraying cold water/brine onto the hoop surface. The initial cooling step hardens the outer surface of the block, thereby providing a certain hardness. After the initial cooling, the cheese is removed from the mold and placed in a bath of brine (partially or fully saturated) for a period of time to allow the cheese to cool completely and to absorb the salt to the desired level. Once cooled, the cheese is placed in a plastic liner bag, and the air is removed and the bag is sealed. Alternatively, the hot cheese mass may be extruded into a sheet or strip shape, so that it can be cooled directly without the use of a mold.

An alternative method sometimes used in commercial practice is salt-treated cheese curd which is fully dried, ripened, heat-treated, packaged directly into a plastic liner of hoops and sealed. The hoop and cheese were then immersed in cold water.

The cooled cheese is stored at 2-10 ℃. Once the cheese is ready for use, it can be used directly, or using frozen pieces, or using chopped pieces and frozen shreds.

If the hot cheese mass is extruded into strips or sheets that facilitate rapid cooling, the shreds may be chopped and frozen in order immediately after cooling.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredients commonly used in cheese making processes may be added at any suitable step in the process. GRAS ingredients include non-dairy ingredients such as stabilizers, emulsifiers, natural or artificial flavors, colors, starches, water, gums, lipases, proteases, mineral and organic acids, tissue proteins (soy or wheat proteins), antimicrobials, and dairy ingredients that can enhance the flavor of the final cheese and alter the protein to fat ratio. In particular, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the flavour ingredient may comprise various fermentations and/or enzyme preparations or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the GRAS ingredients can be added after the curd is ground and/or in the "dry" mechanical processing step; and/or into extruded sheet or strip shaped heat stretched curd; and mixed or processed into curd to disperse it uniformly. Alternatively, the skilled artisan will appreciate that the GRAS ingredients may be added to the starting milk in an ordered acidification process, or to the separated coagulated curd particles. The flexibility in the process to allow any combination of additives to be added at any step allows for precise control of the composition and functional characteristics of the final cheese.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a soft, semi-soft, hard, or extra hard cheese product made by the process of the invention.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a mozzarella or mozzarella-like (pizza) cheese product made by the method of the invention.

The invention also provides a food product, such as a pizza, comprising mozzarella or mozzarella-like (pizza) cheese of the invention.

Any range mentioned in this patent specification includes substantially all possible values within the range set forth.

The invention broadly comprises the parts, principles and features, referred to or indicated in the specification, individually or collectively, including any and all combinations of any two or more of said parts, principles and features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be individually set forth herein.

The invention comprises the aforementioned and also the envisaged concepts given in the following examples.

Example 1

About 1800L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (100ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk was left overnight at 10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Dilute sulfuric acid was then added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to lower the pH to pH5.4 prior to cooking. The mixture placed in the charging tube was heated under direct steam injection at 42-44 ℃ and held for 50 seconds. The coagulated, cooked curd particles were separated from the whey using a sieve and washed with acidified water (8.3L water, pH 2.6, dilute sulfuric acid/1 kg curd) and separated from the wash water using a decanter. After dewatering, the curd is frozen for later use.

After thawing, the coagulated curd was ground and partially dried to 48% moisture with a ring dryer. Salt (0.2kg), high ester cream (7kg), 0.272kg lactic acid (16% solution) and flavourings were added to the crushed and partially dried 7kg curd.

The flavour contained a mixture of pre-prepared concentrated fermented product and an enzymatically produced flavour ingredient [ 1.5% Alaco EMC (DairyConscepts, USA), 350ppm butyric acid and 16mM acetate (Bronson & Jacobs Ltd, NZ) in the final product ].

The curd and added ingredients were mixed in a Twin screw mixer (Twin screw auger)/cooker (Blentech Kettle, model CL0045, Twin screw ScrewCooker 1994, Rohnert ParkCalifornia, United States of America) at a speed of 50rpm for about 30 seconds. The speed of mixing was increased to 90rpm and the temperature of the mixture was brought to 50 ℃ with direct steam injection. Thereafter, the mixing speed was further increased to 150rpm and the temperature was raised to about 68 ℃. Once the temperature reached about 68 ℃, the curd mixture, now molten, was treated for a further 1 minute at a rotational speed of 150 rpm.

The melted curd was allowed to stand for 1-3 minutes and then charged to a 0.5kg jar, which was allowed to air cool for > 12 hours to reach about 5 ℃.

After 1 month of storage, the cheese had a firm texture and exhibited a cheddar-like flavour.

The final cheese composition was: 35.0% fat, 38.5% moisture, 1.84% salt, pH 5.44 and calcium level 101 mmoleca/kg cheese.

Example 2

Approximately 1800L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (100ml) and then cooled to 10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk was left overnight at 10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Thereafter, before cooking, dilute sulphuric acid was added to the cold rennet fermented milk, the pH was lowered to pH5.4, the mixture placed in the charging tube was heated under direct steam injection at 42-44 ℃ and held for 50 seconds. The coagulated curd particles were separated from the whey using a sieve and washed with acidified water (8.3L of water, pH 2.6, dilute sulfuric acid per 1kg of curd) and separated from the wash water using a decanter. After dewatering, the curd is frozen for later use.

After thawing, the coagulated curd was ground and partially dried to 49% moisture with a ring dryer. Salt (0.265kg), high ester cream (6.25kg), 0.272kg lactic acid (16% solution) and flavourings were added to 7kg of coagulated milk which was ground up and partially dried.

The flavoring agent contained a flavoring ingredient [ 50ppm butyric acid, 8mM acetic acid ester, 2.5ppm diacetyl and 1ppm lactone in the final product ] made from a previously prepared concentrated fermented product and an enzyme.

Mixing and heating of curd and additional ingredients the procedure given with reference to example 1 was followed.

The melted curd was charged to a 0.5kg jar and the jar was air cooled for > 12 hours.

The curd was cooled and analyzed for moisture, fat, salt and pH.

After 1 month of storage, the cheese had a firm texture and exhibited the flavor of sweet guda-like cheese.

The final cheese composition was: 35.5% fat, 39.1% moisture, 1.81% salt, pH 5.51 and calcium level 54 mmoleca/kg cheese.

Example 3

Approximately 1800L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (100ml, i.e., 55ml/1000L) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. After 16 hours of standing dilute sulphuric acid was added to the cold rennet fermented milk before cooking to reduce the pH to pH 5.3. The mixture placed in the charging tube was heated under direct steam injection at 42 ℃ and held for 50 seconds.

The coagulated, cooked curd particles were separated from the whey using a sieve and washed with acidified water (8.3L water, pH 2.6, dilute sulfuric acid/1 kg curd), the water content of the washed coagulated curd particles was about 52%, and the water was separated from the wash water using a decanter. The curd is ground after dewatering. Salt (0.2kg), water (2.0kg) and high ester cream (4.0kg) were added to the ground 7kg of curd.

The mixing of curd and additional ingredients was performed according to the procedure given in example 1, except that the final temperature was 72 ℃.

The melted curd was charged to a 0.5kg jar and the jar was air cooled (< 10 ℃) for > 12 hours.

The curd was cooled and analyzed for moisture, fat, salt and pH.

The final cheese composition was: 21.0% fat, 53.7% moisture, 1.42% salt, pH 5.42 and calcium level 61mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 4

Approximately 1200L of reconstituted skim milk powder (8.3% solids) was pasteurized and then cooled to 8-10 ℃ before adding rennet (66 ml). The rennet fermented milk was then acidified with dilute sulphuric acid (2.5% w/w), cooked (42-45 ℃) and the coagulated curd separated and washed as described in example 3.

Salt (0.2kg), water (1.8kg), lactic acid (0.272 kg of 16% solution) and high ester cream (4.0kg) were added to ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 72 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 21.5% fat, 52.9% moisture, 1.40% salt, pH 5.80 and calcium level 106mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 5

Approximately 2250L of skim milk was pasteurized and then cooled to 15 ℃ before adding the microbial enzyme Fromase 45TL (DMS Food Specialities, NSW, Australia) (200 ml). The Fromase treated milk was left at 15 ℃ for about 3 hours. After 3 hours and before cooking at 45 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid was added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

The coagulated curd particles containing about 53% water were separated from the wash water using a decanter. After separation by dewatering, the curd is ground. Salt (0.2kg), water (2.0kg) and high ester cream (4.0kg) were added to the ground 7kg of curd. The curd and ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 72 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3. The final cheese composition was: 20.5% fat, 55.6% moisture, 1.42% salt, pH 5.97 and calcium level 93mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 6

Approximately 450L of skim milk was pasteurized and then cooled to 7 ℃ before adding the microbial enzyme Fromase 45TL (DMS Food Specialities, NSW, Australia) (40 ml). The Fromase treated milk was left at 7 ℃ for about 3 hours. After 3 hours and before cooking at 50 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid was added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to lower the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

The coagulated curd particles containing about 53% water were separated from the wash water using a decanter. After separation by dewatering, the curd is ground. Salt (0.2kg), water (2.0kg) and high ester cream (4.0kg) were added to the ground 7kg of curd. The curd and ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 72 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 21% fat, 55.0% moisture, 1.44% salt, pH 5.98 and calcium level 92mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 7

Approximately 450L of skim milk was pasteurized and then cooled to 7 ℃ before adding the microbial enzyme Fromase 45TL (DMS Food Specialities, NSW, Australia) (40 ml). The Fromase treated milk was left at 7 ℃ for about 3 hours. After 3 hours and before cooking at 38 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid was added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to lower the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking was carried out as described in example 3. No washing was performed.

Coagulated curd particles containing about 54% moisture were separated from whey using a decanter. After whey separation, the curd is ground. Salt (0.2kg), water (2.0kg) and high ester cream (4.0kg) were added to the ground 7kg of curd. The curd and ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 72 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3. The final cheese composition was: 23% fat, 50% moisture, 1.61% salt, pH 5.87 and calcium level 115mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 8

Approximately 2250L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (125ml, i.e. 55ml/1000L) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. A second milk stream containing 900L skim milk and lactic acid culture (Lactococcus lactissubspecies cremoris) was prepared and also left overnight at 26 ℃ for about 16 hours to lower the pH of the milk to pH 4.6. The second milk stream is then added to the cooled rennet fermented milk and mixed. The pH of the mixture was 5.3. The mixture placed in the filling tube was cooked under direct steam injection at 48 ℃ and held for 50 seconds. The coagulated curd particles were separated from the whey using a sieve and washed with acidified water (8.3L of water, pH 2.6, dilute sulfuric acid/1 kg curd). The coagulated curd, which has a water content of about 53% after washing, is separated from the washing water by means of a decanter, and is crushed and salted. Salt (0.2kg), water (1.4kg) and high ester cream (4kg) were added to the ground 7kg of curd. The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 62 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 22.2% fat, 54.3% moisture, 1.50% salt, pH 5.09 and calcium level 53mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

In the following examples, coagulated curd particles were separated from whey using a sieve and washed with acidified water (8.3L of water, pH 2.6, dilute sulfuric acid per 1kg of curd). The washed coagulated curd is separated from the wash water by a decanter, typically having a water content of 52 to 54% w/w.

Example 9

Approximately 600L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (33ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The milk fermented by rennet is placed at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. After 16 hours and before cooking at 42-45 ℃, dilute lactic acid (0.25M) was added to the cold rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd was crushed and treated with salt. Salt (0.2kg), water (1.9kg), high ester cream (4.0kg) and lactic acid (16% solution 0.272kg) were added to ground 7kg of curd. The curd and ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 60 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 20.5% fat, 54.3% moisture, 1.37% salt, pH 5.64 and calcium level 93mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 10

Approximately 600L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (33ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-45 ℃, dilute acetic acid (0.25M) was added to the cold rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd was crushed and treated with salt. Salt (0.2kg), water (1.9kg), high ester cream (4.0kg) and lactic acid (16% solution 0.272kg) were added to ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 65 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 20.5% fat, 54.1% moisture, 1.39% salt, pH 5.64 and calcium level 101mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 11

Approximately 600L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (33ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-45 ℃, dilute hydrochloric acid (0.25M) was added to the cold rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is ground. Salt (0.2kg), water (1.9kg), high ester cream (4.0kg) and lactic acid (16% solution 0.272kg) were added to ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 65 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 21.0% fat, 53.3% moisture, 1.41% salt, pH 5.64 and calcium level 99mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 12

Approximately 600L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (33ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-45 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid (0.25M) was added to the cold rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is ground. Salt (0.2kg), high ester cream (4.0kg) and lactic acid (16% solution 0.272kg) were added to ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 65 ℃ and processed as described in example 3.

Once the temperature reached about 65 ℃, water (0.95kg) was added and the curd mixture, now molten, was treated for a further 1 minute at 150 rpm.

The melted curd was then packaged and stored under freezing conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 21.0% fat, 54.0% moisture, 1.39% salt, pH 5.52 and calcium level 91mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 13

Approximately 2250L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (125ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-45 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid (0.25M) was added to the cold rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is ground. Salt (0.18kg), emulsifying salt (trisodium citrate 0.035kg), water (2.4kg), high ester cream (4.15kg) and lactic acid (16% solution 0.272kg) were added to the ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 65 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 21.0% fat, 54.5% moisture, 1.24% salt, pH 5.84 and calcium level 91mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 14

Approximately 2250L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (125ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-45 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid (0.25M) was added to the cold rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is ground. Salt (0.22kg), rubber (1.4kg of 10% aqueous solution of carrageenan), water (1.3kg), high ester cream (4.0kg) and lactic acid (0.272 kg of 16% solution) were added to the ground 7kg of latex.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 65 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 21.5% fat, 53.3% moisture, 1.61% salt, pH 5.78 and calcium level 98mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 15

Approximately 2250L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (125ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-45 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid (0.25M) was added to the cold rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.35. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is ground. Salt (0.21kg), whey protein concentrate (from cheese whey containing 80% protein) from cheese whey (0.385 kg of 20% aqueous solution), water (2.15kg), high ester cream (4.15kg) and lactic acid (0.272 kg of 16% solution) were added to the ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 65 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 20.0% fat, 55.1% moisture, 1.40% salt, pH 5.82 and calcium level 92mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 16

About 1800L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (100ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-44 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid is added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.3. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is frozen for later use. After thawing, the coagulated curd is ground. Water (1.8kg), salt (0.2kg), high ester cream (4kg) and lactic acid 0.272kg (16% solution) were added to the ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 68 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 22.0% fat, 54.0% moisture, 1.41% salt, pH 5.38 and calcium level 73mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 17

About 1800L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (100ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-44 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid is added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.3. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is cut into pieces and frozen for later use. After thawing, the cut curd is ground. Water (1.45kg), salt (0.2kg), high ester cream (3.5kg) and lactic acid 0.272kg (16% solution) were added to the ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 68 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 21.0% fat, 53.6% moisture, 1.49% salt, pH 5.31 and calcium level 63mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 18

About 1800L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (100ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-44 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid is added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.3. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is cut into pieces and frozen for later use. After thawing, the cut curd is ground. Water (1.1kg), salt (0.2kg), high ester cream (3.0kg) and lactic acid 0.272kg (16% solution) were added to the ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 68 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 19.5% fat, 53.3% moisture, 1.61% salt, pH 5.33 and calcium level 61mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 19

About 1800L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (100ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 42-44 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid is added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to reduce the pH to pH 5.3. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dewatering, the curd is cut into pieces and frozen for later use. After thawing, the cut curd is ground. Water (0.75kg), salt (0.165kg), high ester cream (2.5kg) and lactic acid 0.272kg (16% solution) were added to the ground 7kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker, heated to about 68 ℃ and packaged and stored under refrigerated conditions according to the procedure described in example 3.

The final cheese composition was: 17.0% fat, 53.5% moisture, 1.42% salt, pH 5.33 and calcium level 68mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese produced by the method is mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-like cheese. Cheese function was evaluated within 10 days after pizza manufacture. The cheese made by this process has similar functional properties in terms of bubble size, coverage and color, body color, melt appearance, oil removal, tensile properties and mouth feel as mozzarella cheese made by conventional processes.

Example 20

Approximately 2200L of skim milk was pasteurized before adding rennet (120ml) and then cooled to 8-10 ℃. The rennet fermented milk is left overnight at 8-10 ℃ for about 16 hours. Before cooking at 44 ℃, dilute sulfuric acid was added to the chilled rennet fermented milk to lower the pH to pH 5.3. Cooking and washing were carried out as described in example 3.

After dehydration, the curd was cut into pieces and refrigerated for 5 days before use. The cut cheese is ground when needed. Water (3.1kg), salt (0.69kg), high ester cream (7.0kg) and trisodium citrate (0.035kg) were added to the ground 12kg of curd.

The curd and additional ingredients were mixed in a twin screw mixer/cooker and heated to about 68 ℃ as described in example 3.

Thereafter, the homogenized curd mass at 68 ℃ was placed in a cooker/stretcher (internal design) of a dry twin screw mozzarella test plant and sucked through a jacketed 10-tube (16mm x 200mm) cheese extrusion head (60-65 ℃). A mozzarella digester/stretcher was used as a pump to push the melted curd through the extrusion head.

The cheese strips are cut to a length of about 300-400 mm and cooled in cold water for about 10-15 minutes. Once removed from the cold water tank, the cheese bars were cut to 200mm in length, placed in trays and frozen by air flow (-32 ℃) for at least 1 hour.

The final cheese bar consisted of: 20.5% fat, 54.1% moisture, 2.28% salt, pH 6.03 and calcium level 87mmol/kg cheese.

The cheese bars produced using this process have similar fiber texture and flavor characteristics to commercial cheese bars made from mozzarella curd.

Industrial applicability

The process of the invention and the cheese made using the process have commercial applicability in the cheese industry. In particular, mozzarella cheese made by this method has application in the pizza making industry where mozzarella and mozzarella-like (pizza) cheeses are utilized in large quantities.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and that various modifications may be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (33)

1. A method of making cheese, the method comprising the steps of:

a. adding a coagulant to the raw milk under conditions of temperature, time, and coagulant concentration that inhibit the formation of coagulum;

b. passing the milk of step a) through a flow channel and adjusting the pH to 4.0-6.0 by adding an acidifying agent, if necessary;

c. cooking the milk of step b) at a temperature capable of forming coagulated curd particles in the flow channel;

d. separating the coagulated curd particles from the whey;

e. heating the curd particles at a temperature of 50-90 ℃ and mechanically processing into cheese blocks; and

f. the cheese is shaped and cooled down in a cooling process,

wherein steps a to f are performed in the order recited.

2. A method of making cheese, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a raw milk component having a fat content of at least 0.05%;

b. optionally pasteurizing the milk component of step a;

c. adding a coagulant to said raw milk component and reacting under conditions of time, temperature and coagulant concentration to inhibit coagulum formation;

d. adding an acidulant to the milk component to reduce the pH to 4.0-6.0;

e. cooking the milk component under conditions to form coagulated curd particles;

f. separating the curd particles from the whey;

g. optionally adjusting the mineral content of the curd particles;

h. optionally freezing and/or drying the curd particles;

i. heating the freshly prepared curd particles of step (f) or step (g), or the thawed and/or reconstituted curd particles of step (h), at a curd temperature of from 50 ℃ to 90 ℃ and mechanically processing into a cheese mass; and

j. the cheese is shaped and cooled down in a cooling process,

wherein steps a to j are performed in the order described.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the cheese comprises soft, semi-soft, hard or extra hard cheese.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cheese comprises cheddar, cheddar-like, guda-like, mozzarella or mozzarella-like cheese.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the raw milk is selected from one or more of the following: whole milk, whole milk retentate/concentrate, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk retentate/concentrate, butter milk retentate/concentrate, whey protein retentate/concentrate, milk powder and any suitable dairy product selected.

6. A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the milk powder is selected from the group consisting of whole milk powder, skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate powder, whey protein concentrate powder, pure whey protein powder, butter milk powder or other milk powder and is used singly or in admixture in reconstituted or dried form as the starting milk or added to the starting milk as claimed in claim 7.

7. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the raw milk is derived from any milk producing animal.

8. A process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the raw milk is further subjected to a standardisation step to modify the fat and protein content before adding a coagulant or after separating the curd particles and before the heating and mechanical processing steps.

9. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the coagulating agent is a coagulating enzyme selected from rennet/rennet or any other suitable enzyme capable of converting kappa-casein to para-kappa-casein linkages.

10. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the conditions which inhibit coagulum formation include a coagulant concentration which coagulates in the cooking step at a temperature of less than 22 ℃ for 3 to 20 hours.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the conditions which inhibit coagulum formation include a coagulant concentration which coagulates during said cooking step at a temperature of 8 to 10 ℃ for 16 hours.

12. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein acidification is carried out by the direct addition of an acidifying agent in order to reduce the pH of the reacted milk to pH 4.0-6.0.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the acidulant is a food grade inorganic or organic acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, citric acid, or mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the acidifying agent comprises a medium that has been incubated with a starter culture and reacted to form a starter.

15. A process according to claim 14, wherein the starter culture added to the culture medium is mesophilic or thermophilic or a mixture thereof and is added in an amount of 0.0005 to 5% by volume of the milk.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said starter culture is selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, lactococcus lactis subsp.

17. The method of any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the fermentation is prepared by: heating a culture medium selected from skim milk, skim milk retentate, reconstituted skim milk or any other commercially available starter culture medium to a temperature optimum for growth of the culture, adding the culture, and performing a fermentation treatment until the pH of the culture medium reaches a target pH of 4.0-6.0.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the target pH is 4.5 to 6.0.

19. A process as claimed in claim 17 wherein once the fermentate has reached its target pH it is added directly to the reacted milk in order and subjected to the further steps of mixing and standing.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the pH of the reacted milk is lowered to 5.2-6.0.

21. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more GRAS ingredients are added in any one or more steps of the process.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein one or more GRAS ingredients are added during said heating and machining step.

23. The process of claim 21, wherein one or more GRAS ingredients are added during said shaping and cooling steps.

24. A process according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising the step of washing the curd particles after separation from whey.

25. The process of claim 24, wherein the washing step is carried out using a calcium depleting agent to produce curd particles having a reduced calcium content.

26. A process according to claim 2, wherein step g comprises a washing step comprising washing the curd particles with a calcium depleting agent to produce curd particles having a reduced calcium content.

27. Curd prepared by the process of claim 25 or 26.

28. A whey liquid, which is prepared by the steps of,

a. adding a coagulant to the raw milk under conditions of temperature, time, and coagulant concentration that inhibit the formation of coagulum;

b. passing the milk of step a) through a flow channel and adjusting the pH to 4.0-6.0 by adding an acidifying agent, if necessary;

c. cooking the milk of step b) at a temperature capable of forming coagulated curd particles in the flow channel; and

d. separating the coagulated curd particles from the whey.

29. A whey liquid, which is prepared by the steps of,

a. providing a raw milk component having a fat content of at least 0.05%;

b. optionally pasteurizing the milk component of step a;

c. adding a coagulant to said raw milk component and reacting under conditions of time, temperature and coagulant concentration to inhibit coagulum formation;

d. adding an acidulant to the milk component to reduce the pH to 4.0-6.0;

e. cooking the milk component under conditions to form coagulated curd particles; and

f. separating the curd particles from the whey.

30. A cheese made by the method of claim 1.

31. A cheese made with curd as claimed in claim 27.

32. A cheese as claimed in claim 30 or 31, comprising Cheddar, Cheddar-like, Guda-like, Moraxel or Moraxel-like cheese.

33. A food product comprising the cheese of claim 30 or 31.