Method of producing a cheese product in snack-sized form

• US 4,299,855 A
• Filed: 02/29/1980
• Issued: 11/10/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snow Brand Milk Products Co. Ltd. (Megmilk Snow Brand Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Snow Brand Milk Products Co. Ltd. (Megmilk Snow Brand Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sato, Shigekatsu, Wada, Takanori, Sano, Hitoshi, Hirata, Masanori, Shimizu, Keisuke, Ishii, Toshiaki, Naka, Junichi, Takahashi, Takayoshi, Saiki, Yukihiro, Kamiki, Toshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Golian, Joseph M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEUNG, GEORGE CHAN PUI
• Application Number:
  US06/125,836
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 426/512, 426/516, 426/518, 426/582, 426/36
• US Class Current: 426/512
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 19/06 Treating cheese curd after whey separation; Products obtained thereby A23C19/097 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 19/084 Treating the curd, or adding substances thereto, after melting adding non-milk components A23C19/093

Abstract

A method of producing a cheese product in snack-sized form comprising the steps of cooling a molten cheese to a temperature of about 45° C. to 35° C., heating a surface area extending in the radial direction from the surface of the cheese to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/6 of the cheese diameter of the cooled cheese to a temperature of about 52° C. to 39° C., cutting the heated cheese into snack sized pieces by rolling within a mold die for rounding the pieces of cheese, and forming each of the snack sized pieces into a rounded shape without corners, thereby providing a snack sized cheese product formed into a desirable rounded shape such as spherical, ellipsoidal, and barrel shape and having good appearance without creases and cracks on the surface thereof as well as a homogeneous texture.

Claims

1. A method of producing a cheese product in snack-sized form from molten cheese, said method comprising the steps of:

cooling the molten cheese to a temperature of about 45°

C. to 35°

C. in accordance with a moisture content of the molten cheese ranging from about 40% to 50%;

heating the surface area of the cooled cheese to a temperature of about 52°

C. to 39°

C. while maintaining the central portion of the cooled cheese at a temperature of about 45°

C. to 35°

C.;

cutting the heated cheese into snack-sized pieces;

and forming each of the snack-sized pieces of continuously rolling them within a mold die for forming them into a rounded shape without corners,

said method being characterized in that the surface area extending in the radial direction from the surface of the cheese to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/6 of the cheese diameter is heated to a temperature of about 52°

C. to 39°

C. wherein the snack-sized pieces are formed by the continuous rolling within a mold die and provides a uniformed texture and/or a smooth surface and a desirable, rounded shape that is in accordance with a shape of the cross section of the mold, said snack-sized pieces being formed without creases, cracks and/or voids on the surface thereof.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

rolling the cheese formed into snack-sized rounded pieces along an inclined groove that is provided in a transporting chute, the cross-sectional shape of the groove being adapted to shape the snack-sized pieces of cheese whereby cheese is cooled without causing deformation thereof.