Kraft General Foods, Inc.

Alan C Hamann

Alice A Heth

Mark S Miller

Gary F Smith

Linda K Jackson

Gregory S Buliga

Phillip J Kerwin

David G Pechak

William H Schwimmer

Brian C Davison

Laura J Prostko

Gary L Kerrigan

Substantially fat-free cheese slice products and methods for manufacturing such products, comprising less than about 1.67 weight percent fat.

Low fat processed cheese product having fat-mimetic properties and

The present invention is directed to a non-fat natural cheese which is made from a first liquid non-fat milk solids substrate which is made into cheese by various known methods. In the method for making the substrate, a non-fat milk solids source, such as skim milk, is acidified to a pH below the isoelectric point. A blend of the acidified non-fat milk solids source and gum is then prepared. The blend is then subjected to high pressure homogenization to provide a dispersion of the gum in the casein of the non-fat milk solids source. Alternatively, the gum may be dispersed in water and be subjected to high pressure homogenization prior to blending the gum with the acidified skim milk. In this embodiment, only mild low shear mixing is required to provide a dispersion of the gum in the casein of the non-fat milk solids source. The casein/gum dispersion is then combined with a second non-fat milk solids source to provide a non-fat milk solids substrate. The substrate can then be used to prepare non-fat natural cheese by various known methods.

Process of making a non-fat natural cheese

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Northbrook, IL, United States of America

Alan C Hamann