Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC

Carie Lynn Wolters

David W Mehnert

Gary Francis Smith

Divya Shree Reddy

Divva Shree Reddy

The present invention is directed to processes for making blocks of cheese having reduced moisture variability using controlled cooling of cheese curd to form the final cheese blocks.

Methods for the reduction of moisture variability in large cheese blocks

The present invention is directed to a process for making a block of cheese having reduced moisture variability. A bulk container having a bottom and sidewalls, and a tube having a fill end and an opposite discharge end, are provided. The discharge end of the tube is positioned at an approximately central axial location of the container. Cheese curd is introduced into the container, and the tube via its fill end. Then, a chilled brine is introduced into the tube via its fill end to mix with curd therein. Preferably, the chilled brine has a salt content which approximately matches the salt content of the moisture phase of the cheese curd. The tube is removed from the cheese curd in the container. The cheese curd is pressed into a curd mass, and then cooled, and thereafter cured, providing a cheese block having reduced moisture variability.

Growing community of inventors

Battle Creek, MI, United States of America

Carie Lynn Wolters