Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Basic ingredient lacteal derived other than butter...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-30
2002-12-17
Wong, Leslie (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Basic ingredient lacteal derived other than butter...
C426S036000, C426S040000, C426S046000, C426S656000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06495187
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to fresh, unripened cheese analog and a method for making a fresh, unripened cheese analog by incorporating isolated soy protein. The invention also relates to hard, ripened cheeses or cheese analogs and methods for making hard, ripened cheeses or cheese analogs by incorporating isolated soy protein.
2. Background Information
While the art of cheesemaking has been practiced for centuries, the cheesemaker is always looking for ways to improve the finished cheese yield obtained from the starting quantity of milk. This becomes very important in areas of the world where the milk supply is limited. Attempts have been made over the years to incorporate soy protein as an economic replacement for milk proteins. Problems can be encountered due to differences between milk and soy proteins in molecular and functional properties which can affect the quality of the finished cheese.
Therefore, a method is provided which incorporates isolated soy protein into a coagulated milk matrix.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method for making a fresh, unripened cheese analog comprising, (a) mixing isolated soy protein and milk; (b) adding a coagulating agent, and/or bacterial cultures to said mixture from (a); (c) cutting the product resulting from (b); (d) agitating the product resulting from (c) for about 40 to about 60 minutes at a temperature selected from the range of about 30° C. to about 50° C.; (e) separating about 50 to about 80% of whey from product resulting from (d); and (f) placing product resulting from (d) in molds and placing molds at a temperature of at least about 28° C. for about 2 to about 8 hours.
The invention also relates to a method for making a hard, ripened cheese or cheese analog comprising (a) mixing isolated soy protein and milk; (b) adding a coagulating agent, and/or bacterial cultures to said mixture from (a); (c) cutting product resulting from (b); (d) agitating the product resulting from (c) for about 40 to about 60 minutes at a temperature of from about 30° C. to about 70° C.; (e) separating about 50 to about 80% of whey from product resulting from (d); (f) processing the product resulting from (e) to produce the desired type of cheese or cheese analog; and (g) placing product resulting from (f) in molds and placing the molds at a temperature appropriate for the desired type of cheese or cheese analog, for a length of time necessary to begin the ripening process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method for making a fresh, unripened cheese and cheese analog comprising, (a) mixing isolated soy protein and milk; (b) adding a coagulating agent, and/or bacterial cultures to said mixture from (a); (c) cutting the product resulting from (b); (d) agitating the product resulting from (c) for about 40 to about 60 minutes at a temperature selected from the range of about 30° C. to about 50° C.; (e) separating about 50 to about 80% of whey from product resulting from (d); and (f) placing product resulting from (d) in molds and placing molds at a temperature of at least about 28° C. for about 2 to about 8 hours.
The invention also relates to a method for making a hard, ripened cheese or cheese analog comprising (a) mixing isolated soy protein and milk; (b) adding a coagulating agent, and/or bacterial cultures to said mixture from (a); (c) cutting product resulting from (b); (d) agitating the product resulting from (c) for about 40 to about 60 minutes at a temperature of from about 30° C. to about 70° C.; (e) separating about 50 to about 80% of whey from product resulting from (d); (f) processing the product resulting from (e) to produce the desired type of cheese or cheese analog; and (g) placing product resulting from (f) in molds and placing the molds at a temperature appropriate for the desired type of cheese or cheese analog, for a length of time necessary to begin the ripening process.
The milk used in the present invention may be present in amounts of from about 95% to about 99.99%, and preferably from about 98% to about 99.99%. The milk may comprise of from about 0% to about 10% fat and preferably from about 0.5% to about 5% fat. It may be desirable to use milk with a low fat content and optionally add fat from other sources. As such, the fat contained in the milk may originate from at least one of the compounds of the group comprising milkfat or vegetable oil.
The invention provides the above and below described methods wherein said soy protein is present in amounts of from about 10% to 100% by weight, and preferably from about 15% to about 50%. By “percent” it is meant weight percent based on the calculated amount of casein solids in the milk. The isolated soy protein used in the present invention may be prepared by pH adjusting soy curd prior to spray drying or by blending different isolated soy proteins to obtain the desired pH. The pH of the isolated soy protein(s) may be of from about 3 to about 7, and preferably of from about 4.5 to about 6.0.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of making a fresh, unripened cheese analog by adding at least one compound to a mixture of isolated soy protein and milk, wherein said compound is selected from the group comprising transglutaminase, starch, a whitening agent, hydrocolloid gum, calcium chloride, and a coagulating enzyme.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of making a hard, ripened cheese or cheese analog by adding at least one compound to a mixture of isolated soy protein and milk, wherein said compound is selected from the group comprising transglutaminase, starch, a whitening agent, hydrocolloid gum, calcium chloride, and a coagulating enzyme.
Transglutaminase is an enzyme which crosslinks proteins and which aids in crosslinking the isolated soy protein and milk proteins. The transglutaminase catalyzed crosslinks serve to compatibilize the soy and milk proteins. These crosslinks help in improving the functionality of the different proteins and therefore improving the texture of the finished product. Transglutaminase is preferably present in amounts from about 0% to about 1.0%, and preferably from about 0% to about 0.2%.
As a binder or filler in the cheese, generally any starch which is at least partially soluble in water at the described temperatures can be employed in the cheese or cheese analog making method of the present invention. Corn and potato starches are types of binder that may be used. The preferred starch should be pregelatinized by mixing with water and heating to its gelatinization temperature prior to addition to the milk. The gelatinized starch may optionally be added in amounts of from about 0% to about 20%, and preferably from about 0% to about 10%.
Often it is desirable to produce a cheese analog with a white appearance. As such, the present invention provides for the optional addition of a whitening agent in amounts of from about 0% to about 0.5%, preferably from about 0% to about 0.1%. The whitening agent must be chemically inert and harmless to the animal or human who ingests the agent, but, of course also must make the appearance of the cheese white. The invention provides the herein described methods wherein said whitening agent may be selected from the group comprising titanium dioxide, benzoyl peroxide, or green and blue food colorings.
A hydrocolloid gum may be optionally added as a stabilizer to improve the yield of the cheese, and may be added in amounts of from about 0% to about 2%, and preferably from about 0% to about 0.8%. The hydrocolloid gum can be selected from the group comprising carrageenan, carob bean, guar and xanthan.
The invention provides a method for producing a soft, sliceable, unripened cheese-like product. Firming agents may optionally be added to firm the curd. Preferably, calcium chloride is added to produce a firm cheese curd and can be added in amounts of from about 0% to about 0.5%, preferably from about 0% to about 0.2%.
The invention also provides a method for producing a ha
Borders Cheryl
Egbert W. Russell
Gottemoller Thomas
Lobo Victor
True Lewis
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox PLLC
Wong Leslie
LandOfFree
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