Preparing cheese curd

Claim 1

A continuous process for preparing cottage cheese curd which comprises: a. substantially completely deaerating a stream of milk containing from about 8 to about 40 percent nonfat milk solids; b. cooling said stream of milk to a temperature in the range from about 35*-50* F.; c. continuously adding to said stream of cooled milk and mixing intimately therewith, a water-soluble, food-processing grade acid in an amount sufficient to acidify the milk to an equilibrium pH in the range from about 4.5 to about 4.7 when at a temperature of about 70* F., under conditions which substantially avoid any local over-acidification and which provide substantially instantaneous acidification of the said milk stream; d. substantially immediately following said acidification, heating the said stream of acidified milk to a temperature in the range from about 90* to about 125* F. by passage of the said stream in nonturbulent flow and in the substantial absence of interparticle motion through heat exchange means whereby the acidified milk is coagulated and the resulting curd is set; e. periodically and momentarily reversing the flow of said coagulating and coagulated stream of acidified milk within said heat exchange means during said heating and curd formation, whereby a reverse shear action between the coagulum and the walls of the heat exchange means is created and sticking of the coagulum to the said walls is thereby prevented; f. cutting the set curd as it emerges from said heat exchange means; g. cooking the cut curd by passage of the said cut curd and whey through heat exchange means wherein the temperature of the curds and whey is raised to from about 170* to about 184* F.; i. draining the whey from the curd, and j. washing the curd.