Preparation of simulated cheese

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR MAKING A FOOD HAVING A FINAL MOISTURE CONTENT BETWEEN ABOUT 45 AND 49%, A PH OF ABOUT 4.8 TO 5.7 AND RESEMBLING CHEESE SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF PASTA FILATA, CHEDDAR AND PASTEURIZED PROCESS AMERICAN TYPE, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING, A. FORMING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ACID SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ADIPIC, LACTIC, CITRIC, MALIC AND COMBINATIONS THEREOF, THE SOLUTION HAVING A PH BETWEEN ABOUT 2.5 AND 3.5, THE AMOUNT OF ACID BEING BETWEEN ABOUT 0.5 AND 1.8% OF THE FOOD, THE WATER IN THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION AND IN OTHER INGREDIENTS PRESENT IN THE FOOD BEING SUFFICIENT TO GIVE THE FOOD SAID FINAL MOISTURE CONTENT, B. MIXING THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF ACID WITH POWDERED CASEIN NO LARGER THAN ABOUT 80/90 MESH, THE AMOUNT OF CASEIN BEING SUCH THAT THE CASEINATE FORMED IN STEP (C) IS BETWEEN ABOUT 15 AND 33% OF THE FOOD, C. MIXING AND REACTING CALCIUM HYDROXIDE WITH THE PRODUCT OF STEP (B) UNDER HIGH SHEAR MIXING AND SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE THEREBY FORMING CALCIUM CASEINATE, THE CALCIUM HYDROXIDE BEING APPROXIMATELY THE STOICHIOMETRIC AMOUNT TO REACT WITH THE CASEIN, AND THEREAFTER D. MIXING BETWEEN ABOUT 12 AND 35% FAT ABOVE ITS MELTING POINT WITH THE PRODUCT OF STEP (C) UNDER HHIGH SHEAR MIXING AND SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, THE FAT HAVING A WILEY MELTING POINT BETWEEN ABOUT 90* AND 110*F., TO FORM SAID FOOD AS A SUBSTANTIALLY GAS-FREE HOMOGENOUS BLEND OF THE VARIOUS INGREDIENTS, STEPS (C) AND (D) BEING IN EITHER ORDER.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 in whiCh the solution in step (a) includes adipic acid.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 in which step (d) takes place in less than about 4 minutes.

Claim 5

A process for making a food having a final moisture content between about 45 and 49%, a ph of about 4.8 to 5.7 and resembling cheese selected from the class consisting of pasta filata, cheddar and pasteurized process American types, said process comprising, a. forming an aqueous solution of an acid selected from the class consisting of adipic, lactic, citric, malic and combinations thereof, the solution having a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5, the amount of acid being between about 0.5 and 1.8% of the food, the water in the aqueous solution and in other ingredients present in the food being sufficient to give the food said final moisture content, b. mixing the aqueous solution of acid with powdered casein, the amount of casein being such that the caseinate formed in step (c) is between about 15 and 33% of the food, c. mixing and reacting calcium chloride and calcium hydroxide with the product of step (b) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure thereby forming calcium caseinate, the amount of calcium chloride and calcium hydroxide being approximately sufficient to supply the stoichiometric amount of calcium ions to react with the casein, and thereafter d. mixing between about 12 and 35% fat above itse melting point with the product of step (c) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure, said fat having a Wiley melting point between about 90* and 110* F. to form said food as a substantially gas-free homogeneous blend of the various ingredients.

Claim 6

A process for making a food having a final moisture content between about 45 and 49%, a ph of about 4.8 to 5.7 and resembling cheese selected from the class consisting of pasta filata, cheddar and pasteurized process American types, said process comprising, a. forming an aqueous solution of an acid selected from the class consisting of adipic, lactic, citric, malic and combinations thereof, the solution having a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5, the amount of acid being between about 0.5 and 1.8% of the food, the water in the aqueous solution and in other ingredients present in the food being sufficient to give the food said final moisture content, b. mixing the aqueous solution of acid with powdered casein, the amount of casein being such that the caseinate formed in step (c) is between about 15 and 33% of the food, c. mixing and reacting calcium chloride and calcium hydroxide with the product of step (b) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure thereby forming calcium caseinate, the amount of calcium chloride and calcium hydroxide being approximately sufficient to supply the stoichiometric amount of calcium ions to react with the casein, and thereafter d. mixing between about 12 and 35% fat above itse melting point with the product of step (c) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure, said fat having a Wiley melting point between about 90* and 110* F. to form said food as a substantially gas-free homogeneous blend of the various ingredients.

Claim 7

The process of claim 4 in which the solution in step (a) includes adipic acid.

Claim 8

A process for making a food having a final moisture content between about 45 and 49%, a pH of about 4.8 to 5.7 and resembling cheese selected from the class consisting of pasta filata, cheddar and pasteurized process American types, said process comprising, a. forming an aqueous solution of an acid selected from the class consisting of adipic, lactic, citric, malic and combinations thereof, the solution having a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5, the amount of acid being between about 0.5 and 1.8%, the water in the aqueous solution and in other ingredients present in the food being sufficient to give the food said final moisture content, b. mixing the aqueous solution of acid with powdered casein no larger than about 30/40 mesh, the amount of casein being such that the caseinates formed in step (c) are between about 15 and 33% of the food, c. mixing and reacting calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide with the product of step (b) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure thereby forming calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate, the amount of calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide being sufficient to supply approximately the stoichiometric amount of calcium and sodium ions to react with the casein, and thereafter d. mixing between about 12 and 35% fat above its melting point with the product of step (c) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure, said fat having a Wiley melting point between about 90* and 110* F. to form said food as a substantially gas-free homogeneous blend of the various ingredients.

Claim 9

A process for making a food having a final moisture content between about 45 and 49%, a pH of about 4.8 to 5.7 and resembling cheese selected from the class consisting of pasta filata, cheddar and pasteurized process American types, said process comprising, a. forming an aqueous solution of an acid selected from the class consisting of adipic, lactic, citric, malic and combinations thereof, the solution having a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5, the amount of acid being between about 0.5 and 1.8%, the water in the aqueous solution and in other ingredients present in the food being sufficient to give the food said final moisture content, b. mixing the aqueous solution of acid with powdered casein no larger than about 30/40 mesh, the amount of casein being such that the caseinates formed in step (c) are between about 15 and 33% of the food, c. mixing and reacting calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide with the product of step (b) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure thereby forming calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate, the amount of calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide being sufficient to supply approximately the stoichiometric amount of calcium and sodium ions to react with the casein, and thereafter d. mixing between about 12 and 35% fat above its melting point with the product of step (c) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure, said fat having a Wiley melting point between about 90* and 110* F. to form said food as a substantially gas-free homogeneous blend of the various ingredients.

Claim 10

The process of claim 6 in which the solution in step (a) includes adipic acid.

Claim 11

The process of claim 6 in which step (d) takes place in less than about 4 minutes.

Claim 12

A process for making a food having a final moisture content between about 45 and 49%, a pH of about 4.8 to 5.7 and resembling cheese selected from the class consisting of pasta filata, cheddar and pasteurized process American types, said process comprising, a. reacting an aqueous solution of sodium hydrOxide and casein under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure to form sodium caseinate, the water in the aqueous solution and in other ingredients present in the food being sufficient to give the food said final moisture content, the amount of casein being such that, when converted to sodium caseinate, the sodium caseinate is between about 15 and 33% of the food, and the sodium hydroxide being approximately sufficient to supply the stoichiometric amount of sodium ions to react with the casein and thereafter b. mixing a fat above its melting point and an acid selected from the class consisting of adipic, lactic, citric, malic and combinations thereof with the product of step (a) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure to form said food as a substantially gas-free homogeneous blend of the various ingredients, said fat having a Wiley melting point between about 90* and 110* F. and being between about 17 and 28% of the food, the acid being between about 0.5 and 1.8% of the food, and the mixing of the ingredients in steps (a) and (b) taking place in any order.

Claim 13

A process for making a food having a final moisture content between about 45 and 49%, a pH of about 4.8 to 5.7 and resembling cheese selected from the class consisting of pasta filata, cheddar and pasteurized process American types, said process comprising, a. reacting an aqueous solution of sodium hydrOxide and casein under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure to form sodium caseinate, the water in the aqueous solution and in other ingredients present in the food being sufficient to give the food said final moisture content, the amount of casein being such that, when converted to sodium caseinate, the sodium caseinate is between about 15 and 33% of the food, and the sodium hydroxide being approximately sufficient to supply the stoichiometric amount of sodium ions to react with the casein and thereafter b. mixing a fat above its melting point and an acid selected from the class consisting of adipic, lactic, citric, malic and combinations thereof with the product of step (a) under high shear mixing and subatmospheric pressure to form said food as a substantially gas-free homogeneous blend of the various ingredients, said fat having a Wiley melting point between about 90* and 110* F. and being between about 17 and 28% of the food, the acid being between about 0.5 and 1.8% of the food, and the mixing of the ingredients in steps (a) and (b) taking place in any order.