Process and apparatus for the manufacture of white cheese or yoghurt

Claim 1

A container for use in the manufacture of white cheese or yoghurt, which comprises a container having a side wall defining a sealable filling opening through which a coagulatable milk composition may be introduced into the container, a sealable removal opening, and first and second communicating chambers in the container respectively located adjacent said filling and sealing openings, and a divider having an edge at least partly engaging the side wall of the container and dividing the container into the two chambers, the edge of the divider having a predetermined configuration selected to cooperate with the side wall of the container to define passages therebetween providing communication between said chambers, of a predetermined size to prevent coagulated milk composition from passing therethrough; seal means for sealing the filling opening of the container after a milk composition has been introduced into the container in an amount at most equal to the volume of the first chamber, whereby said container may be placed in an orientation such that all the milk composition therein accumulates and remains in the first chamber until the milk composition has coagulated, and the volumes of said first and second chambers being respectively selected such that said second chamber is above to contain at least a greater part of the liquid or serum in the coagulated milk composition formed in the first chamber when the orientation of the container is changed, after coagulation of the milk composition in the first chamber, to permit said serum to drain from the caogulated milk composition and flow through said passages into said second chamber.