A milking system includes a milking device for milking a milking from a dairy animal. The system is provided with a control unit for the milking system, milking cups, a first milk jar for receiving the milking, a first pumping device for pumping the milking from the first milk jar to a first milk pipe, a second milk jar in flow communication with the first milk pipe for receiving the milking from the first milk jar, and a second pumping device for pumping the milking from the second milk jar into a second milk pipe. The first pumping device is configured to pump the milking at a first flow rate and the second pumping device is configured to pump the milking at a second flow rate, which is lower than the first flow rate. The milking system also includes a heat-exchanging system in flow communication with the second milk pipe.

The invention herein pertains to a device and system for controlled mixing of textured material along a linear path by means variable ohmic controls. The device comprising the following components: a dual auger unit wherein two linear augers are held within a single linear casing, each said linear augers having an increased diameter pitch along its length, perforations along the length of said single linear casing, electro-conductive plates attachable to each said perforation. The preferred embodiment of this invention is intended to be used for mixing pasta filata cheese curds to form a singular cheese mass with consistent texture. The device may also be used to mix other types of fluid textured material including food and non-food substances.

A device (1) for continuously conveying and plasticising cheese curd includes a housing (2) having an elongate chamber (3) with inlet and openings (5, 6). At least one pair of oppositely-driven conveying shafts (4.1, 4.2) is arranged in the elongate chamber such the axes of rotation (18.1, 18.2) of the shafts extend in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the chamber. The conveying shafts have interleaved helical structures (19.1, 19.2) for axially conveying the cheese curd from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. A heating device (9.1, 17) heats at least part of the shaft(s) and at least part of an inner surface of the chamber. At least one entraining device is designed such that at least part of the cheese curd to be conveyed and plasticised is also transported around the two conveying shafts.

The invention relates to an apparatus for filling moulds with curd or a mixture of curd and milk of at least one production line having at least one trough (8) in which at least one mould (12) can be accommodated. The production line comprises: a) a loading station (3), which has a first means in order to insert the at least one mould into the at least one trough; b) a filling station (4) which has at least one feed line, by means of which curd or a mixture of curd and milk can be put into the at least one mould; c) a covering station (5), which has second means in order to lay a cover (19) onto the curd or the mixture of curd and milk put into the at least one mould; d) a pressing station (6), which has pressure application means by means of which the cover can be pressed onto the curd or the mixture of curd and milk put into the at least one mould with a predetermined pressure; e) a removal station (7), which has a third means in order to remove the at least one mould from the trough. The apparatus also has movement means, by means of which the at least one trough can be moved sequentially between the loading station, the filling station, the covering station, the pressing station, the removal station and back to the loading station of the at least one production line.

A kneading channel is provided with an inlet end which is open to receive curd to be kneaded and an outlet end which is open to dispense the curd; a pair of counter-rotating mutually opposite motorized augers, arranged side by side in the kneading channel, move the curd toward outlet end; steam injector elements are opened in the kneading channel; a kneading chamber, which receives the curd from the outlet of the kneading channel, accommodates a motorized spindle with a vertical axis which has rotating arms that cooperate with the fixed arms.

An auger assembly (1) for receiving and conveying cheese curd downstream along a cheese processing line (32) includes an auger housing (2), a first auger (3) having a first shaft (5) extending through the auger housing (2), a second auger (4) having a second shaft (6) extending through the auger housing (2) and arranged Dcolinearly with the first shaft (5), a first bearing (9) mounted to the auger housing (2) and arranged at the end (7) of the first shaft (5), and a second bearing (10) mounted to the auger housing (2) and arranged at the end (8) of the second shaft (6). The first bearing (9) and second bearing (10) are colinear and facing each other. At least one slotted groove (11, 12) is formed the bearings (9, 10) to enable a cleaning fluid to contact a surface (13, 14) of the respective bearing (9, 10).

A method for producing a dairy-based product in pieces, said product being mozzarella cheese or a preparation based on dairy products. The method comprises the steps of: realising a first portion of a sheet (10) of said product; cooling said first portion of the sheet (10); obtaining pieces of said product from said first portion of the sheet (10).

Method and system for determining a specific mass flow rate of a highly viscous food product (1) having a viscosity of greater than 100 cP, which during processing in a continuous delivery flow is supplied to or removed from a buffer container (2) by means of a delivery pump (4), wherein a weighing device (7) is used to determine the change in the mass of the food product (1) in the buffer container (2) over a defined time period, which is in particular in the range of one or several minutes (m/t), wherein, in the same time period a pump parameter of the delivery pump (4) that is proportional to the expected delivery rate is registered, changes in the pump parameter over the time period are averaged to form an average pump parameter, wherein the current specific mass flow rate is calculated as a quotient from the change over time of the mass m/t and the averaged pump parameter and is output.

Method and system for determining a specific mass flow rate of a highly viscous food product (1) having a viscosity of greater than 100 cP, which during processing in a continuous delivery flow is supplied to or removed from a buffer container (2) by means of a delivery pump (4), wherein a weighing device (7) is used to determine the change in the mass of the food product (1) in the buffer container (2) over a defined time period, which is in particular in the range of one or several minutes (m/t), wherein, in the same time period a pump parameter of the delivery pump (4) that is proportional to the expected delivery rate is registered, changes in the pump parameter over the time period are averaged to form an average pump parameter, wherein the current specific mass flow rate is calculated as a quotient from the change over time of the mass m/t and the averaged pump parameter and is output.

An inventive solution directed to the production of pasta filata type cheese, such as mozzarella, provolone and blends thereof by concurrently and continuously pulling, stretching, cooling and molding cheese through a series of channels, preferably elongated in nature, having enclosed cavities of particular negative dimension for molding purposes. The cheese is cooled by indirect heat transfer through thermal conductive walls of the elongated channels. The cheese is allowed to set as it is formed within the cooling and molding channels. As the cheese is pulled through and out of the distal end of the elongated channels, the series of released cheese ribbons are combined and pulled through a second series of compression channels by which multiple ribbons are compressed together to form larger laminated strips ready for immediate packaging, storage or further processing.