An apparatus and a method for adjusting the height of a nozzle on an extruder assembly using a height adjuster on the extruder assembly to raise and to lower the nozzle and adapted particularly to the production of products, such as string cheese sticks, having a weight within a target range.

A method for stabilizing cheese proteins includes preparing a cheese mass comprising cheese curds and whey; adding a stabilizing additive to the cheese mass; straining the cheese mass to separate a cheese curd and whey; and forming the cheese curd into a cheese comprising about 18 to about 35% protein. In some embodiments, the method is modified to allow for a gentler cheese manufacturing process. A cheese composition may include cheese; about 18 to about 35% protein comprising about 0.01 to about 25% of intact protein segments by weight of the protein; and about 0.001 to about 5% of a stabilizing additive.

A yeast-free dough contains at least 30% natural cheese. The natural cheese is mixed with wheat flour, pregelatinized starch, and water to make a non-laminated dough, which is then sheeted, cut and dehydrated. The finished product has a peak force hardness of between about 15,000 to about 30,000 grams and an expanded internal air cell structure throughout and a bulk density of from about 100 to about 400 g/L.

The present invention relates to a food product which food product is frozen and thawed before consumption as well as to methods for preparing such a food product. The invention further describes production of an ice structuring protein (ISP) in high amounts.

An invention directed to a process and device for electrically heating and preparing pasta filata type cheeses. The ohmic heating process of this invention is introduced after separation of initial curd from whey, as heated stretching is initiated to create nascent pasta filata cheese fibers. An apparatus is devised to receive the newly formed curd mass and to provide contact of the mass with an electric coupler that channels electric current through the conductive cheese mass as it is concurrently stretched. The features of this device include an electrically charged element, a grounding element and a texturizing tool.

Heating the natural cheese to cause at least one of modification of the structural chemistry of the proteins, completely or partially denaturing proteins, and inactivating proteolytic enzymes, lipolytic enzymes, and microbial organisms within the cheese allows for the cheese to be fried or grilled while maintaining its consistency and shape, baked as Juustoleipa; heated and mechanically processed as in cooking-stretching process used for mozzarella. The method produces cheese with various structural and melting properties using a single recipe and manufacturing facility.

A molding unit comprises a chamber supplied with pasta-filata and having outlets A mold has two rows of channels opening on a first surface of the mold facing downwards and arranged adjacent to the outlets. Driving elements drive the mold with reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position. A consolidation tub is arranged below the molding unit. A first chute and a second chute are arranged between the molding unit and the consolidation tub. Each chute has an inlet end substantially parallel to the plane defined by the axes of the channels, and an outlet end slanting with respect to the horizontal plane by a delivery angle in the range 0 to 45.

A variant polypeptide having chymosin activity, wherein the variant has an amino acid sequence which, when aligned with the chymosin comprising the sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2, comprises at least one substitution of an amino acid residue corresponding to any of amino acids 2, 22, 40, 48, 50, 51, 53, 61, 62, 76, 88, 98, 99, 109, 112, 117, 125, 126, 135, 144, 160, 161, 163, 187, 189, 194, 200, 201, 202, 203, 221, 223, 240, 242, 244, 254, 267, 271, 273, 278, 280, 284, 289, 292, 294 or 295 said positions being defined with reference to SEQ ID NO: 2 and wherein the variant has one or more altered properties as compared with a reference polypeptide having chymosin activity. Such a variant polypeptide may be used in the preparation of a cheese.

Embodiments may include a method of making a cheese shape. The method may include providing a cheese-shaping system. The cheese-shaping system may include at least a first chilled roller belt. The method may also include supplying a cheese mass in molten form to the first chilled roller belt. A cheese sheet may then be formed on the first chilled roller belt. The method may further include cooling the cheese sheet through contact with the first chilled roller belt. In addition, the method may include forming and removing the cheese shape from the cooled cheese sheet. Furthermore, the method may include applying a liquid application to the cheese shape.

The equipment (1) comprises: supporting means (3) adapted to support at least one cheese (C) of the fresh pasta filata type; gripping means (6) adapted to retain at least one portion (P) of the cheese (C); filling means (7) adapted to inject a filling into the cheese (C) through said portion (P) to obtain a stuffed cheese(S); at least one automated positioning system (19) adapted to pick up the cheese (C) from a supply station (E) and to transfer it onto the supporting means (3), wherein the automated positioning system (19) comprises: one retaining and holding assembly (28) for the cheese (C); one displacement unit (29) adapted to move the retaining and holding assembly (28) between the supply station (E) and the supporting means (3).