A hopper is closed at its lower end by a scraper which is provided with two opposite edges that laterally delimit an elongated discharge opening, a motorized rotating shaft extends parallel to the elongated discharge opening in a scraping relationship with the opposite edges, and is provided with a plurality of blind receptacles that are adapted to receive doses of salt which is loaded into the hopper, and after passing the first edge in relation to the direction of rotation of the shaft, the salt is discharged by gravity.

An apparatus for fusing curd and a method for fusing curd. The curd is fused in the apparatus, which is configured to form a curd stack in a container that has a temperature comprised within a temperature range that favors acidification of the cheese curd in the curd stack. The formation of the curd stack compresses the cheese curd in the curd stack, which causes the curd stack to express whey as the acidification of the curd takes place and as the syneresis process takes place. The curd stack is subjected to a vacuum, which assists in the removal of air from the curd stack. The curd stack has a continuous casein matrix, which allows for a cheese block obtained from the curd stack to be milled into cheese curds, which have substantially similar dimensions and very few fines.

A hopper is closed at its lower end by a scraper which is provided with two opposite edges that laterally delimit an elongated discharge opening, a motorized rotating shaft extends parallel to the elongated discharge opening in a scraping relationship with the opposite edges, and is provided with a plurality of blind receptacles that are adapted to receive doses of salt which is loaded into the hopper, and after passing the first edge in relation to the direction of rotation of the shaft, the salt is discharged by gravity.

An apparatus a method for fusing curd. The curd is fused in the apparatus, which is configured to form a curd stack in a container that has a temperature comprised within a temperature range that favors acidification of the cheese curd in the curd stack. The formation of the curd stack compresses the cheese curd in the curd stack, which causes the curd stack to express whey as the acidification of the curd takes place and as the syneresis process takes place. The curd stack is subjected to a vacuum, which assists in the removal of air from the curd stack. The curd stack has a continuous casein matrix, which allows for a cheese block obtained from the curd stack to be milled into cheese curds, which have substantially similar dimensions and very few fines.