The invention relates to a method for preparing a heat treated and tempered cheese wrap, as well as the cheese wrap itself. The method includes melting previously refrigerated cheese into a disc shape, and subjecting the cheese disc to alternating heating and cooling steps to produce a pliable, low to no carbohydrate, and gluten free cheese wrap. The product can be used, for example, as a snack or as a bread substitute in sandwich wraps and roll ups.

The invention is directed to synthetic food casings made from specific polyvinyl alcohol grades containing carbonyl groups, preferably in admixture with other polymers, as well as processes for using such synthetic food casings.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a heat treated and tempered cheese wrap, as well as the cheese wrap itself. The method includes melting previously refrigerated cheese into a disc shape, and subjecting the cheese disc to alternating heating and cooling steps to produce a pliable, low to no carbohydrate, and gluten free cheese wrap. The product can be used, for example, as a snack or as a bread substitute in sandwich wraps and roll ups.

A method for providing a naturally ripened, cylindrically shaped cheese of the hard or semi-hard type is provided. The method comprises: (i) forming a cylindrically shaped cheese from a curd by conventional means; (ii) applying a protective water-permeable coating layer onto the entire surface of the cheese, thereby obtaining a coated cheese; (iii) partially enclosing the coated cheese with a further coating of a water-impermeable material such that the convex, circumferential sides and the curved area are covered while leaving the flat bottom and top surfaces uncovered, thereby obtaining a partially enclosed coated cheese; and (iv) allowing the partially enclosed coated cheese to ripen. A naturally ripened, cylindrically shaped, coated cheese of the hard or semi-hard type obtainable by the method is also provided.

A method for smear-ripening a cheese is disclosed. The method includes a step of applying an envelope on a freshly brined cheese which is in direct physical contact with the surface of the cheese and which is permeable for metabolites produced by microorganisms and for microorganisms themselves and for components of the cheese and for gaseous elements, in particular surrounding air, followed by ripening the cheese within the envelope. A cheese obtained by the method is less susceptible to develop an off-odour after storage in a packaging material, in particular an air-tight packaging material, than a comparable cheese that was not produced according to the above method. Furthermore, such cheese typically contains a residual smear layer of not more than 10% of a comparable cheese.

A method is for manufacturing brine-salted cheese with a homogeneous salt distribution and/or organic acid distribution and/or eyes distribution and/or texture on one axis of the cheese. The method includes, before a brining, applying a hydrophobic barrier on the entire outer parts of the cheese, which are located at the ends of the cheese axis. The hydrophobic barrier is kept on the cheese outer parts at least during part of the brining.

The present invention relates to a method, to a biodegradable film and to a package for cheese ripening or preservation, in particular for ripening hard or semi-hard cheese, preferably rind cheese. This method, thanks to the peculiar transmission properties of the film, provides cheese more similar to naturally ripened cheese, with a minor loss of water, due to evaporation, with reduced mold and yeast growth, and without significant flavor, consistency and color deviations.

A method for providing a naturally ripened, cylindrically shaped cheese of the hard or semi-hard type is provided. The method comprises: (i) forming a cylindrically shaped cheese from a curd by conventional means; (ii) applying a protective water-permeable coating layer onto the entire surface of the cheese, thereby obtaining a coated cheese; (iii) partially enclosing the coated cheese with a further coating of a water-impermeable material such that the convex, circumferential sides and the curved area are covered while leaving the flat bottom and top surfaces uncovered, thereby obtaining a partially enclosed coated cheese; and (iv) allowing the partially enclosed coated cheese to ripen. A naturally ripened, cylindrically shaped, coated cheese of the hard or semi-hard type obtainable by the method is also provided.

A method for preparing a coated cheese product, includes: a) injecting a cheese material in the viscous state between two coating films, the films being malleable at the storage temperature of the coated cheese product, and each including, on the outer face, at least one external layer of a coating composition C1 in the gelled state, the coating composition including at least one hydrophobic polymer, and b) shaping at least a coated cheese product by pressure on the outer face of each coating film to obtain a coated cheese product including a cheese core including the material and a coating that is malleable at the storage temperature of the coated cheese product and sealed against moisture and microorganisms, and completely surrounds the core at its periphery, the coating being formed by assembly by pressure of the two coating films including at least an outer layer of the coating composition C1.

The present invention relates to a polymer blend and to multilayer heat shrinkable films containing at least a layer made of said polymer blend, to flexible containers made of said film, such as bags, pouches and the like, useful for packaging articles, in particular food items. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacturing of such multilayer heat shrinkable films.