DRY BLEND FOR MAKING ANALOGUE CHEESE

Abstract

Disclosed herein are cheese analogue compositions and the manufacturing processes in making the same with characteristics similar to that of natural cheeses. These products have properties such as melt, stretch, firmness, body and shredability similar to natural cheese products.

Claims

1. A pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend comprising: a. 40%-95% starch; b. 0%-10% emulsifying salts; and c. 0%-20% stabilizers, wherein said dry blend is homogenously blended and filled into said pre-filled cheese analogue package.

2. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 1, comprising: a. 55%-95% starch; b. 0%-10% emulsifying salts; and c. 0%-10% stabilizers, wherein said dry blend is homogenously blended and filled into said pre-filled cheese analogue package.

3. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 2, comprising: a. 65%-90% starch; b. 0%-10% emulsifying salts; and c. 0%-5% stabilizers.

4. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 3, comprising: a. 75%-85% starch; b. 0%-10% emulsifying salts; and c. 0%-3% stabilizers.

5. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 1, wherein said package further comprises whey.

6. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 5, comprising: a. 40%-70% starch; b. 0%-25% whey; c. 0%-10% emulsifying salts; and d. 0%-20% stabilizers.

7. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 6, comprising a. 40%-70% starch; b. 5%-25% whey; c. 0%-10% emulsifying salts; and d. 2%-13% stabilizers.

8. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 7, comprising a. 45%-65% starch; b. 14%-20% whey; c. 2%-8% emulsifying salts; and d. 3%-12% stabilizers.

9. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 6, comprising a. 45%-65% starch; b. 15%-30% whey; c. 0%-10% emulsifying salts; and d. 0%-20% stabilizers.

10. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 9, comprising a. 50%-60% starch; b. 20%-25% whey; c. 4%-8% emulsifying salts; and d. 2%-11% stabilizers.

11. The pre-filled cheese analogue package as recited in claim 1, wherein said blend further comprises an acidulant.

12. The pre-filled cheese analogue package as recited in claim 11, wherein said blend contains 0%-3% of an acidulant.

13. The pre-filled cheese analogue package as recited in claim 11, wherein said acidulant is chosen from acetic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, and tartaric acid.

14. The pre-filled cheese analogue package as recited in claim 13, wherein said acidulant is chosen from citric acid and acetic acid.

15. The pre-filled cheese analogue package as recited in claim 1, wherein said blend further comprises casein.

16. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 1, wherein said emulsifying salts are chosen from sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium citrate, trisodium phosphate, and disodium phosphate, and combinations thereof.

17. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 1, wherein said blend further comprises lecithin.

18. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 1, wherein said blend further comprises coloring.

19. The pre-filled cheese analogue package having a dry blend as recited in claim 1, wherein said blend further comprises a preservative.

20. An analogue cheese comprising the dry blend as recited in claim 1, a fat, water, and, optionally, cheese and/or cheese curds.

21. A method of making an analogue cheese comprising: combining a dry blend as recited in claim 1, a fat, water, and, optionally, cheese and/or cheese curds; mixing the ingredients to form a mixture; and heating and cooling the mixture to provide an analogue cheese.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0081] A “cheese analogue” as used herein generally refers to a cheese-like product manufactured using starches as the primary structure-building ingredients. Currently, available cheese analogues are typically categorized as dairy (all fats and proteins come from dairy sources), partial dairy (some fats and proteins come from dairy sources, while other have been replaced with non-dairy fats and proteins), or non-dairy (all fats and proteins come from non-dairy sources). They can also be classified as being an imitation cheese or a substitute cheese. Imitation cheese is a substitute for and resembles another cheese but is nutritionally inferior to that cheese. A cheese substitute, on the other hand, resembles another cheese but is not nutritionally inferior to that cheese. Cheese analogues described herein may belong to the “non-dairy” category and exhibit shredability, melt, stretch similar to that of natural cheese, and may ooze oil and make blisters when heated on pizza. These imitation cheeses can be converted into cheese substitutes by incorporating nutrients at desired levels without affecting their cheese-like functionality.

[0082] A “pre-filled cheese analogue package” is a package containing the dry blend that includes all the ingredients needed for a user to create an extended cheese product, such as, but not limited to, starches, gums, acidulants, whey, casein, emulsifiers, salts, and gelatin. These ingredients have been homogenously blended before being packaged.

[0083] Cheese analogues may be formed into products similar to natural and analogue cheese types, such as, but not limited to, mozzarella, cheddar, Gouda, and pizza cheese. These end products may have several technical advantages over their existing counterparts, including extended shelf-life, resistance to separation when cooked, and uniformity of product. Its production also enjoys significant economic advantages over traditional cheese-making processes, most often through the ability to incorporate any of a wide variety of less-expensive ingredients.

[0084] Analogue pizza cheese is designed to have physical properties of the firm body, machine shredability, melt on pizza creating blisters, brown spots, slightly oozing oil, and elasticity. These products remain thick and chewy after melting. It is commonly used on commercially produced pizzas in place of the more traditional mozzarella. Analogue pizza cheese is formulated so that it can be manufactured with basic cheese-making equipment but without the additional equipment, processing, and cost of true mozzarella.

[0085] The essential role of the emulsifying agents in the manufacturing of processed cheese is firstly to chelate Ca.sup.2+ ions from the casein-bound calcium phosphate and to increase the charge repulsion between the casein particles, and secondly to increase the pH of the system. These emulsifying agents can selectively convert casein micellae into individual casein protein-random coils, which eventually will act as emulsifiers in stabilizing oil-in-water emulsion in the finished product. The role of emulsifying salts used in analogue cheese products with no casein protein is to adjust the pH in the finished product while maintaining the ionic strength required in stabilizing the starch molecules. Food grade salts that have the ability to function as ion-exchangers, buffers, and calcium sequestrants have been used as emulsifying salts. The emulsifying salts, typically alkaline sodium aluminum phosphate, disodium phosphate duohydrate, and sodium citrate, or other sodium, calcium or potassium phosphate, tartrate, or citrate salts, reduce the tendency for tiny fat globules in the cheese to coalesce and pool on the surface of the molten cheese. The most common emulsifying salts used in analogue cheese manufacture are sodium citrates and sodium orthophosphates. Potassium salts are commonly used in combination with sodium salts in low salts formulas. Further, additional emulsifiers such as lecithin (liquid and powder form), diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides (DATEM), as well as mono- and diglycerides other emulsifiers commonly used in emulsions may be included in the dry blend.

[0086] A number of different types of starches can be incorporated into the dry blend. Suitable starches include vegetable starches (e.g., potato starch, arrowroot starch, pea starch, and tapioca) and grain starches (e.g., corn starch, wheat starch, and rice starch). Specific examples of suitable corn starches include dent corn starch, waxy corn or maize starch, and high amylose corn starch. The starches can be used individually or in combination. As noted above, starches can advantageously be included in the slurry. In some applications, the starch is added as a powder or unheated solution.

[0087] The starch can be modified or native. Modified starches, also called starch derivatives, are prepared by physically, enzymatically, or chemically treating native starch, thereby changing the properties of the starch. Modified starches are used in practically all starch applications, such as in food products as a thickening agent, stabilizer, or emulsifier. Modified food starches differ in their degree of cross-linking, type of chemical replacement, oxidation level, degree of molecular scission, and the ratio of amylose to amylopectin.

[0088] Stabilizers synergistic interaction improves the textural quality of foods. It imparts a rich mouthfeel without masking flavor, enhances moisture retention, prevents syneresis and ice crystal formation in frozen products, and forms thermally reversible gels. Examples of suitable gums that can be incorporated include, but are not limited to, xanthan gum, guar gum, konjac flour, and locust bean gum. Examples of suitable stabilizers include chondrus extract (carrageenan), pectin, gelatin, and agar. Blends of Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, and Guar Gum are commonly used in the production of cheese analogues.

[0089] Acidulants are additives that give a sharp taste to foods by increasing tartness or acidity. They also assist in the setting of gels and act as preservatives. An acidulant (acidic agent) can be incorporated to adjust the pH of the finished cheese to the desired level. In combination with emulsifying salts, the acidulants in the dry blend will help maintain the pH at the desired level. The titratable acidity and pH of the cheese can be controlled to help regulate the melt-down characteristics of the finished cheese. Various acids can be employed at the end of the cooking process; examples of suitable acids include, but are not limited to, acetic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid adipic acid, hydrochloric acid, glucano delta lactone, lactobionic acid or Genlac C, the latter being a blend of water, citric acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid. Acid is typically added to adjust the pH of the finished cheese to a pH from about 4.8-6.5 is reached.

[0090] A colorant can be incorporated into the soft or firm/semi-hard ripened or unripened blended cheese to adjust its natural color. This can be useful, for example, if consumers have a preference for a color other than the naturally occurring color. Examples of suitable colorants include annatto, turmeric, titanium dioxide, and beta-carotene. Colorants may be of both natural or artificial color. If one wished to color the cheese red, an artificial color such as FD&C red #40 could be used. Annatto imparts a yellowish color to cheese. The yellowish color often is preferred by consumers who perceive it to indicate a “richer” product upon cooking on a pizza. Colorants can be incorporated into the final soft or firm/semi-hard ripened or unripened blended cheese product by inclusion in the slurry. If added at the mixing stage, the colorant is generally sprayed onto the heated cheese mass as an unheated solution or dispersion in water. The amount of colorant added is typically in the range of about 0.01 to 0.02%, based on the weight of the finished cheese. Turmeric, if used, is generally added in an amount of about 0.01 to 0.001%. If annatto is added, it normally is added to about 0.1 to 0.2% by weight.

[0091] Various flavoring agents can also be incorporated into the cheese to tailor the flavor profile of the cheese to meet consumer preferences. Suitable flavors for mixing into the heated cheese include, for example, natural mozzarella flavors such as diacetyl and/or lipolyzed fat or enzyme-modified cheese for cheddar cheese. Flavoring agents can be incorporated into the final soft or firm/semi-hard ripened or unripened blended cheese product by incorporation into the heated slurry or by addition to the heated cheese mass as a dry powder, or more typically as part of an unheated aqueous solution. Flavoring agents have typically added in an amount such that the concentration in the final cheese product is within the range of about 0.01 to 5 wt. %. If incorporated into the slurry, the concentration of the flavoring agent in the slurry is generally is in the range of about 0.11-4.50 wt. %.

[0092] Non-dairy fat can refer to various vegetable fats. These fats may be partially or fully hydrogenated, yielding a cheese product that is low in trans-fat. In an embodiment, the fat has a melting point close to that of butterfat, 93-103° F. Further, the fat may be blended with a liquid fat (oil) during the cheese-making process.

[0093] Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is manufactured during the making of rennet types of hard cheese like mozzarella, cheddar, or Swiss cheese.

[0094] Cheese curds are an important step in the cheese-making process. They are small chunks of cheese solids that have been separated from the natural whey present in milk but not yet pressed into molds to make cheese. Different treatments of the curds yield different end cheeses, and the curds can also be eaten straight. The curdling process coagulates the solids in the milk, yielding cheese curds swimming in whey. The whey is drained from the curds, which may also be cut to facilitate drainage, and then the cheese curds can be salted, packed into molds, and turned into cheese.

[0095] Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoproteins (αS1, αS2, β, κ). These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 20% and 45% of the proteins in human milk. Casein has a wide variety of uses, from being a major component of cheese to use as a food additive to a binder for safety matches. As a food source, casein supplies amino acids; carbohydrates; and two inorganic elements, calcium, and phosphorus. Casein contains a fairly high number of proline residues, which do not interact. There are also no disulfide bridges. As a result, it has relatively little tertiary structure. It is relatively hydrophobic, making it poorly soluble in water. It is found in milk as a suspension of particles called “casein micelles,” which show only limited resemblance with surfactant-type micellae in the sense that the hydrophilic parts reside at the surface and they are spherical. However, in sharp contrast to surfactant micelles, the interior of a casein micelle is highly hydrated. The caseins in the micelles are held together by calcium ions and hydrophobic interactions. Types of casein commonly used in cheese making comprise, but are not limited to, rennet casein, acid casein, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, and potassium caseinate.

[0096] Preservatives may be included in the dry blend. Typical food-grade preservatives, such as but not limited to sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, and cultured dextrose, may be used to preserve the product.

[0097] Dry blend refers to the “dry” (i.e., less than 15% water) starting material one would use in the making of extended cheese products. A dry blend is a homogenous mixture of the ingredients that may be sold as a pre-packaged mix to a cheese manufacturer or user. Normally water and some type of fat would be added to produce the extended cheese product. One could also add in the desired flavor to resemble the desired cheese taste.

[0098] The dry blend that is provided here for use in the extended cheese product is designed to improve: 1) melt and flowability of the final cheese product, which is a measure of how well the cheese melts and flows into a homogenous mass, preferably with little or no individual shreds of cheese still detectable; 2) stretch, which is the measure of the ability of the cheese to form interconnected strings when the heated cheese is pulled; 3) texture, which is a measure of chewiness and smoothness; 4) coloring, which is a measure of the actual color of the melted cheese; 5) blister characteristics, which may include size, color, and extent of the coverage; and/or 6) nutritional composition.

[0099] The dry blends described herein are manufactured in one step by blending all the dry material contained in the formulas described herein in a double ribbon blender. These batches are blended during the addition of the ingredients and then blended for an additional 10 minutes, or until a homogenous mixture is obtained after all ingredients have been added. Optionally, a food-grade oil can be sprayed on with the blender running, with an additional 10 minutes of blending, or until a homogenous mixture is obtained. The dry product obtained at the conclusion of the blending is packed and is ready to be packaged or used in the cheese-making process.

Dry Blend Examples

[0100] Examples 1-14 are for making a dry blend for use in making analogue cheese.

TABLE-US-00001 Exam- Exam- Exam- Exam- ple 1 ple 2 ple 3 ple 4 % % % % Ingredient Weight Weight Weight Weight Whey 21.64 24.82 21.64 24.82 Acetylated di-starch adipate 5.10 5.09 5.10 5.09 Combination of Oxidized and 45.12 48.26 45.12 48.26 Acetylated di-starch adipate Gelatin 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 Calcium Sulfate 0.80 0.80 0.80 0.80 Casein 5.00 0.00 5.00 0.00 Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 3.50 1.20 3.50 1.20 Octenyl succinic anhydride 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 (OSA) Starch Xanthan Gum 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.24 Flour Salt 5.40 5.40 5.40 5.40 Sodium Citrate 1.61 1.61 1.61 1.61 Sorbic Acid 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 Potassium Sorbate 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.60 Sodium Diphosphate 2.42 2.42 2.42 2.42 Citric Acid 0.16 0.16 0.16 0.16 TOTAL 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 Example 5 Example 6 Ingredient % Weight % Weight Whey 18.00 14.94 Acetylated di-starch adipate 5.00 10.65 Acetylated Starch 0.00 25.36 Rice Flour 0.00 6.65 Combination of Oxidized and 44.88 0 Acetylated di-starch adipate Acid-treated Starch 8.00 9.32 Gelatin 5.00 4.16 Calcium Sulfate 0.80 0.83 Casein 0.00 13.83 Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 1.20 0.93 Octenyl succinic anhydride 6.00 2.5 (OSA) Starch Xanthan Gum 0.24 0.25 Flour Salt 5.40 4.99 Sodium Citrate 1.50 1.67 Sorbic Acid 0.40 0 Potassium Sorbate 0.60 0.84 Sodium Diphosphate 2.42 2.51 Citric Acid 0.16 0.17 Mineral Oil 0.00 0.4 Titanium Dioxide 0.40 0 TOTAL 100.00 100 Example # 7 8 9 % Weight % Weight % Weight Oxidized Starch 28.86 44.75 50.73 Octenyl succinic anhydride 53.29 31.44 25.46 (OSA) Starch Whey 0.00 5.01 5.01 Flour Salt 5.40 5.40 5.40 Di-Sodium Phosphate 1.50 2.00 2.00 Sodium Citrate 4.50 4.50 4.50 Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 1.20 1.20 1.20 Calcium Sulfate 0.80 0.80 0.80 Potassium Sorbate 0.60 0.60 0.60 Sorbic Acid 0.40 0.40 0.40 Titanium Dioxide 0.30 0.30 0.30 Lecithin 0.80 0.80 0.80 Blend of Xanthan, Locust, 1.35 1.50 1.50 and Guar Gums Xanthan Gum 0.50 0.50 0.50 Citric Acid 0.50 0.50 0.50 Mineral Oil 0.00 0.3 0.3 TOTAL 100.00 100.00 100.00 Example # 10 11 12 % Weight % Weight % Weight Oxidized Starch 51.00 56.05 51.00 Octenyl succinic anhydride 25.48 28.00 33.33 (OSA) Starch Whey 5.02 5.51 5.02 Flour Salt 5.40 5.93 5.40 Di-Sodium Phosphate 2.00 0.00 1.15 Sodium Citrate 4.50 0.00 0.00 Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 1.20 0.00 0.00 Calcium Sulfate 0.80 0.00 0.00 Potassium Sorbate 0.60 0.66 0.60 Sorbic Acid 0.40 0.44 0.40 Titanium Dioxide 0.30 0.33 0.30 Lecithin 0.80 0.88 0.80 Blend of Xanthan, Locust, 1.50 1.65 1.50 and Guar Gums Xanthan Gum 0.50 0.55 0.50 Citric Acid 0.50 0.00 0.00 TOTAL 100.00 100.00 100.00 Example # 13 14 % Weight % Weight Oxidized Starch 51.00 51.00 Octenyl succinic anhydride 32.48 32.48 (OSA) Starch Whey 5.02 5.02 Flour Salt 5.40 5.40 Di-Sodium Phosphate 2.00 0 Sodium Citrate 0.00 0.00 Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 0.00 2.00 Calcium Sulfate 0.00 0.00 Potassium Sorbate 0.60 0.60 Sorbic Acid 0.40 0.40 Titanium Dioxide 0.30 0.30 Lecithin 0.80 0.80 Blend of Xanthan, Locust, 1.50 1.50 and Guar Gums Xanthan Gum 0.50 0.50 Citric Acid 0.00 0.00 TOTAL 100.00 100.00

[0101] The dry blends disclosed herein can be made into analogue cheese using generally used equipment in the cheese industry. The process involves melting fat, mixing the dry blend with melted fat and water or with liquid oil and water, heating, cooling, and optionally adding colors and flavors. The dry blends described herein are insensitive to the ingredient components' addition order. The analogue cheese can be manufactured by adding dry blend to melted fat and then adding water, adding dry blend to water, and then adding melted fat or adding dry blend to the mixture of fat and water. The three components, fat, water, and dry blend, are mixed together and heated to around 145-160° F. After allowing starches to hydrate, the temperature is further increased to 165-175° F. Melt reduced cheese analogues are made by continuing heating to temperatures higher than 180° F. In the event of incorporating cheese, cheese can be added either at the beginning of the cooking process or at the end of the cooking process.

[0102] Meltability and stretchability are mostly analyzed subjectively. A predetermined amount of shredded analogue cheese is spread on pizza crust covered with pizza sauce. The resulting pizza is either baked in an oven at 400-450° F. for around 7-13 minutes or baked in a microwave oven of 1100 watt for 2-3 minutes. Melted pizza is subjectively analyzed for appearance, melt stretch, mouthfeel, blistering, and oiling.

[0103] Meltability is measured by cutting a disk of cheese of a specified size and placing the disk in a glass Petri dish. A technician heats the Petri dish in an oven at an elevated temperature for a specified time (350° F. for seven minutes), then pulls the dish out and measures the diameter of the circle the melted cheese has formed.

[0104] The above dry blends will provide an ingredient to be used in making cheese analogues with improved melting and stretching properties.

[0105] It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims. The cheeses of the present invention may be made by the methods described herein or by any other method that produces a finished cheese product having the same physical or chemical properties as the present cheeses. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be so incorporated by reference.