Abstract: High-viscosity Greek yogurt products are provided in the form of a homogeneous mass including from about 20-35% by weight total solids and water, where from about 85-97% by weight of the solids fraction is in the form of dairy solids. The products have a viscosity of from about 60,000-90,000 cP, and are produced by forming a solids-water mixture, heating and homogenizing the mixture, and then culturing the heating and homogenized mixture with a yogurt culture to a break pH of from about 3.5-5. The products can be mixed with any suitable flavoring agent before or during packaging, as desired. The products may be used as spreads or dips, for example.

Abstract: A method for increasing the yield and quality in the manufacture of cheese from a selected volume of milk in which the volume of milk has been fortified with additional dairy components that increase the solids and includes pre-acidification of the fortified milk prior to cheese making. The fortified milk is subjected to an acid or acid producing material that quickly lowers the pH either before or after pasteurization to a pH of approximately 6.6 to 5.70. The acidification is performed under turbulent conditions to maintain milk protein native integrity. The acidified fortified milk is then subjected to the conventional cheese making process. The cheese made using the present invention is particularly useful in the subsequent manufacture of process cheese.

Abstract: A method for eliminating the uncooked curd defect in process cheese products associated with fortification of milk during the natural cheese make process. This fortification results in a significant increase in the amount of calcium bound in the casein micelle. The fortified milk is subjected to an acid or acid producing material that quickly lowers the pH either before or after pasteurization to a pH of approximately 6.6 to 5.70. The acidification is performed under turbulent conditions to maintain milk protein native integrity. The acidification step results in a significant migration of calcium out of the casein micelle and into a soluble form that is carried away with the whey stream. The acidified fortified milk is then subjected to the conventional cheese making process. The resulting natural cheese can then be further processed into a process cheese product without the risk of uncooked curd particles in the finished product.

Abstract: A method for increasing the yield and quality in the manufacture of cheese from a selected volume of milk in which the volume of milk has been fortified with additional dairy components that increase the solids and includes pre-acidification of the fortified milk prior to cheese making. The fortified milk is subjected to an acid or acid producing material that quickly lowers the pH either before or after pasteurization to a pH of approximately 6.6 to 5.70. The acidification is performed under turbulent conditions to maintain milk protein native integrity. The acidified fortified milk is then subjected to the conventional cheese making process. The cheese made using the present invention is particularly useful in the subsequent manufacture of process cheese.

Abstract: A method for eliminating the uncooked curd defect in process cheese products associated with fortification of milk during the natural cheese make process. This fortification results in a significant increase in the amount of calcium bound in the casein micelle. The fortified milk is subjected to an acid or acid producing material that quickly lowers the pH either before or after pasteurization to a pH of approximately 6.6 to 5.70. The acidification is performed under turbulent conditions to maintain milk protein native integrity. The acidification step results in a significant migration of calcium out of the casein micelle and into a soluble form that is carried away with the whey stream. The acidified fortified milk is then subjected to the conventional cheese making process. The resulting natural cheese can then be further processed into a process cheese product without the risk of uncooked curd particles in the finished product.

Abstract: An improved snack food product in the form of resilient, molded, self-sustaining bodies preferably made from a heated mixture comprising a dairy product (cheese, yogurt or pudding), gelatin, fat and water. The product bodies are small and bite sized, having a mass to surface area ratio of from about 0.05-5 g/cm2, which facilitates molding thereof. Preferred food products are prepared by first creating a heated flowable mixture of including cheese, gelatin, fat and water, and depositing small quantities of the mixture into molding depressions formed in powdered starch; after hardening, the resultant products are separated from the starch and packaged.

Abstract: An improved snack food product in the form of resilient, molded, self-sustaining bodies preferably made from a heated mixture comprising a dairy product (cheese, yogurt or pudding), gelatin, fat and water. The product bodies are small and bite sized, having a mass to surface area ratio of from about 0.05-5 g/cm2, which facilitates molding thereof. Preferred food products are prepared by first creating a heated flowable mixture of including cheese, gelatin, fat and water, and depositing small quantities of the mixture into molding depressions formed in powdered starch or a resilient rubber mold; after hardening, the resultant products are separated from the starch or rubber mold and packaged.

Abstract: An improved snack food product in the form of resilient, molded, self-sustaining bodies preferably made from a heated mixture comprising a dairy product (cheese, yogurt or pudding), gelatin, fat and water. The product bodies are small and bite sized, having a mass to surface area ratio of from about 0.05-5 g/cm2, which facilitates molding thereof. Preferred food products are prepared by first creating a heated flowable mixture of including cheese, gelatin, fat and water, and depositing small quantities of the mixture into molding depressions formed in powdered starch or a resilient rubber mold; after hardening, the resultant products are separated from the starch or rubber mold and packaged.

Abstract: An improved snack food product in the form of resilient, molded, self-sustaining bodies preferably made from a heated mixture comprising a dairy product (cheese, yogurt or pudding), gelatin, fat and water. The product bodies are small and bite sized, having a mass to surface area ratio of from about 0.05-5 g/cm2, which facilitates molding thereof. Preferred food products are prepared by first creating a heated flowable mixture of including cheese, gelatin, fat and water, and depositing small quantities of the mixture into molding depressions formed in powdered starch; after hardening, the resultant products are separated from the starch and packaged.