Abstract: A plant and method of treating low-fat milk, such as skim milk, so as to obtain with a low content of spores and bacteria, wherein the milk is subject to a first microfiltration causing a separation into a first permeate, the first permeate being subjected to an additional microfiltration. This double microfiltration ensures that the acceptable limits for bacterial counts in milk products are not exceeded in case of a membrane breakdown.

Abstract: A butter-like food fat being directly spreadable at refrigeration temperature, i.e. 4 to 5.degree. C., and preferably containing 80 to 83% fat is produced by addition of vegetable oil, water, and salt. Initially conventional butter is produced, which preferably contains 80 to 83% fat and which is made exclusively from milk. Subsequently, the conventional butter is passed continuously through a tight, closed plant, whereby the butter initially passes through a kneading station followed by addition of half the total amount of added vegetable oil. Then the butter mixture passes through a mixer, whereafter the remaining portion of the amount of added vegetable oil and water and salt are added. In this manner buttermilk results exclusively as a by-product from the production of the conventional butter and contains therefore nothing but pure milk fat. Accordingly, the buttermilk can be used as market milk and sold at the highest possible market price.

Abstract: A strainer device for draining off whey from a cheese vat comprises an outlet for the whey and a substantially circularly shaped strainer disc (3) arranged in the outlet. This strainer disc is rotatably arranged in the wall (2) of the cheese vat about an axis of rotation (7) extending perpendicular to said wall and being connected to a motor for rotating the strainer disc.

Abstract: Membrane filtration assembly where the fluid to be filtered is recirculated on the retentate side of a membrane filter and where the filtered fluid, i.e. the permeate, is recirculated on the permeate side of the membrane filter in such a manner that the two streams are cocurrently passed along the membrane filter. The membrane filter comprises several membrane units in form of tubular supporting structures, each supporting structure comprising one or more filter membranes. The membrane units are mounted in parallel inside a common housing in such a manner that one stream flows inside the membrane units while the other stream flows in a space surrounding said membrane units. Each membrane unit is provided with a separate space designed as a narrow passageway on the inner side defined by the membrane unit and on the outer side defined by a channel tube, the inner cross section of which is 4 to 200% larger than the outer cross section of the membrane unit.

Abstract: A plant for treating heat-sensitive fluid foodstuffs, such as whey protein concentrate and cheese milk, is provided. The plant comprises: an infusion chamber having an outlet opening, in which the fluid foodstuff is subjected to a heat treatment by a feeding of steam therein; a vacuum chamber having an inlet opening in communication with the infusion chamber for removing water from the fluid foodstuff; and a positive-displacement pump connected to the outlet opening of the infusion chamber and connected to the inlet opening of the vacuum chamber in such a manner that during operation of the plant a pressure drop applies across the pump in the flow direction of the fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the heat treatment of meat products in a feeding element (4) by means of high-frequency electromagnetic waves, and an apparatus for the execution of the method. The invention also relates to an advantageous application of an apparatus according to the invention. The object of the invention is to increase the depth of penetration of the electromagnetic waves in a product which is to be heated or boiled, where the electrodes (2, 3; 20, 22) are external and placed on the outside of the feeding element (4). The object is achieved by placing a product electrode (15) in the feeding element (4), in that said product electrode (15) serves as a short-circuiting element and is of a material having an electrical conductivity which is better than that of the product that is required to be heat treated.

Abstract: A method of salting a cheese in a water-impermeable packing, where the desired amount of salt is applied on one or more of the outer surfaces of the cheese and/or in the used packing material, whereafter a water-impermeable packing is provided by means of said packing material, said packing surround the cheese and the salt. The method renders it possible to avoid the complicated and cost-intensive brining in brine and to control the content of salt to an optimal degree.

Abstract: A plant for continuously sterilizing fluids, such as milk and cream comprises a sterilizing device (2) in which the fluid is sterilized while steam is fed thereto, and a vacuum chamber (1) for removal of the water from the fluid and from which the fluid is extracted by means of a pump (8). The vacuum chamber (1) is accommodated before the sterilizing device (2) when seen in the flow direction of the fluid, said vacuum chamber (1) being connection to said sterilizing device (2) through a first heat exchanger (11) for heating the fluid before it enters said sterilizing device (2).

Abstract: A plant for continuously processing cheese mass (7) comprises a first substantially horizontal conveyor (1) conveying the cheese mass (7) in one direction and a second substantially horizontal conveyor (2) conveying the cheese mass (7) in the opposite direction. The second conveyor (2) is accommodated below the first conveyor (1) and is adapted to receive the cheese mass (7) from the exit end of the first conveyor via a guide plate (14) carrying the cheese mass obliquely downwards onto the second conveyor (2). Transferring means (8,10) are accommodated at the exit end of the first conveyor, said transferring means comprising guide surfaces (9,11) supporting the cheese mass (7) in a downwardly inclining path towards the guide plate (14).

Abstract: A plant and a method of treating milk so as to obtain milk with a low content of spores and bacteria. In a centrifugation unit (4) the milk is separated into a cream fraction (CR) and a skim-milk fraction. The skim-milk fraction is separated in a microfiltration unit (8) into a spore and bacteria-containing retentate (R) and a permeate (P) with a low content of spores and bacteria. The cream fraction (CR) is sterilized in a sterilizing unit (16), and the sterilized cream (STCR) or a portion thereof is mixed with the permeate (P) into standardized milk. The retentate is recirculated to the centrifugation unit (4) which is of the type separating the material into the cream fraction (CR), the skim-milk fraction (SM), and furthermore a sludge fraction (SL). The plant and the method ensure a high microfiltration capacity and the cheese formation properties of the milk is maintained.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for the production of cheese on the basis of milk or milk products where after pasteurizing and partially cooling the material, said material is subjected to membrane filtration, further cooling, dosing of rennet and starter and optionally other additives, mixing and casting followed by after-treatment and curing, whereby the membrane filtration is carried out to obtain a retentate with a dry matter content of x % by weight, wherein x is between 38+1/3 (y-20) and 44+1/3 (y-20) and wherein y is the fat content in % by weight calculated in relation to the dry matter content, whereby the retentate is subjected to heat treatment, whereupon the material is cooled to a temperature not higher than 40.degree. C. before dosing the rennet and the starter and whereby the viscosity of the material is kept below 60,000 cP when starting the dosing. By the process an interesting new type of cheese having a high quality and being reasonably priced is obtained.

Abstract: A cheese-making tank comprising a cylindrical container provided with a first cutting frame with cutting wires forming a netting, said cutting frame being displaceable forwards and backwards along the lower portion of the container from a first position at one end of the container to a second position at the other end of the container. It is further provided with a second cutting frame with radially extending cutting wires, said cutting frame being pivotally arranged about a longitudinal axis and with stirring means to be lowered into the lower portion of the container in order to carry out stirring movements therein. When being in the second position, the first cutting frame can be turned into the upper portion of the container while the stirring means are working.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of prepressed cheese curd blocks (38), where a curd (2) comprising a mixture of curd grains (42) and whey is fed to a conveyor belt (19) and the curd grains (42) are collected and shaped during continuous movement of the belt by being subjected to prepressing means (27) and side-limiting walls (18). The resulting cheese body (30) is cut into suitably dimensioned blocks at a cutting station (37). The curd (2) is fed to the continuously moving conveyor belt (19) below the surface (40) of a whey pool (39) and during the movement of the conveyor belt (19) said curd is conveyed along an oblique path above the surface (40) of the whey pool (39) simultaneous with it being subjected to prepressing means (27). The whey pool is contained in an obliquely installed vat (7), the conveyor belt (19) being introduced at the bottom end of said vat and leaving it at its top end ( 20).

Abstract: Acid and heat coagulated types of cheese such as Ricotta, Mitzithra, and Galotiri as well as cottage cheese are produced from milk and/or whey starting materials, pasteurizing the starting materials followed by cooling and membrane filtration of the starting materials to form a retentate, whereafter the retentate is subjected to a heating and an acidification under pressure, and then to a sudden pressure drop, followed by cooling, agitation, and packaging, and finally to a secondary cooling, wherein the retentate is initially continuously heated to the precipitation temperature and then coagulant is added continuously under pressure to acidification to form a mixture, and the mixture is subjected to a sudden drop of pressure.