Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously processing cheese curd forms the cheese curd into a series of ribbons on a conveyor belt used to separate the whey from the cheese curd and then uses a series of plowshares, augers or other deflection means to displace or rotate the ribbons onto bare segments of the conveyor belt to enhance the draining of the whey from the cheese curd.

Abstract: An enclosed food processing vat is provided having two or more generally horizontally-oriented partial cylindrical inner wall sections, each inner wall section conforming to a first portion of an swept volume created by the rotation of an agitator means about a horizontal shaft, the distance between the shafts being slightly greater than the radius of the swept volume so that a second portion of the swept volume for each shaft intersects and overlaps the swept volume of adjacent shafts. Each shaft is provided with a series of combined cutting and stirring paddles comprising a series of blades arranged both perpendicular to the shaft and parallel to the shaft that are sharpened on one side only and fixed so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction cutting will take place; whereas, when the shaft is rotated in the other direction stirring will take place.