Abstract: A method of packaging a block of cheese or other soft product, in which the block is enclosed in a cardboard container having a body and a separate lid each lined with sheet material impervious to air and moisture, the container having internal dimensions similar to the external dimensions of the block with the lid engaged against the adjacent face of the block. The lining sheets on the body and lid extend out through the open end of the body of the container to form two endless collars which are sealed together, and the interior of the container is evacuated of air prior to sealing of the lining sheets, so that atmospheric pressure on the lid exerts a comprehensive force on the block of cheese. A reinforcing panel is mounted in a recess in the lid. A stack of such containers has each container arranged with its reinforcing panel upright and perpendicular to the reinforcing panels in the overlying and underlying containers.

Abstract: A perforated drainage plate for use as a lining in a cheese mould has parallel strips punched out of the plane of the plate to one side thereof to form two narrow slots on each side of each strip with the ends of the strips merging smoothly into the undeformed part of the plate. The plate is arranged with the strips abutting against the wall of the mould so that a narrow passageway is formed between the undeformed portion of the plate and the wall of the mould for draining away when forced through the slots. The strips are aligned in the direction in which a cheese block slides out of the mould after removal therefrom. The angle of inclination of the ends of the strips relative to the adjacent portion of the plate does not exceed 30 degrees, the width of the slots does not exceed 0.6 mm, and the radius of curvature of the recessed surfaces of each strip is not less than 1 mm.

Abstract: Crumbled cheese curd is fed into the top of a hollow column in a chamber maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure so as to form in the column a pillar of curd devoid of air pockets, the curd in the lower portion of the pillar being compressed by the weight of superimposed curd to press out whey therefrom and consolidate the curd, the whey passing through perforations in the wall of the column, and the pillar of curd is repeatedly lowered, the bottom end of the pillar severed to form a block of cheese, and fresh curd added to the top of the pillar. The curd is fed into the chamber through a feedpipe connected between the top of the chamber and the outlet of a hopper containing curd under atmospheric pressure, the differential pressure between the hopper and the chamber causing curd to flow along the feedpipe. The feedpipe discharges into a cyclone separator in the top of the chamber for separating air from the curd.

Abstract: Crumbled cheese curd is fed into the top of a hollow column in a chamber maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure so as to form in the column a pillar of curd devoid of air pockets. The curd in the lower portion of the pillar being compressed by the weight of superimposed curd to press out whey therefrom and consolidate the curd, and the pillar of curd is repeatedly lowered, the bottom end of the pillar severed to form a block of cheese, and fresh curd added to the top of the pillar. During the lowering of the pillar of curd, the top of the pillar is subjected to a higher pressure than that acting on the bottom of the pillar so that the differential pressure exerts a force on the top of the pillar urging the pillar downwards and prevents fracture of the pillar due to frictional resistance with the walls of the column.