Abstract: A high-solids pre-cheese for conversion into natural cheese is prepared by producing a retentate from milk, fermenting the retentate to a pH between about 4.8 and about 5.6 without coagulation, adding a milk clotting enzyme in a non-coagulating amount, evaporating moisture to a total solids content of more than about 55% to produce pre-cheese and holding the pre-cheese under curing conditions for conversion of at least about 65% kappa casein to para kappa casein. The milk clotting enzyme is preferably added immediately prior to evaporation. Evaporation is under highly turbulent conditions and product temperature in the evaporator preferably does not exceed 75.degree. F. After evaporation, the pre-cheese is preferably held for 3 to 14 days for the conversion of kappa casein to para kappa casein.

Abstract: Disclosed are method and apparatus for continuously producing blocks of cheese curd from a sheet of cheese curd. The apparatus may include means for producing the sheet of cheese curd but includes inclined surfaces for guiding the sheet into a conditioning tower. The tower receives the sheet in overlying face-to-face relation. A lower slide gate is disposed at the bottom of the tower to permit build up of a curd mass in the tower. Thereafter, a combination sliding gate and knife blade positioned above the slide gate is closed so as to cut a block of cheese curd above the lower slide gate. A carton may be elevated to telescopically surround a discharge section provided at the bottom of the tower to receive the block. When the knife blade closes, the curd thereabove is supported and the lower slide gate is then opened, allowing the block to descend through the discharge section into the elevated carton.

Abstract: High solids curd and cheese are produced by fermenting and evaporating a milk retentate. Preferably, moisture is evaporated under vacuum to 55 percent or more solids while the fermented retentate is spread on a drum surface. Curd is formed on the surface under quiescent conditions and is doctored off without substantial breakdown of curd structure. Salts such as sodium chloride may be added to the retentate to prevent coagulation during fermentation. A milk clotting enzyme may be added after fermentation and before evaporation in an amount insufficient to cause coagulation which is avoided prior to curd formation.