| 摘要 |
The present invention is directed to a process for manufacture of pre-cheese that is capable of being converted into natural cheese having total solids in excess of 55%. The process includes the steps of removing moisture, salts and lactose from skim milk by a membrane process to provide a retentate having between about 70% and about 83% moisture, between about 0.7% and about 2.5% salts and less than about 1.8% lactose. Cultures capable of metabolizing lactose to lactic acid are added to the retentate and the retentate is fermented until the lactose of the retentate has bean substantially converted to lactic acid. Sufficient lactose is provided to reduce the pH of the retentate to within the range of about 4.8 to about 5.6. The fermented retentate is then subjected to centrifugation to provide a concentrate having from about 30% to about 50% total solids. The concentrate is combined with a milk clotting enzyme, fat, salt and a mixed fermentate comprising a high digest casein fermentate, a lipolytic fermentate, a protease, a lipase and a proteolytic micrococcus to provide a cheese base. The cheese base is then fermented-to-provide a pre-cheese suitable for use in the manufacture of process cheese. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the pre-cheese is texturized to provide a naturalcheese by working the pre-cheese in a mechanical mixer.
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