Novel Dutch cheese process gets gold
A novel process that ensures reproducible quality of semi-hard cheeses such as Gouda and Edam was awarded a gold prize for innovation at the recent Anuga FoodTec equipment show in Cologne.
When cheeses with gas holes, such as Gouda and Edam, are produced, portioning of the curd-whey mix in the cheese moulds is crucial for quality. German company Alpma Alpenland has developed the Formatic process, which prevents oxygen from entering the curd and simultaneously allows flexibility of manufacture, thanks to a continuous and direct portioning process of curd/whey flow into the block forms.
To ensure flow is not interrupted, four filling nozzles are used. Two of these fill the block form, while the other two press the cheese into the mould.
Benefits of this process include low investment costs and the production of high quality cheese without rim holes and with consistent water content and weight. The process, which is being used by Polish company Hochland Polska, is also claimed to be flexible, with quick tool changes, low maintenance and with a design that is easy to clean.
Other Gold winners announced at the FoodTec awards were Swiss company Bühler, for an innovative extrusion process to fortify vitamins in rice, which reduces nutrient loss during the polishing process; Valio of Finland, for a process that removes lactose from dairy products without affecting taste; German firm Krones for an aseptic ‘rainbow filler’ for liquids into polyethylene terephthalate bottles, which enables multiple dairy flavours in the same process; and World Pac International of Liechtenstein for impregnated, high barrier casings for cooked sausages, cooked cured products and processed cheese.
UK firm Munters picked up a silver award for a frost prevention process used during freezing, which results in faster freezing, a less slippery environment, lower energy consumption and greater production capacity.
