Patent Number: 6258391
Docket Number: 24997
Serial Number: 9428096
Date Patented: 07/10/2001

Way to Accelerate the Cheesemaking Process Technology Description: ARS researchers have developed a way to speed the process for making hard cheese such as cheddar, and other ripened American-type cheeses. The milk used to make the cheese is treated with carbon dioxide under high pressure. Within five minutes, a firm curd of targeted moisture can be formed that can be separated easily from the whey. This significantly reduces the time--usually 1-3 hours--required to set, cut, cook, and drain the curd. This process would greatly speed up the preparation of curd for aging or for further processing as a food ingredient. This technique could allow daily curd yields to be significantly increased, thus increasing manufacturing volume with favorable production costs.  This invention also improves nutritional quality, since cheese made with this process retains up to 50 percent more calcium in the curd. It can be sued to make full fat and reduced cheese. This technology can be used by food processors, particularly those engaged in cheese manufacturing.  Cheese manufacturers will benefit from this technology, which reduces the time required to make cheese curd compared to traditional methods. Reference: Please refer to USPN 6,258,391 (Docket #0249.97), "Application of High Pressure Carbon Dioxide for Accelerated Manufacture of Hard Cheese," which issued on July 10, 2001. Foreign rights are not available. Inventors: Diane Lynn Van Hekken Dairy Products Research Wyndmoor, PA 19038 (215) 836-6517 / Fax: (215) 233-6795 dvanhekken@arserrc.gov Peggy Tomasula (Same as first inventor) (215) 233-6648 / Fax: (215) 233-6795 ptomasula@arserrc.gov Virginia Harris Holsinger (retired)