Liquid compositions for coat

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Office for Industrial Property The Netherlands © 1004792

C PATENT²⁰

<td>© Patent application: 1004792 © Filed: 16.12.96</td><td>© Int.CI.⁶A23C19 / 16</td>

<td>© Registered:</td><td>© Patent holder (s):</td>

<td> 17.06.98</td><td>Campina Melkunie BV - Division Cheese in Asten.</td>

<td>@ Date:</td><td>© Inventor (s):</td>

<td> 17.06.98</td><td>Clemens Johannes Willibrordus Köllmann at</td>

<td>© Published:</td><td>Veghel Jozef Gerardus Maria Kempeners in Venlo</td>

<td>03.08.98 IE 98/08</td><td>© Authorized representative: Drs. F. Barendregt et al. At 2280 GE Rijswijk.</td>

&lt;54) Cheese coating agent.

[57) Cheese coating agent comprising a liquid coating agent and a filler intended to be applied to the outside of a cheese. A method of coating cheese and cheeses thus coated.

Preferably, as filler, lime, talc, diatomaceous earth or a zeolite is used in an amount of up to 2.5 parts by weight of filler per part by weight of a coating-forming substance in the carrier-based cheese coating.

NL C 1004792

The contents of this patent correspond to the original filed description with claim (s) and any drawings.

Short designation: Cheese coating

The present invention relates to a cheese coating agent comprising at least a liquid coating agent, to be applied to the outside of a cheese.

Cheese coating agents are commonly used to coat cheeses to protect them during ripening and storage, from drying out, mold growth, white batter, open rinds and mechanical damage. During ripening and storage, the cheeses are usually coated twice a week, which frequency decreases over time. In the case of Gouda cheeses, for example, a coating is applied only once a week from the young-matured stage and about once a month from the extra-matured stage.

Cheese coating agents are usually applied to cheeses in a liquid state by ironing, lubricating, spraying, brushing or dipping. This application is usually repeated several times with intermediate drying to obtain a sufficient layer thickness thereof with the intended properties on the cheese. Usually, a cheese coating agent is an aqueous solution of a coating-forming substance, which coating can form a coating by drying.

Nowadays, both biodegradable coatings and synthetic coatings are used. Examples of biodegradable coatings are casein-based coatings, modified or unmodified gluten, alginates and celluloses. Examples of a synthetic coating agent are a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) or polyethylene based coating. PVA, casein, gluten etc. are referred to as coating-forming substances in this description.

The types of cheeses that are provided with a cheese coating agent are not particularly limited, but the most common types of cheese are the hard and semi-hard cheeses. Examples of such cheeses are Gouda, Maasdam cheese, Edam cheese, Cheddar, and Swiss cheeses with surface ripening, such as Emmenthaler, Tilsiter and Gruyere.

Applying a cheese coating to a cheese is in practice called plasticizing cheeses.

Currently, for flat cylindrical and block shaped cheeses, devices are used to automatically line a coating agent thereon. Rotating brushes or sponges moistened with the cover agent are often used. The problem here arises that the cheeses are often insufficiently and / or unevenly coated with the covering agent.

When mechanically coating a coating with platylindrical cheeses, one side is usually provided with a coating and only after drying and turning the other side. Intermediate drying is therefore necessary before the next treatment can be carried out. As a result of the mechanical application of the coating agent, the layer thickness thereof on the cheese is often very uneven. As a result, the required drying time can vary greatly, as can the quality of the coating formed. In practice, with the known coating means, about two days is sufficient to be able to turn the cheese and carry out the next treatment. A common problem here is that the cheeses will still stick to the shelves on which they are stored.

After an initial storage period, “the factory storage”, the cheeses are in practice transported to another warehouse. Since it takes a long time to dry the coating agent, the coating layer at that time is often still so soft that it is susceptible to damage during transport. When the cheeses are stacked on top of each other or against each other, the so-called "kiss spots" often arise as a result of the cheese sticking together.

Spherical cheeses are coated with an elongated revolving drum with brushes.

Cheese coatings are usually a dispersion of a polymer in water. After coating the cheese, the water evaporates therewith, leaving a transparent film of polymer particles on the cheese. Such a film is, to a certain extent, permeable to moisture and gases, which can arise during ripening of the cheese.

The viscosity of the cheese coating agent must be such that the coating agent can be applied to the cheese in a sufficiently thick layer. The viscosity of a cheese coating agent during application to a cheese depends on many factors. It goes without saying that this depends on the dry matter content of the coating agent, but also on the temperature, and whether or not stirring is used. The dry matter content of cheese coating agents currently used is approximately 40%. Cheese coating agents that can be used with higher solids contents are expensive products.

Since cheese coating agents are applied to the cheeses from a solution, which are then dried, there is a need to be able to apply the largest possible amount of the coating substance in one go, so that a closing coating can be formed in one go and in addition, the drying time can be shortened. With the known cheese coating agents, the amount of material to be applied in one go is limited, which depends on the dry matter content of the liquid coating agent.

However, when the dry matter content of a coating agent is increased in order to be able to apply a larger amount of a coating-forming substance, the viscosity of the liquid material increases so that it becomes unprocessable. There is therefore a demand for cheese coatings with higher dry matter contents, which can be processed in the usual way and have comparable or better coating properties.

The present invention seeks to meet the above-mentioned need and to that end provides a cheese coating agent comprising at least one liquid coating agent and which is intended to be applied on the outside of a cheese, which cheese coating agent is characterized in that it comprises a filler.

Surprisingly, it has been found that the presence of a filler significantly reduces the viscosity of the liquid cheese coating. Thus, more PVA, casein or other coating-forming substance can be included in the cheese coating.

If more coating-forming substance is not required, a thickening agent such as CMC, alginates, xanthan,

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(modified) starch, etc. are added to adjust the viscosity in the range suitable for cheese application.

The presence of a filler increases the dry matter content of the liquid cheese coating agent, with the result that the drying time is shortened. It has been found that the presence of fillers does not substantially affect the properties of the final coating on the cheese. It turned out that so-called “kiss spots” no longer occurred and that no damage occurred during transport. It is also sufficient to apply fewer coatings.

In addition, the preservative content, usually natamycin, can be significantly reduced by the presence of the filler, and in some cases even omitted altogether.

The use of a coating agent according to the invention lowers the frequency with which the cheeses are to be coated, as described in the introduction. In the case of a coating according to the invention, the frequency of application, in the prior art about twice a week, can be reduced by up to more than 30%.

Providing a cheese with a coating agent thus becomes much more attractive economically with the coating agent according to the invention.

The fillers suitable for the invention are not particularly limited and can be selected according to the respective requirements of the coating to be formed. It is preferred when the filler is an inert filler selected from the group of alkali and alkaline earth metal carbonates, silicates, salts, or a mixture of one or more of the foregoing.

Apart from the inorganic fillers, organic fillers are also known which are suitable for the purpose of the present invention. Examples are cellulosic materials such as wood sawdust, paper pulp, fiber materials such as cotton and the like.

Examples of alkali and alkaline earth metal carbonates are Na₂CO₃, K₂CO₃, NaHCO₃ KHCO₃, CaCO₃.

Examples of alkali and alkaline earth metal silicates are quartz, zeolites, glazing stone, sepiolite, perlite, polysilicic acid, talc, and orthosilicates such as glass, porcelain, as well as diatomaceous earth.

Examples of alkali and alkaline earth metal salts include KCl-NaCl, KC1 · MgCl · 6H₂O, KC1-MgSO4-3H₂O.

More preferably, the filler is selected from talc, lime diatomaceous earth or a zeolite. Most preferably, as filler, lime or diatomaceous earth is used.

In the case of lime, lime is used in particular with the following properties: a specific weight of 2.71 g / cm³, a hardness (MOHS) of 3, and a solubility of 0.0015g / 100g water (T = 20 ° C). Furthermore, the color of the lime is preferably such that the so-called Helligkeit Y-Wert is 99.2.

In the case of diatomaceous earth, a diatomaceous earth with a color according to the Blue Light Reflectance Method of 92-95, a specific gravity of 371 grams per liter and a pH (10% suspension) of 10.0 is advantageously used.

It will be understood that the amount of the filler

0 the cheese coating agent according to the invention can be selected as desired, depending on the intended result of the addition.

The maximum amount of the filler is advantageously 2.5 parts by weight per part by weight of the coating material on a dry matter basis.

5 In particular, the amount of filler in the cheese coating on a dry matter basis is 15-75 parts by weight and preferably 30-60 parts by weight.

The grain size of the filler is preferably between 1 and 50 mm. Advantageously, the D_so value maximum 15 μτα and in particular maximum 6 Mm. Advantageously, the D_9o value maximum 30 μτη and in particular maximum 12 μτα. D₅₀- and O *, values ​​are values ​​that indicate that 50 and 90% of the particles are smaller than the respective value.

5 Fillers with a larger grain size can also be used if desired, for example for preparing cheeses with a so-called artisanal appearance. By using a larger grain size of the filler, i.e. larger than 50 μπι, a coarse-grained structure of the final coating can be obtained.

In addition to the aforementioned ingredients, the cheese coating agents according to the invention may contain other common ingredients such as plasticizers, thickeners, preservatives, dyes, flavors, etc.

The invention further provides a cheese which is provided with a cheese coating agent according to the invention.

Finally, the invention provides a method for providing cheese coating agent with cheese, which comprises at least the step of applying a cheese coating agent to a cheese. This method is characterized in that a cheese coating agent according to the invention is used as a cheese coating agent.

In the following the invention will be further elucidated on the basis of an example.

EXAMPLE

0 A cheese coating agent test was prepared by mixing 50 parts by weight of a cheese coating without dye (type Ceska; from CSK in Leeuwarden) with a screw stirrer (Brand: Heidolpf), or in a Nauta mixer, with 35 parts by weight of lime (type Mikroneve from Industria Mineraria). (IT)) and 15 parts by weight of water. After mixing, annato or O-carotene was added until the desired yellow color was obtained. The formed coating agent and the Ceska coating agent were applied mechanically to brine-dried 12 kg Gouda cheeses.

The addition of lime did not change the water vapor permeability of the formed coating.

Water vapor permeability q.mm/(m², 24h)

Ceska without lime 7.2

Ceska with lime 7.4

The drying of the cheeses provided with the test coating was compared during the factory storage and the improvement storage with the drying of the cheeses provided with the Ceska coating.

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Difference between Ceska coating and test coating

Number of days after brining

Degree of drying of cheese with test coating compared to Ceska coating (%)

-0,1

-0,2

-0,2

-0,3

There was no difference between the test coating and the Ceska coating when mechanically applying the cheese coatings. Both brine and Ceska coatings were less well applied to brine-dry cheese. During the subsequent coating treatments during factory storage and refinement storage, the quality of the bonding of the test coating turned out to be increasingly better. However, the adhesion of both coatings was comparable.

The quality of the cheese crust with the test coating did not differ from that of the Ceska coating. "Open crust" or "Fungus growth under the crust" were not observed. The preservative (natamycin) content in the test coating was 50% lower than in the Ceska coating.

It has been found that even when no preservative was included in the test coating, no fungal growth was observed.

The cheeses with the test coating could be stacked at an early age within 24 hours after applying the coating. The cheeses did not stick together compared to the cheeses with the Ceska coating. The coating was not damaged during stacking.

A common problem with the Ceska coating is the sticking of the cheeses to the cheese boards when turning the cheeses. This phenomenon was not observed with the test coating.

Cheeses with the test coating of the same batch were not coated with a coating 10 days after brining and at an early age. The cheeses were only turned weekly. The degree of drying was comparable to the cheeses with the test coating. The cheeses that were not plasticized showed no abnormalities and no mold growth was observed.

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