The present invention relates to a process for the processing of milk and of dairy by-products. It relates more particularly to a process which makes it possible to obtain, from a retentate from the ultrafiltration of milk possibly comprising enzymatic or chemical agents, but acidified by thermophilic and/or mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, the passage from a liquid state to a solid "cheese" state, which can be handled and sliced, capable of starting the brining and ripening cycle.
The known processes for the manufacture of a cheese use a succession of stages such as especially the formation of a milk gel by lactic and/or enzymatic acidification, the shaping of the curd in moulds, the draining and/or the pressing of the curd so as to enhance its cohesion as a block representing the size of the cheese, the run-off of the whey, the removal of the cheese from moulds, and then the salting followed by the ripening phase. These processes are carried out using techniques which make it possible to obtain liquid precheeses or retentates by ultrafiltration, containing most of the whey proteins (see French Patent No. 2,052,121), and they permit high cheese yields (continuous production of a retentate) which lead to savings on rennet. Nevertheless, given that the phenomenon of syneresis - which is an agglomeration, over time, of particles in a gel - is practically absent in the liquid precheese, the use of rennet or of an enzymatic agent for lactic or acid coagulation is not completely abolished,, which necessarily involves the intermediate use of moulds to place the curd therein.
The production of cheeses requires the immobilization of a large number of moulds for a long period of time, generating moreover considerable maintenance and handling operations (removal from moulds, washing, pressing and the like).
Products obtained by the implementation of processes based on the application of shear forces to an

under pressure downstream of a homogenization stage, followed by at least one distribution stage which makes it possible to obtain the passage of the product from a liquid phase to a solid phase, and then at least one expansion or decompression stage for the forming, and finally, at least one stage for cutting the said solid product into portions.
Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description made below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an exemplary embodiment thereof, with no limitation being implied. In the figures:
- Figure 1 illustrates a plant for implementing
the process according to the invention, comprising mainly
a maturation unit, a homogenization unit, a hardening and
gel shaping unit, a cutting unit and a salting unit;
- Figure 2 is a sectional plane view of the
hardening and gel shaping unit;
- Figure 3 is a front sectional plane view of the
plate comprising the nozzles or the pellets which bring
about the change in phase of the product;
- Figure 4 is a side plane view of the plate
. provided with pellets;
- Figure 5 is a front sectional plane view of the preforming unit provided with marking jaws;
- Figure 6 is a sectional top view of the preforming unit provided with marking jaws.
According to a preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, it comprises a succession of stages which makes it possible to obtain, from a liquid retentate derived from an ultrafiltration unit 1, solid portions of products, especially cheese products.
The liquid retentate from the ultrafiltration enters a maturation reservoir 2 in which it is optionally subjected to acidification by thermophilic and/or mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, then it is adjusted, under requisite physicochemical conditions, especially by the choice of cooling and pH conditions, to
under pressure downstream of a homogenization stage, followed by at least one distribution stage which makes it possible to obtain the passage of the product from a liquid phase to a solid phase, and then at least one expansion or decompression stage for the forming, and finally, at least one stage for cutting the said solid product into portions.
Parent Application No: 664/DEL/95 provides a process for the production of dairy products from a liquid retentate derived from ultrafiltration of milk, comprising subjecting said retentate to maturation and homogenization in a conventional manner, pressurizing said homogenized retentate in a manner such as herein described, subjecting said pressurized retentate to a plurality of directional orifices for converting the liquid retentate to a coagulated gel, expanding said gel, converting said expended gel to a homogeneous paste that is substantially free of liquid, and forming and slicing said paste to obtain the desired dairy product.
The present invention relates to apparatus for the production of dairy products, the apparatus comprising an ultrafiltration unit coupled to a maturation reservoir, said maturation reservoir being coupled to a homogenization unit through a booster pump which conveys liquid retentate from the maturation reservoir to the homogenization unit, characterized by at least one pressurizing unit comprising a homogenizer with at least two pressure heads, at least one decompressing component connected to said pressurizing unit, said pressurizing unit forcing liquid product into said at least one decompressing component connected thereto said decompressing component being of the valve type and having adjustable springs for adjusting said decompressing component, at least one component connected to said decompressing component to which retentate or liquid precheese
Other charactorlotlco and advantagoo of tho prooont invention will omorgo from tho doocription mado bolow, with roforonco to tho accompanying drawingo which illuotrato an oxemplary ombodinvont thoroof, with no limitation being implied. In the accompanying drauings:
- Figure 1 illuotratoo a plant for implomonting
tho proccoo according to tho invention, comprining mainly
a maturation unit, a homogenizatlon unit, a hardoning and
gel ahaping unit, a cutting unit and a oalting unit;
- Figure 2 is a ooctional piano viow of the
hardening and gel chaping unit;
- Figure 3 is a front ooctional plano viow of tho
plato comprioing tho nozzloo or tho polloto which bring
about the change in phaoe of the product;
- Figure 4 is a aide plane view of the plato
provided with pelleto;
- Figure 5 is a front oectional plano view of tho preforming unit provided with marking jawo;
- Figure 6 is a oectional top view of tho preforming unit provided with marking jawo.
According to a preferred embodiment of tho proceso according to the invention, it comprioen a oucceooion of otagoo which makoa it poooiblo to obtain, from a liquid rctcntate derived from an ultrafiltration unit 1, oolid portiono of producto, copecially cheeoe producto.
The liquid retentate from the ultrafiltration entcro a maturation recervoir 2 in which it io optionally oubjected to acidification by thermophilic and/or mcoophilic lactic acid bacteria, then it io adjuotod, under rcquioito phyoicochcmical conditiona, oapocially by the choice of cooling and pH conditiono, to

We Claim: -
1. Apparatus for the production of dairy products, the apparatus comprising an ultrafiltration unit [1] coupled to a maturation reservoir [2], said maturation reservoir [2] being coupled to a homogenization unit [4] through a booster pump [3] which conveys liquid retentate from the maturation reservoir [2] to the homogenization unit [4], characterized by at least one pressurizing unit comprising a homogenizer [4] with at least two pressure heads [5], at least one decompressing component [6] connected to said pressurizing unit, said pressurizing unit forcing liquid product into said at least one decompressing component [6] connected thereto said decompressing component being of the valve type and having adjustable springs [7] for adjusting said decompressing component [6], at least one component [8] connected to said decompressing component [6] to which retentate or liquid precheese passes, said at least one component [8] in the form of a plate with a plurality of orifices [9].
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said orifices (9) of said component (8) are filled with a plurality of nozzles ("11) or pellets for example five, made of tungsten carbide.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said component (8) comprises a plurality of orifices connected to means for pumping in various components and which are carried through said orifices with turbulence into the cheese paste.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said orifices [9] has a seat [13] for receiving said pellets, said seat having an axis (12) which is perpendicular to the plane said seat (13), said axis [12] being inclined by an angle a of between 5 and 20°, and preferably 13°, relative to an axis [14] of said orifice (9).
5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said decompressing component [6] comprises, for the expansion phase, a plurality of bends (17), of which at least one diverges and enters into a tubular or tube portion (18) having sections of any desired type to comprise part of a forming component.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said tube portion [18] of the forming component has inner walls (15) with advantageous surface properties, especially at the level of their surface state, with respect to the cheese gel which is in contact therewith, said tube (18) being made from a plastic material preferably of the polymethyl-methacrylic (P.M.M.A) type.
7. Apparatus as claimed in either of claims 5 and 6, wherein said forming component has connected to said tube portion [18] a forming tube (21) which is elongated and equipped with a, jacket allowing the passage of a liquid coolant, ensuring the heating or cooling of the paste.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a longitudinal axis (19) of said tube (18) is inclined by an angle p of between 5 and 30°, and preferably 15°, relative to the horizontal.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said forming component (18, 21) is provided with shells (22) whose shape is selected so as to maintain the formation of a roll of product in the size determined by the user.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said shells (22) are provided, in cavities (23), with a plurality of jaws (24) carrying a protuberance (25) whose shape is similar to the shape of the shell (22) and projecting in the direction of the roll of product, intended to make an imprint (26) in the circulating product.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said jaws (24) have a plurality of operating means (27) such as pneumatic jacks enabling said jaws [24] to be actuated translationally in the direction of the walls of the roll of product.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein free ends of a rod of the operating means (27) cooperate with a hinge point (29) on the respective jaws (24), the hinge point (29), especially of the ball-and-socket type, by meeting the combination of axial and radial movements of the jaws (24), when the latter grip the walls of the roll of product.
13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein a slicing component (20), such as a wire or a plastic string tied to an oscillating arm (31), is adapted to sweep in a continuous reciprocating movement, at a rate determined by the user and in phase with the kinematics of the jaws (24), the front wall (32) of the shells (22) at the level of the median zone (33) left by the imprint (26) of each of the jaws (24).
14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sectional plane (34) of the slicing component is inclined at an angle T of between 5° and 20° relative to the outlet plane (32) of tube portion [18].
15. Apparatus for the production of dairy products substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.