Supplier News
New Tubular, Gusseted 640 Block Liner From Kelley Supply Saves Time, Improves Cheese Yields By Reducing Trim Losses
Kelley Supply has introduced a new, tubular block liner that the company said can shorten the time it takes to line a 640 box and improve cheese yields.
Kelley Supply has applied for a patent on the liner, which was invented by Greg Alberts, the company’s president.
When cheese is manufactured in 640-pound blocks, a round liner that resembles a large plastic bag is used to line the 640 box before the curd is poured in, Kelley Supply explained. Aligning the round liner in the square or rectangular 640 box is time-consuming for the personnel preparing the block, and it often results in wrinkles and folds in the liner along the block/liner interface.
These wrinkles and folds can become embedded in the outer surface of the finished cheese. The end user then has to spend time trimming these surfaces to avoid the presence of liner material in the finished cheese product, Kelley Supply noted.
Not only does this reduce production efficiency due to wasted time, it also results in yield reduction due to the amount of cheese lost to trimming, the company pointed out. Also, the round liner tends to result in rounded block corners rather than square ones, which also tends to reduce yields (due to the preference for square corners during later measuring and packaging, since the square products help promote greater product uniformity).
Kelley Supply’s invention relates to a block liner which is gusseted on at least two opposing sides, with central folds being defined on opposite sides of the tube, and outer folds then being situated on opposite sides of each central fold. These outer folds are equally spaced from the central fold, and the distance between the outer folds is preferably equivalent to the distance between opposing inner walls of a 640 box.
As a result, the liner can be installed in the square or rectangular interior of a 640 box, with dimensions closely conforming to the inner measurements of the 640 box.
Thus, the time it takes to line a 640 box is shortened; an assembler need not take as much time and care to try to line the box with the liner smoothly conforming to the block walls, Kelley Supply explained. And yields are improved by reducing or eliminating loss from having to trim the sides of the finished cheese to remove embedded liner.
For more information about Kelley Supply’s new tubular 640 block liner, visit www.kelleysupply.com; or call (800) 782-8573.
Cheese Mold Removal Made Quickly, Efficiently, Safely, With Bettcher’s Whizard TrimVac
Bettcher Industries, Inc., Birmingham, OH, is introducing the Whizard® TrimVac™ for quick, clean and efficient removal of cheese mold.
This hand-held tool marries the company’s proprietary Whizard circular blade trimming technology witha vacuum system to accomplish swift, efficient removal of surface mold from cheese wheels, Bettcher Industries explained.
The circular blade action of the TrimVac tool reduces the labor requirements and inefficiencies of mold removal when using a conventional knife, while also reducing worker fatigue, the company said. Another major benefit of the TrimVac is the tool’s vacuum action, which swiftly and completely removes the trim mold from the work area, thus reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
A choice of different interchangeable blades is available to enhance the scraping action on the cheese surface, or for digging out and removing any internal mold growth. Pneumatically powered, TrimVac uses a blade rotating at an extremely high rate of speed to perform the cutting action, while a simultaneous powerful vacuum process removes all trimmed mold.
The trimmed material is vacuum-conveyed to a separate holding tank for proper disposal, thus ensuring that mold spores do not come into contact with other products, workers, or the plant processing line, work surfaces or floor.
“TrimVac delivers many great advantages to cheese processors,” said Kevin Stump, product manager for Bettcher Industries. “It is the fastest and most effective way to tackle the issue of cheese mold, as well as efficiently and completely removing it from the work area to minimize the risk of contamination.
For more information, contact Kevin Stump, at (800) 321-8763, or (440) 965-4422; e-mail info@ bettcher.com; or visit www.bettcher. com/cheesemold.htm.
New, Portable Thermistor Cryoscope Introduced By Page & Pedersen
Page & Pedersen International, Ltd., has introduced the QuickCheck™ Flex freezing-point cryoscope, which the company said provides quick results for added water in milk in accordance with recommended reference methods for payment purposes.
The first truly portable thermistor cryoscope, this compact and robust instrument is housed in a sturdy, stainless steel carrying case with a latched lid and heavy-duty handle to facilitate safe transport or secure storage, the company noted.
The QuickCheck Flex is built to go anywhere in the supply chain, from the milking parlor to the tanker truck to milk collection stations and dairy processing plants.
Microprocessor controlled, with intuitive touch-pad operation, the QuickCheck Flex offers options for timed or plateau-seeking testing, for screening or payment purposes, Page & Pedersen added.
For more information, contact Page & Pedersen International, at (508) 435-5966; or visit www.pagepedersen.com.
Snap In Flexible Connector System Available From Powder-Solutions
Available from Powder-Solutions is the BFM fitting, a flexible connector system designed to replace standard hose clamps and flexible sleeves for bulk powder processing operations, such as milk and whey powders.
The BFM fitting provides a reliable, clamp free fit; a smooth crevice free design, tool-free quick-snap installation, and the unique ability to seal even tighter under pressure.
The BFM fitting is comprised of the flexible sleeve with integral top and bottom snap bands and two matched spigots. The BFM fitting is available in 4 to 36 inch diameter in a variety of lengths and sleeve materials to suit the specific application.
For information, phone Powder-Solutions, at (877) 236-3539.
Upfront Chromatography Introduces Rhobust Whey Refinery For Purification Of High-Value Protein Products
The Biomine division of Upfront Chromatography A/S, a developer of customized industrial-scale separation technologies, has introduced the Rhobust Whey Refinery, a new cost-effective, large-scale chromatography platform for purification of high-value whey protein products.
This separation system combines Upfront’s proprietary EBA (Expanded Bed Adsorption) chromatography platform with already available, advanced membrane filtration techniques. With only minimal water consumption, this flexible, sustainable and cost-efficient process extracts highly functional, quality protein products, Upfront said.
The Rhobust Whey Refinery is
capable of purifying multiple protein products from crude whey in a single, flexible process, Upfront noted. The flexibility of the Rhobust Whey Refinery platform enables it to be linked to existing membrane-based Whey Protein Concentrate plants.
According to Upfront, the following products are currently purified by the Rhobust Whey Refinery: WPI (whey protein isolates) +95 percent; high purity a-lactalbumin and a-lactalbumin enriched WPI; ß-lactoglobulin, depleted WPI; ß-lactoglobulin +95 percent; immunoglobulin enriched WPI; GMP and lactoferrin.
For more information, contact Jens Ingwersen, commercial director of Upfront’s Biomine project, at:Jin@upfront-dk.com; or visit www.upfront-dk.com.
Multivac Expands Compact Thermoformer Line
Multivac has expanded its selection of compact thermoform fill-seal packaging systems with two new models available immediately: the R105 and the larger R125.
Built with standard tooling, the R105 and R125 are kept in stock at Multivac’s Kansas City, MO, facility, are eligible for Multivac’s financing programs, and are available for immediate shipment.
For more information, contact Multivac, at (800) 800-8552; or e-mail muinc@multivac.com.
Intralytix Gains Patent On Bacteriophage Used To Control Listeria Contamination In Foods
Washington—The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently granted a patent for a bacteriophage-based food safety product that is described as effective for controlling the growth or contamination of food products by Listeria monocytogenes.
Inventors are Gary R. Pasternack and Alexander Sulakvelidze. The patent was assigned to Intralytix, Inc., of Baltimore, MD.
Intralytix’s bacteriophage-based preparation, designated LMP-102, consists of six naturally occurring bacteriophages isolated from the environment, studied and selected for inclusion in LMP-102 by Intralytix’s scientists.
The preparation, when sprayed onto ready-to-eat foods, significantly reduces contamination of those foods with Listeria monocytogenes, Intralytix explained. LMP-102 is described as an all-natural product; it does not contain preservatives or known, potentially-allergenic substances (wheat, milk, soy, etc.), and it does not alter the general composition, taste, odor or color of foods.
The product is expected to receive a kosher certificatin later this year, and Intralytix has taken steps for Halal and organic certifications.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved LMP-102 for use on ready-to-eat food.
Also, Intralytix recently received a registration from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for LMP-102 as an antimicrobial for use against Listeria monocytogenes. Under this registration, LMP-102 is intended for use in food processing plants and food-handling establishments.
For more information, visit www.intralytix.com; e-mail jwoloszyn@intralytix.com; or phone (877) ITX-PHAGE.
D.D. Williamson Introduces Certified Organic Annatto Extracts For Coloring Food
D.D. Williamson has announced the arrival of what it says is North America’s first Certified Organic Annatto Extracts for coloring foods.
The hue of annatto, a natural food coloring, ranges from yellow to orange. Both water-soluble and oil-soluble versions are available.
Food processing customers using either of the new colorings can label “organic annatto extract” on ingredient declarations in the US, D.D. Williamson noted.
“Customers of our ‘organic compliant’ annatto products asked us to develop a range of ‘certified organic’ annatto so they could offer 100 percent certified organic food products,” said Campbell Barnum, global vice president, marketing.
“DDW’s science and innovation
team responded with sourcing and extracting certified organic colorings to cover a broad range of organic food applications,” Barnum continued.
Applications for water-soluble annatto include natural cheese, ice cream, snacks, breakfast cereal, and baked goods.
Oil-soluble annatto can apply in process cheese, margarine spreads, vegetable oil, salad dressing, snacks, frosting and confectionery coating.
Annatto, a carotenoid, is extracted from the outer coat surrounding the seeds of Bixa orellana trees. Quality Assurance International (QAI) certified D.D. Williamson’s processing facility in Port Washington, WI.
For samples, call a DDW sales manager, at (800) 227-2635; or e-mail info@ddwmson.com.
Tetra Pak Launches New Version Of Tetra Tebel Casomatic
Tetra Pak this week launched a new version of Tetra Tebel Casomatic, which the company said enables cheese producers to achieve superior and more consistent product quality without compromising food safety, while reducing operating costs and minimizing their environmental impact.
“The introduction of the Tetra Tebel Casomatic SC 7 module reinforces Tetra Pak’s commitment to innovation and design, consistently improving our equipment and solutions in order to enable our customers to get the quality of cheese and whey and the resulting profits they demand,” said Charles Todd,
Tetra Pak Tebel managing director. “Tetra Tebel Casomatic SC 7 is the new way to first-rate production of first-choice cheese.”
Tetra Tebel Casomatic SC 7 helps the producers in the semi-hard cheese segment make superior quality whey and cheese with better accuracy when it comes to product properties like moisture content and weight, the company said.
To further secure product quality, Tetra Tebel Casomatic SC 7 comes with pre-defined and validated performance guarantees on hygienic conditions.
Tetra Tebel Casomatic SC 7 is self-adjusting for optimal performance during its whole life cycle, Tetra Pak noted. Uptime can be increased due to improved hygienic condition of the production, which enables customers to produce cheese and whey more efficiently than ever before.
With Tetra Tebel Casomatic SC 7 fresh water consumption during production and product waste after a full production cycle can be reduced compared to the previous generation, Tetra Pak said.
This means large savings reduced cleaning and waste-disposal costs and less impact on the environment, the company said.
Tetra Tebel Casomatic SC 7 is setting new performance standards for production of semi-hard cheese, Tetra Pak explained, including: downtime cut by more than 40 percent; increased hygienic conditions of whey; 30 percent improvement in weight accuracy; reduced product waste by around 95 percent; and decreasing water consumption by around 65 percent.
For more information, visit www.tetrapak.com.
Johnson Industries Now Offering Platforms, Decking, Stairs For Any Area in Plant
Windsor, WI—Known for its Italian cheesemaking systems, as well as size reduction equipment, JII (Johnson Industries International) has introduced a new line of accessibility systems, the company announced.
The company’s access platforms, decks, stairs and ladders are custom designed to fit existing or new equipment and space requirements, Johnson said.
Johnson can offer these systems in stainless steel, aluminum, fiberglass or plastic material. All the framing is constructed of heavy duty stainless steel for built- to-last confidence.
The cleaning platforms for easy access to tanks and other machinery are ergonomically designed for safety and convenience, said Larry Seyferth of Johnson Industries.
In congested areas, the company has designed crossovers constructed of aluminum or stainless steel to provide access to hard-to-reach areas within the plant.
The structural platforms and mezzanines are easy to assemble by the dairy plants’ staff maintenance team, or by Johnson’s installation team, Seyferth said.
Roll-a-way platforms are available from Johnson to gain access to equipment of all heights.
Seyferth said the accessibility systems are all designed and manufactured in accordance with federal, state and local safety and sanitary regulations.
For more information contact Larry Seyferth, Johnson Industries International at 608-846-4499, ext. 227; or email lseyferth@johnsonindint.com. r
DSM Food Specialties Launches Delvo-Star Starter Culture System
DSM Food Specialties announced this week that it has launched Delvo-Star starter culture system, which the company said revolutionizes the cheesemaking process.
Ready in six hours from inoculation to use, the dramatic increase in speed offered by Delvo-Star gives cheese producers much greater flexibility in their manufacturing plants, DSM said.
A combination of Lactococcus lactis and cremoris strains, Delvo-Star is a phage robust, highly active semi-liquid formulation suitable for a large number of cheese types, particularly American-style Cheddar (both mild and sharp aged) and cottage cheese, the company said.
Delvo-Star is added directly to pasteurized milk in the starter tank, so it requires no media, eliminating a labor intensive part of the culture preparation process. With Delvo-Star, starter production can be doubled and manufacturers can produce more than one type of cheese each day.
“The introduction of Delvo-Star is a real innovation for the dairy industry,” commented Peter Kempe, president of DSM Food Specialties, USA Inc. “It allows users to consistently produce cheese with the original texture and flavor while speeding up and simplifying the process.
“By cutting the starter preparation time to just six hours, Delvo-Star is also the ideal solution for plants with limited starter capacity, giving them the freedom to make choices on a day-to-day basis,” Kempe added.
DSM has implemented trials in mass production plants. Cheese makers at these plants “reported that they were very impressed by the flavor, speed, reduced risk of cross-contamination and sustainability benefits offered by Delvo-Star,” Kempe said.
For more information, visit www.dsm-foodspecialties.com
LYSOLAC, Made From Lysozyme, Protects Against ‘Late Blowing’ In Aged And High pH Cheeses
LYSOLAC, which is made of Lysozyme, has been used as a natural antimicrobial enzyme in foods and pharmaceuticals for over 30 years.
Extracted from the hen egg white without the use of solvents, Lysozyme food-grade is a completely non-toxic and highly effective natural preservative which protects against many spoilage microorganisms, such as the Clostridia tyrobutyricum spore responsible for “late blowing” in cheese, according to Bioseutica USA, Inc., Rhinebeck, NY, which markets LYSOLAC in the US.
“It is used to prevent late blowing, which is due to bacterium in the cheese,” said Gilles Lagarde, executive vice president business development and regulatory affairs for Bioseutica plc. “The defect occurs during the ripening stages of the cheese.”
These bacteria have the properties that produce a lot of gas which causes late blowing, as well as bad flavors and bad smells, Lagarde said.
Added to the cheese vat during filling, LYSOLAC binds to the casein to remain in the curd and within the cheese for years, protecting while improving the natural, organoleptic aspects of the cheese, the company explained.
“Lysozyme is a protein that has a strong positive charge, so when it is put in milk and mixes with the casein, which has a negative charge, the Lysozyme binds with the casein,” Lagarde explained. “Therefore it does not affect the whey in any way. In fact with LYSOLAC the whey is highly sought for its use in applications such as infant formula.”
LYSOLAC is already very popular in the European cheesemaking industry, according to Bioseutica USA; 99 percent of the Italian Grana Padano and 85 percent of France’s hard cheese industry uses Lysozyme.
“It is well used in Italy where they use it systematically with the hard cheeses there,” Lagarde noted.
Lagarde said LYSOLAC is perfect for any cheese where extensive ripening is used and there is a heavy risk of loss.
“They use LYSOLAC because they cannot afford to age the cheese and find out the spores have caused the cheese to blow,” Lagarde said. “If it does, all you can do with it is for grated cheese and the loss is enormous.”
He also said LYSOLAC is used on high pH soft cheeses like Brie.
“The higher the pH,” Lagarde said, “the higher the chance for Clostridia to occur. Any cheese, except for the fresh cheeses.”
Affirmed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 10 years ago, LYSOLAC is also USDA-approved for use in organic products and available certified Kosher and Halal. Products containing LYSOLAC are required to put “egg white lysozyme” on the ingredient listing by the FDA.
Extensive studies over the years have demonstrated Lysozyme is effective against a variety of microorganisms, including Clostridia, lactic acid bacteria, Listeria, Streptococcus thermophilus and Clostridium tyrobutyricum.
Lysozyme is described as a pure, white microcrystalline, odorless powder with a slightly sweet taste. Lysozyme activity is demonstrated to be effective by attacking the cell wall polysaccharide of different bacterial species, which leads to a breakdown of the cell wall and destruction of the microorganisms.
Granular LYSOLAC has a shelf life of two years when maintained dry and at moderate temperature. Mixing a solution in the cheese plant is said to be simple and requires a minimum of 15 minutes imbibing time prior to addition to the vat.
LYSOLAC 22 percent solution has a shelf life of one year, and can be stored in the refrigator once opened. For more information about LYSOLAC, contact Bioseutica USA, at (845) 876-8616.
Filtration Engineering Introduces NIR Analyzer For Dairy Plant Environment
Filtration Engineering Company has introduced ProSpect, a near infrared (NIR) analyzer that scans and indicates the level of protein and other milk constituents at varying concentration levels in UF, MF and other process equipment systems.
This information is fed back to the membrane system PLC or other process system with accuracies equal to the laboratory test method used as the basis for calibration, Filtration Engineering (FE) said. ProSpect’s ability to continuously monitor and indicate the constituent concentration reduces the number of lab tests.
Designed specifically for the processing plant environment, the ProSpect analyzer gives processors in-line, real-time process control, helping to reduce out-of-spec product as well as product “giveaway” and assures consistency of operation not previously available, FE said.
In addition to WPC, FE has developed successful calibrations for a wide range of dairy products, such as whole milk, skim milk, MPC and cheese milk. The analyzer has been calibrated for multiple constituents including fat, protein, lactose and total solids.
The ProSpect analyzer is mounted adjacent to the process system in a stainless steel NEMA 4 cabinet. The fiber optic cables are installed directly into the process line in a specially designed stainless steel sanitary flow cell. The unit is capable of reference cell scanning during normal operation and verifies the calibration on a continuous basis, FE said.
For more details, call 1-800-553-4457. r
Tosca, AMPI-Jim Falls Perfect Stretch Wrap Banding To Eliminate Irons From 640 Box
Cargill Introduces Specialty Cheese Flavor Ingredients
Cargill has developed a line of natural specialty cheese flavor ingredients that the company said produce the complex, authentic aged notes of Gouda, Swiss, Cheddar, Parmesan, Romano and Blue cheeses. The flavor ingredients are said to be ideal for use in a variety of applications, particularly sauces, dressings, and snacks.
The cheese flavor ingredients were developed using distinct and proprietary combinations of natural biological processes by Cargill. They deliver authentic flavor and can keep labeling clean, while being simpler to use, easier to source and more cost-effective than specialty cheeses, Cargill said.
The approach conveys the authentic aged flavor notes that are ordinarily provided by ripened cheeses, in days instead of weeks, and represents an intriguing option for cheese flavor ingredients in the market, Cargill added. These natural flavor ingredients contain dairy, cheese or both.
For more information, visit www.cargill.com/flavors; or call customer service, at (800) 234-2539.
CrystalBan™ Prevents Calcium Lactate Crystals In American-Type
Cheese; Improves Yield
A new process aid has shown to prevent the formation of calcium lactate
crystal in aged Cheddar, Colby, and Monterey Jack manufacture.
Nutricepts, Inc. said CrystalBan™ is an organic salt added to the curd
about the same time as the last salting. By increasing the solubility of calcium
in the cheese, the company said, calcium lactate crystals are not able to form.
Mark Cater, presient of Nutricepts said that commercial scale manufacturing runs,
thus far, have produced 18 month old CrystalBan treated Cheddar with no calcium
lactate crystals while untreated cheese from the same plants show crystals before
6 months.
The CrystalBan product also functions by simultaneously stopping culture activity
throughout the cheese. The results, according to Cater are better control over
pH and moisture.
“Whether it’s a 40 pound block, a 640 pound block or barrel cheese,
you get a much narrower range of pH and moisture throughout the finished cheese,” Cater
said
Cater said that one series at a large Cheddar plant produced samples from three
vats treated with Crystal Ban. He said these vats were tested for pH and moisture
and compared to samples of untreated cheese. The average pH of the treated
cheese was 5.25 compared to 5.07 for the untreated cheese. In addition, the
average moisture of the treated cheese was 37.3 percent compared to 36.1 percent
for the untreated cheese.
“Most importantly,” Cater said, “the average moisture levels
with CrystalBan were closer to target without being over specification in cheese
near the surface of the block. As a result, higher yields were achieved with
CrystalBan.”
Cater described the product not needing any special labeling requirements, not
having any off flavors, nor producing color or odor defects.
Development of the CrystalBan concept was partially funded by the University
of Minnesota and the Midwest Dairy Association, Cater said.
For more information on Crystal Ban, call 952-707-0207 or for more detailed information,
visit www.crystalban.com.
Almac Introduces New Steam Stretcher For Pasta Filata Cheese Production
Almac’s new steam stretcher mod. FV 200 is a machine designed for the production of pasta filata cheeses using, as raw materials, industrial curds, fresh curds and food ingredients.
The raw material to be transformed is directly introduced into a processing chamber and it is subject to the combined action of two counter-rotating augers and four steam injectors.
During this processing phase, dough starts to change its structure, passing from a coarse and discontinuous consistency to a fibrous and continuous one, typical of the pasta filata.
Once the pasta has reached the
desired features, it will be automatically discharged by the pushing of the augers. The machine is equipped with a double bottom with air double jacket, able to insulate the processing chamber, thus keeping pasta temperature always constant, the company said.
Types of cheese that can be obtained from this steam stretcher are Mozzarella, Scamorze, Provole, Pizza cheese and foodstuffs and melted cheeses.
Advantages that can be obtained by means of the steam stretcher mod. FV 200 include the following, according to Almac: possibility to obtain cheeses with the desired fibrous and elastic features; final cheese moisture standardization, thanks to the presence of four steam injectors into the processing chamber; steam use avoids the unnecessary need of the stretching water preparation, with a consequent energy savings; combined action of the augers and the steam avoids the need of the curd-cutter, as they succeed in shredding the curd; possibility to pasteurize the processed raw material, increasing the cheese shelf life; increase of the production yield over the traditional stretching process; use, control and adjusting ease, allowing the use of the melting machine also by unskilled personnel; and it can be automatically sanitized arranging it to be connected to a CIP plant.
For more information, visit www.almacsrl.com; or e-mail info@almacsrl.com.
Marchant Schmidt To Sell, Service Cheese Slicers, Other Cheese Equipment Of Austria’s
Hajek
Marchant Schmidt Inc. has announced that it has entered into an agreement
with Hajek of Bregenz, Austria.
The agreement designates Marchant Schmidt as the sales partner for the sales
and service of Hajek’s thermoforming packaging machines, slicers and cheese
processing machines in the dairy industry in the US, Canada and Mexico.
With this partnership with Hajek, Marchant Schmidt said it can now offer auto
preslabbing of loaves, high-speed slicing of stacks/shingles, multi-level product
accumulation and an automatic feed system to the flow wrapper.
Among Hajek’s products is the Speedcut Slicer SC745, which features a revolutionary
knife design that ensures excellent slicing of even the “most difficult” products,
according to Marchant Schmidt. Even very wide or high products can be handled,
thanks to the new housing design.
For more information, visit www.marchantschmidt.com or call (920) 921-4760.
New 40 Pound Block Liner Supports Shape of Block, Is Reuseable,
Recycleable
LeRoy, NY—J.S. Enterprises recently anounced that it has developed
a totally reuseable, 100 percent recycleable 40 pound block support liner that
helps strengthen the box and prevents damage to the cheese.
“We stumbled on this need through a local cheese artisan in our area using
corrugated support liners,” said Jay Stewart, president of J.S. Enterprises.
Stewart said the cheese maker was complaining that the corrugated liners were
failing miserably. Stewart also said the cheese maker considered wood and wood
fiber liners which were both expensive and/or not all that appealing to the end
use. “These wood liners needed to additional duct tape and were not at
all appealing to the end user,” he said.
Stewart said the 40 pound cheese block support packaging is made of 100 percent
recycled paper instead of wood or other fiber type products. “It is also
100 percent recyclable and reusable as well,” Stewart said.
For more details, call J.S. Enterprises at 585-768-9640 or email jsent@frontiernet.net.
APT’s New Advanced Cheese Vat (ACV) Seeks To Increase
Efficiencies, Performance
Cokato, MN —Advanced Process Technology (APT) has introduced a new cheese
vat that was developed to increase efficiencies and provide peak performance.
The new Advanced Cheese Vat (ACV), the company said, offers several improved
features that make the vat “very competitive with existing cheese vats
being used in the dairy industry today.”
Craig Campbell, co-owner of APT, said his company is extremely excited to bring
to the marketplace the ACV.
“When we were considering whether or not to develop a cheese vat, we knew
we had to offer something unique and more effective than the other four or five
vats on the market,” Campbell said.
APT first started to have interest in building cheese equipment in the summer
of 2004, when a few customers started looking to expand.
“Cheese belts and block formers are limited to a specific group of customers,
whereas the cheese vat has interest from all cheese plant customers,” Campbell
said. “Our first investment needed to attract the largest customer base.
And frankly, it fulfilled most of our customers’ needs as well.”
Over the course of several months, the design and drawings were being established. “We
broke down the steps of cheesemaking and asked what changes to the design could
improve and economically impact cheese manufacturing during these cheesemaking
steps,” explains
Gary Starkson, cheese technologist for APT.
APT worked intently on the 3-A certificate for the seal material; machining of
individual parts to specific dimensions; and the overall building of the ACV
in accordance with USDA guidelines extended the completion time a little longer
than APT wanted, admitted Campbell.
“We are very grateful that we have a customer that committed to this project.
We both understood that they (cheese manufacturer) also had an investment in
the project and we continued together to install and implement the ACV into their
system,” says Campbell.
The ACV was installed in March, 2006. After nine months of trials, the ACV has
held up well, making several varieties of cheese successfully, Campbell said.
Most mechanical features are described as standard by APT. “We are very
excited about our patent pending rennet inject manifold and our patent pending
adjustable agitator seal,” Starkson said. “The agitator is a counter
balanced design, unlike the other three cheese vats with single shaft agitator
designs.”
Based on side by side comparisons with a competitive cheese vat, APT said that
the ACV whey fats have been lower indicating that there is increased cheese yields.
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