Patent ID: 6558716
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: A23C

Abstract:
A process for making a stable cheese product supplemented with functionally enhanced whey protein comprising the steps of:(i) preparing a cheese curd characteristic of a particular variety of cheese; (ii) combining the cheese curd with a whey protein composition comprising whey protein to form a whey protein-cheese blend; and (iii) homogenizing the blend under conditions of high shear and treating the blend for a time and at a temperature, such that the homogenizing conditions and the treating time and temperature are effective to enhance the functionality of the whey protein and to form a stable cheese product; wherein the whey protein composition is selected from the group consisting of dry whey protein concentrate, liquid whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, liquid or dried sweet whey, liquid or dried acid whey, and mixtures thereof, wherein the whey protein composition is added at a proportion such that the whey protein solids contained therein are present at a proportion from at least about 2 percent by weight of the total weight of the blend to at most about 12 percent by weight of the total weight of the blend, and wherein the cheese product stably incorporates the functionally enhanced whey protein and is characteristic of a particular variety of cheese.