Patent ID: 8119177

Claim:
A method for the preparation of a dairy snack product, comprising the steps of: grating and subsequently sieving a hard cheese selected from the group consisting of Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Tuscan, Roman, Sicilian and Sardinian Pecorino, Sbrinz, other Parmesan-like cheeses, and mixtures thereof to produce a finely divided hard cheese having particle sizes of only between 0.2 mm and 5 mm and having a moisture content lower than or equal to 45%; distributing the finely divided hard cheese in a uniform layer inside molds prior to being sent to a microwave treatment; subjecting the finely divided hard cheese in the molds to the microwave treatment for between 25 and 240 seconds until a snack product with a moisture content lower than 15% is obtained; subjecting the snack product exiting the microwave treatment to immediate cooling with air at 4-10° C.; and moving the molds to an upturned position after the microwave treatment such that an amount of fat melted out of the finely divided hard cheese during the microwave treatment remains adhered onto the molds and the snack product that detaches from the molds in the upturned position has a lower fat content and a higher protein content than that of the finely divided hard cheese.