Dry blend for making extended cheese product
Disclosed herein are dry blends used in the process of making extended cheese products with improved meltability and firmness profiles.
1. A dry blend free of casein comprising,
a. 40%-70% starch comprising acetylated starch, hydroxypropyl phosphate starch, and octenyl succinic anhydride starch;
b. 3%-18% whey; and
c. 5%-25% emulsifiers;
wherein an analogue cheese, free of casein and formed from 8%-62% dry blend, 10-84% water, and 8-62% of a fat at between 45° F. and 160° F., is firm enough for shredding and slicing at 40° F., and is emulsion and color stable during processing and melting.
2. The dry blend of claim 1 , wherein the starch comprises 35%-43% acetylated starch, 8%-12% hydroxypropyl phosphate starch, and 6%-8% octenyl succinic anhydride starch, wherein the amounts of individual starches are w/w of the dry blend.
3. The dry blend of claim 1 , further comprising up to 8% gums.
4. The dry blend of claim 1 , comprising
a. 45%-65% starch comprising acetylated starch, hydroxypropyl phosphate starch, and octenyl succinic anhydride starch;
b. 5%-16% whey; and
c. 8%-22% emulsifiers.
5. The dry blend of claim 1 , comprising
a. 50%-60% starch comprising acetylated starch, hydroxypropyl phosphate starch, and octenyl succinic anhydride starch;
b. 13%-16% whey;
c. 9%-20% emulsifiers; and
d. 2%-6% gums.
6. The dry blend of claim 1 , further comprising up to 5% of an acidulant.
7. The dry blend of claim 6 , wherein the acidulant is chosen from acetic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, and tartaric acid.
8. The dry blend of claim 6 , wherein the acidulant is chosen from citric acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid.
9. The dry blend of claim 1 , further comprising a native food starch.
10. The dry blend of claim 1 , further comprising gelatin.
11. The dry blend of claim 1 , wherein the emulsifier is chosen from alkaline sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium citrate, trisodium phosphate, and disodium phosphate.
12. The dry blend of claim 11 , wherein at least half of the emulsifier is alkaline sodium aluminum phosphate.
13. The dry blend of claim 1 , containing less than 10% water.
14. The dry blend of claim 13 , containing less than 5% water.
15. A method of making an analogue cheese free of casein comprising:
combining 8%-62% dry blend of claim 1 , 8%-62% of a fat, and 10%-84% water to form a mixture;
heating the mixture at between 45° F. and 160° F.; and
cooling the mixture to provide an analogue cheese that is free of casein, firm enough for shredding and slicing at 40° F., and emulsion and color stable during processing and melting.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising adding casein, cheese, cheese curds, or combinations thereof; cooking the mixture to at least 150-155° F.; and forming an extended cheese product.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising after the cooking step, adding additional water and cooking the resulting mixture to 160-170° F.
18. An extended cheese product comprising the analogue cheese of claim 1 and cheese and/or cheese curds.
19. The extended cheese product of claim 18 , wherein the cheese and/or cheese curds are chosen from cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, Swiss, Gouda, Manchego, and pepper jack.
20. The extended cheese product claim 18 , wherein the cheese and/or cheese curds comprise between about 10% and about 50% by weight of the extended cheese product.
21. The extended cheese product claim 18 , wherein the cheese and/or cheese curds comprise between about 30% and about 90% by weight of the extended cheese product.