GB2190643A - Packing cheese - Google Patents

Abstract

A mould-ripened cheese, such as a blue veined cheese, is wrapped and sealed in a self-clinging plastics film and the wrapped cheese is encased in wax. The resultant packaged cheese can be stored for months without excessive maturation and without loss of the blue veins.

Description

SPECIFICATION Packing cheese This invention relates to a packed cheese and to a method of packing same.

Is swell known to pack cheese in thermoplastic wrappers and in edible waxes to form a protective covering. A particular problem, however, is met with mould-ripened cheeses and particularlywith blue-veined cheeses such as that sold underthe certification trade mark "Stilton". Such cheeses are packed at maturity and deteriorate in a few days, so that exported cheese have a lowerqualitythanis desirable.

In orderto reduce deterioration, such cheeses are often closely contained in an evacuated thermoplastic wrapper (or "vacuum pack"), or encased in wax. In both cases, however, the cheese rapidly becomes stronger in taste and the blue colouration oftheveining disappears with an evacuated thermoplastic wrapper.

Wax also tends to enter small diameter holes formed in the cheese during manufacture, so that the surface has to be smoothed overto eliminate the holes, before encasing a cheese in wax.

It is also known to wrap such cheeses in self-clinging plastics films. These films are exceptionallythin and do not totally inhibit microbial development, so that the blue-vein effect persists.

Over an extended period of several weeks, however, secondary microbial growth will occur causing product spoilage.

Metal foils are sometimes used in an attempt two overcome the problem. These, however, are difficult to apply and do not form an effective seal.

The present invention substantially reduces the problem, so that a cheese can be kept for months without fading ofthe blue colouration, without becoming unduly strong in taste and without other noticeable deterioration.

From one aspect, the invention resides in a method of preserving a mould-ripened cheese comprising wrapping the cheese in a plastics film so as to encase the cheese and encasing the wrapped cheese in wax.

The invention also resides in a packed mould-ripened cheese comprising a plastics film wrapped around the cheese so as to encase the latter and awaxcoating overthefilm.

The film ispreferablyoftheself-clingingtypeto facilitate sealing ofthefilm about the cheese.

In one example ofthe invention, a blue-veined Stilton cheese is hand-wrapped in a self-clinging poly(vinyl chloride) film. The thickness of the film is preferably 10 to 14 microns and, advantageously, 12.5 microns t 10%. The cheese is wholly encased in thefilm and thewrapped cheese is passed overa hot-plateto seaí thefilm. Thetemperature ofthe hot plate is from 125"C to 155"C.

The wrapped cheese is then dipped in a food grade wax comprising paraffin wax of microcrystalline form with added white oiis. The wax is ata temperature which will not adversely affect the plasticsfilm,sothatthefilmwrapping is unaffected.

This temperature may be, for example 50"C to 80"C, typically 65"C. The dipping process is such as to produce a wax coating whose thickness is 0.10 mm to 0.40 mm and, advantageously, 0.15 mm to 0.30 mm.

The wax is allowed partly to harden, for about 30 seconds, and is then smoothed over. After cooling, the wrapped cheese is stored at about 5"C.

It has been found thataself-clinging plastics wrapping used alone does not preserve a Stilton cheese and the blue colouration rapidly disappears.

The use of both such a film and a wax together produces an unexpected synergetic effect.

1. A method of preserving a mould-ripened cheese comprising wrapping the cheese in a plastics film so as to encase the cheese and encasing the wrapped cheese in wax.

2. Amethod according to Claim 1, wherein the film is composed of poly(vinyl chloride).

3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein thethickness ofthefilm is 10to 14microns.

4. A method according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein thefilm is self-clinging.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the film is heat-sealed prior to encasing the wrapped cheese in wax.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the wax coating is 0.1 Oto 0.40 mm.

7. A method according to Claim 6,wherein the thickness of the wax coating is 0.1 5to 0.30 mm.

8. A packed mould-ripened cheese comprising a plastics film wrapped around the cheese so asto encasethe latterand a wax coating overthefilm.

9. A packed cheese according to Claim 8, which is a blue-veined cheese.

10. A packed cheese according to Claim 8 or 9 when made according to the method of any one of Claims 2 to 7.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Packing cheese This invention relates to a packed cheese and to a method of packing same. Is swell known to pack cheese in thermoplastic wrappers and in edible waxes to form a protective covering. A particular problem, however, is met with mould-ripened cheeses and particularlywith blue-veined cheeses such as that sold underthe certification trade mark "Stilton". Such cheeses are packed at maturity and deteriorate in a few days, so that exported cheese have a lowerqualitythanis desirable. In orderto reduce deterioration, such cheeses are often closely contained in an evacuated thermoplastic wrapper (or "vacuum pack"), or encased in wax. In both cases, however, the cheese rapidly becomes stronger in taste and the blue colouration oftheveining disappears with an evacuated thermoplastic wrapper. Wax also tends to enter small diameter holes formed in the cheese during manufacture, so that the surface has to be smoothed overto eliminate the holes, before encasing a cheese in wax. It is also known to wrap such cheeses in self-clinging plastics films. These films are exceptionallythin and do not totally inhibit microbial development, so that the blue-vein effect persists. Over an extended period of several weeks, however, secondary microbial growth will occur causing product spoilage. Metal foils are sometimes used in an attempt two overcome the problem. These, however, are difficult to apply and do not form an effective seal. The present invention substantially reduces the problem, so that a cheese can be kept for months without fading ofthe blue colouration, without becoming unduly strong in taste and without other noticeable deterioration. From one aspect, the invention resides in a method of preserving a mould-ripened cheese comprising wrapping the cheese in a plastics film so as to encase the cheese and encasing the wrapped cheese in wax. The invention also resides in a packed mould-ripened cheese comprising a plastics film wrapped around the cheese so as to encase the latter and awaxcoating overthefilm. The film ispreferablyoftheself-clingingtypeto facilitate sealing ofthefilm about the cheese. In one example ofthe invention, a blue-veined Stilton cheese is hand-wrapped in a self-clinging poly(vinyl chloride) film. The thickness of the film is preferably 10 to 14 microns and, advantageously, 12.5 microns t 10%. The cheese is wholly encased in thefilm and thewrapped cheese is passed overa hot-plateto seaí thefilm. Thetemperature ofthe hot plate is from 125"C to 155"C. The wrapped cheese is then dipped in a food grade wax comprising paraffin wax of microcrystalline form with added white oiis. The wax is ata temperature which will not adversely affect the plasticsfilm,sothatthefilmwrapping is unaffected. This temperature may be, for example 50"C to 80"C, typically 65"C. The dipping process is such as to produce a wax coating whose thickness is 0.10 mm to 0.40 mm and, advantageously, 0.15 mm to 0.30 mm. The wax is allowed partly to harden, for about 30 seconds, and is then smoothed over. After cooling, the wrapped cheese is stored at about 5"C. It has been found thataself-clinging plastics wrapping used alone does not preserve a Stilton cheese and the blue colouration rapidly disappears. The use of both such a film and a wax together produces an unexpected synergetic effect. CLAIMS

1. A method of preserving a mould-ripened cheese comprising wrapping the cheese in a plastics film so as to encase the cheese and encasing the wrapped cheese in wax.

2. Amethod according to Claim 1, wherein the film is composed of poly(vinyl chloride).

3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein thethickness ofthefilm is 10to 14microns.

4. A method according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein thefilm is self-clinging.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the film is heat-sealed prior to encasing the wrapped cheese in wax.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the wax coating is 0.1 Oto 0.40 mm.

7. A method according to Claim 6,wherein the thickness of the wax coating is 0.1 5to 0.30 mm.

8. A packed mould-ripened cheese comprising a plastics film wrapped around the cheese so asto encasethe latterand a wax coating overthefilm.

9. A packed cheese according to Claim 8, which is a blue-veined cheese.

10. A packed cheese according to Claim 8 or 9 when made according to the method of any one of Claims 2 to 7.