Taking cook water out of the cheese processing equation is the highlighted benefit of the new GPiCS machine. GoldPeg said this means no disposal of salty effluent cook water and no reprocessing to reclaim protein, fat, and whey solids washed from product in the cook water.
With these water use and wastage benefits, GoldPeg claims the direct steam injection system delivers an increase in productivity to mozzarella and pasta filata makers.
Productivity
GoldPeg spokesperson Paula Bell said efficiency benefits include more uptime due to faster CIP turnaround, long runs to match curd supply, and start-up/ shut down losses 10 per cent of a traditional wet cooker.
At the same time, GoldPeg claims the GPiCS cheese offers identical composition, sensory, and functionality to a traditional wet cooker product.
GoldPeg specialises in direct steam injection (DSI) continuous cooking systems for dairy and food manufacturers, but in order to achieve the desired results with the GPiCS, Bell said GoldPeg had to design the GPiCS around the finished products.
Bell said: “Mozzarella curd is very sensitive so in response our system was adapted to be a low pressure and low shear environment.
“Also, individual mozzarella and pasta filata varieties require different amounts of work at different stages so the working and stretching of the GPiCS can be individually and independently adjusted.”
Markets
Although GoldPeg is headquartered in Australia, Bell said the company expects the US, Europe, and Japan to be its core markets for the GPiCS. The machine will be officially launched at the International Cheese Technology Expo (ITCE) in Madison Wisconsin, in April.
GPiCS was developed with the support of an AusIndustry grant from the Australian Government and has been fully tested at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Australia.