David W Mehnert

US Patent:

6406724, Jun 18, 2002

Filed:

Sep 12, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/659459

Inventors:

Divya Shree Reddy - Lake Zurich IL
James William Moran - Antioch IL
Bashir Aideloje Elabor - Evanston IL
David Webb Mehnert - Lake Villa IL
Rudolf Johann Fritsch - Chicago IL

Assignee:

Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. - Northfield IL

International Classification:

A23C 912

US Classification:

426 34, 426 35, 426 36, 426534, 426535, 426580, 426582, 426650

Abstract:

A natural biogenerated cheese flavoring system is provided which can be used to prepare very different cheeses having desired flavor profiles. More specifically, the present cheese flavoring system contains a sulfury-cheddar flavored component, a creamy-buttery flavored component, and a cheesy flavored component. Each of these flavored components can be used as flavor building blocks with their own specific flavor profiles and/or characteristics. Using various combinations of these flavored components, cheeses having a wide variety of flavors can be produced. The flavored components are separately prepared from a highly concentrated milk substrate using compositions (e. g. , specific enzymes, cultures, and additives) and process conditions designed to provide the flavored components having specific flavor profiles and/or characteristics. The flavor concentrates can be used in process cheese, process cheese-type products, or other cheeses to produce very different cheeses with desired flavor profiles. The flavor concentrates can also be used as a natural flavoring system in other food products.

US Patent:

6426102, Jul 30, 2002

Filed:

Jul 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/618514

Inventors:

Lowell Isom - St. Louis MO
David Webb Mehnert - Lake Villa IL
Nicole Grabowski - Chicago IL

Assignee:

Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. - Northfield IL

International Classification:

A23L 130

US Classification:

426 72, 426 73, 426335, 426518, 426532, 426580, 426582

Abstract:

A method of making flavorful, organoleptically pleasing, non-agglomerating, shredded natural cheese containing one or more nutritional supplements is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) shredding a natural cheese to form pieces; (2) adding a nutritional supplement nutritional supplement comprising calcium sulfate dihydrate to the shredded cheese to form a mixture; (3) blending the mixture to achieve an essentially homogenous shredded cheese; and (4) packaging the essentially homogenous shredded cheese; wherein the calcium sulfate dihydrate is added in an amount sufficient to provide nutritionally supplementation and to provide non-agglomerating properties. The nutritional supplement of this invention allows preparation of shredded cheeses containing significantly reduced levels of conventional anti-caking agents while still maintaining the desired non-agglomerating properties. In some cases, conventional anti-caking agents are essentially eliminated.

US Patent:

6475538, Nov 5, 2002

Filed:

Jan 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/759581

Inventors:

Hiren H. Thakar - Palatine IL
David Webb Mehnert - Lake Villa IL
Wendy Munz - Naperville IL
Mohamed Saad Kettani - Schaumburg IL
William J. Zaikos - Chicago IL
Amanda Young - Dayton OH
Michael Robert Fournier - Chicago IL
Mark Gurevich - Buffalo Grove IL

Assignee:

Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. - Northfield IL

International Classification:

A23C 912

US Classification:

426 43, 426 34, 426 36, 426 42, 426582

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to an improved process of producing natural mozzarella cheese. The process starts with a liquid dairy substrate that is cultured and coagulated. The resulting curd is cut and salted. The resulting curd (i. e. , base curd) may be frozen or refrigerated and stored until needed. Once needed, the stored base curd is ground and treated in a blender where it is partially standardized to form a âpartially standardized base curd. â The partially standardized base curd is then cooked in a cooker or cooker/stretcher (preferably in a lay-down cooker) where standardization is completed by the addition of a cultured or uncultured skim milk retentate. No emulsifying salts are used in the cooker/stretcher. The cheese mass is then rapidly cooled to produce the mozzarella cheese. The conventional brine cooling step normally used in mozzarella cheese production is not used in the present invention.

US Patent:

6916496, Jul 12, 2005

Filed:

Nov 6, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/702718

Inventors:

David W. Mehnert - Antioch IL, US
Rudolf J. Fritsch - Chicago IL, US
Wolfram Steffan - Ottobrunn, DE
Peter Habermeier - Scheyern, DE
Allan G. W. Bradbury - Rohrmoos, DE
Alan Wolfschoon-Pombo - Freising, DE
Mehran Rose - Hohenbrunn, DE

Assignee:

Kraft Foods R&D, Inc. - Munich

International Classification:

A23C009/00
A23C019/00

US Classification:

426 39, 426 36, 426582, 426583

Abstract:

Process for manufacturing cheeses and other dairy products, and the resulting products, in which lactobionic acid is added, or generated in situ, in combination with a dairy component in the course of the process. The lactobionic acid can be used as the sole acidulent for direct acidification of the cheese, or in conjunction with reduced amounts of lactic acid culture. When the lactobionic acid is generated in situ during cheese manufacture according to the invention, a lactose oxidase is used in one embodiment to convert lactose intrinsically present in the dairy liquid ingredient(s) into lactobionic acid. The organoleptic attributes of the cheeses made using lactobionic acid as an ingredient are satisfactory and fully suitable. The process can be applied to the production of a wide variety of cheeses, including, for example, cream cheeses, hard cheeses such as cheddar, UF cheeses, process cheeses, cheddar cheeses, and so forth.

US Patent:

7186427, Mar 6, 2007

Filed:

Mar 29, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/092352

Inventors:

Gitte Budolfsen Lynglev - Frederiksberg, DK
Rathna Koka - Mt. Prospect IL, US
David W. Mehnert - Antioch IL, US
Rudolf J. Fritsch - Chicago IL, US

Assignee:

Novozymes A/S - Bagsvaerd

International Classification:

A23C 9/12

US Classification:

426 36, 426 34, 426 42, 426 43, 426580, 426582

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a method for producing a fermented dairy product including the use of an oxidase for the conversion of lactose to lactobionic acid. Moreover, it refers to a method for affecting firmness and/or sourness of a fermented dairy product. Hereby is produced a fermented dairy product having improved functional and/or organoleptic properties.

US Patent:

7323204, Jan 29, 2008

Filed:

Jun 25, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/877422

Inventors:

Zuoxing Zheng - Palatine IL, US
David Mehnert - Lake Villa IL, US
Susan Monckton - Carol Stream IL, US

Assignee:

Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. - Northfield IL

International Classification:

A23C 19/00

US Classification:

426582, 426 34, 426 36, 426 41, 426532, 426654

Abstract:

The invention is directed to a fermented and clarified nisin-containing whey and a method of making that can be used to produce a stabilized food product by adding, for example, to the pack water of fresh mozzarella cheese. The resulting stabilized food product retards or limits below detection levels the growth of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants when the nisin-containing whey is added in amounts between about 10 to about 30% to the food product. The stabilized food product improves the safety of the food by retarding the growth of and improves the shelf life of the product by retarding the growth of gas forming bacteria such as bacteria from the species.

US Patent:

7329424, Feb 12, 2008

Filed:

Jan 19, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/038355

Inventors:

David W. Mehnert - Antioch IL, US
Rudolf J. Fritsch - Chicago IL, US
Wolfram Steffan - Ottobrunn, DE
Peter Habermeier - Scheyern, DE
Allan G. W. Bradbury - Rohrmoos, DE
Alan Wolfschoon-Pombo - Freising, DE
Mehran Rose - Hohenbrunn, DE
Gitte Budolfsen Lynglev - Frederiksbert, DK
Hans Peter Heldt-Hansen - Virum, DK

Assignee:

Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. - Northfield IL

International Classification:

A23C 9/00
A23C 19/00

US Classification:

426 39, 426 36, 426582, 426583

Abstract:

Process for manufacturing cheeses and other dairy products, and the resulting products, in which lactobionic acid is added, or generated in situ, in combination with a dairy component in the course of the process. The lactobionic acid can be used as the sole acidulent for direct acidification of the cheese, or in conjunction with reduced amounts of lactic acid culture. When the lactobionic acid is generated in situ during cheese manufacture according to the invention, a lactose oxidase is used in one embodiment to convert lactose intrinsically present in the dairy liquid ingredient(s) into lactobionic acid. The organoleptic attributes of the cheeses made using lactobionic acid as an ingredient are satisfactory and fully suitable. The process can be applied to the production of a wide variety of cheeses, including, for example, cream cheeses, hard cheeses such as cheddar, UF cheeses, process cheeses, cheddar cheeses, and so forth.

US Patent:

7560129, Jul 14, 2009

Filed:

Mar 23, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/087981

Inventors:

David Webb Mehnert - Lake Villa IL, US
Divva Shree Reddy - Lake Zurich IL, US
Carie Lynn Wolters - Round Lake IL, US

Assignee:

Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC - Northfield IL

International Classification:

A23C 19/00

US Classification:

426582, 426491, 426512, 426580

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to a process for making a block of cheese having reduced moisture variability. A bulk container having a bottom and sidewalls, and a tube having a fill end and an opposite discharge end, are provided. The discharge end of the tube is positioned at an approximately central axial location of the container. Cheese curd is introduced into the container, and the tube via its fill end. Then, a chilled brine is introduced into the tube via its fill end to mix with curd therein. Preferably, the chilled brine has a salt content which approximately matches the salt content of the moisture phase of the cheese curd. The tube is removed from the cheese curd in the container. The cheese curd is pressed into a curd mass, and then cooled, and thereafter cured, providing a cheese block having reduced moisture variability.