Acrison Feeders Say Cheese
Salting in the cheese industry is a high precision task that can either make or break the quality of the finished cheese—particularly as the product is under the considerable scrutiny of an increasingly discerning public.Typical automatic cheese making systems take curds and whey, filter and cheddar the curd, then mill the cheese to cut it into small pieces prior to salt application. This salt metering is crucial to the final product, which must have a closely maintained salt levels.
The accuracy of the salt feeder is essential because the salt removes moisture from the cheese. The moisture has a significant effect on the quality and the grading of the cheese. Too much salt added to mozzarella for example, and the cheese loses its moistness and becomes less "stretchy".
Naturally, the consistency of the salt feeder is also quintessential to the cheese-making process. Every block of cheese must have the same salt content. Should the salt content be inconsistent, the quality of the cheese cannot be adjusted and the blocks of cheese are rendered non-standard. Feeder manufacturers must strive to ensure that the salt is steadily metered.
In fact, the majority of cheese manufacturers will freely admit that the salt feeder is one of the single most important pieces of equipment in the whole system—if this is not right, the whole system fails.
Many companies in this industry specify Acrison feeders for its crucial salt application function, precisely because it has acquired an international reputation for quality and reliability, cheese producers can be assured that their products satisfy the increasingly fickle and discerning consumer.
The volumetric feeder, which Acrison recommends for cheese-making applications, is the Model 105, which has a dissimilar speed, double concentric auger metering and agitation mechanism, which provides maximum feeding accuracy.
Unlike most volumetric feeders, the Acrison Model 105 continually "conditions" the salt to a uniform density and consistency, and its design enables the metering auger to be filled efficiently and reliably from 360°.
Of course, being an integral part of cheese-making systems, the Acrison equipment has to be ultra hygienic and must satisfy (Food and Drug Administration) USDA/FDA regulations. In order to meet these stringent requirements, the feeder is completely stainless steel, dust-tight and of easy cleanout construction.
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Unlike most volumetric feeders, the Acrison Model 105 continually "conditions" the salt to a uniform density and consistency, and its design enables the metering auger to be filled efficiently and reliably from 360°.