Process and device for removing the plastic coating from cheese

The invention relates to a process for removing the plastic coating from cheese by peeling, which process comprises the steps of a) providing a ripened cheese with a plastic coating suitable for ripening, where the "force before rupture" (F rupture ) of the plastic coating is greater than the force of adhesion (F adhesion ) between the said plastic coating and the cheese; and b) peeling said cheese with a peeling force (F peeling ) that is greater than F adhesion but smaller than F rupture , wherein said plastic coating also has a "force for a 10% elongation" (F elongation ) that is greater than F peeling , and wherein said plastic coating directly prior to peeling is subjected to an TR heat treatment, to obtain a plastic coating having a temperature higher than the glass temperature of said plastic coating but lower than 30°C in subsequent peeling step b), wherein said IR heat treatment comprises a first heating step and a response period of at least 0.5 seconds in which IR radiation, if at all, is applied in an amount of less than 10 kW/m 2 . The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this process, and to peeled slices of cheese with a drying edge.