Non-fat cream cheese product and method for manufacture thereof

In the method of the present invention for making a non-fat cream cheese product, a fermented skim milk retentate is introduced into a mixing tank provided with agitation means. The skim milk retentate is agitated and transferred through a recirculating loop as dry cottage cheese curd and an emulsifying salt are added to the mixing tank. Agitation and recirculation are continued for a period of time sufficient to provide a dispersion of the dry cottage cheese curd and emulsifying salt homogeneously throughout the retentate. Heating of the dispersion is then started by injecting steam into the dispersion as it passes through the recirculating loop. While the temperature of the dispersion is within the range of from about 70 DEG F to about 150 DEG F (about 21.1 DEG C to about 65.6 DEG C), non-fat dry milk is added to the dispersion. Agitation and heating is continued until the dispersion temperature is within the range of from about 140 DEG F to about 165 DEG F (about 60 DEG C to about 73.9 DEG C). Xanthan gum, as the first gum of a stabilizing system, is then added to the mixing tank. Agitation and heating is continued until the dispersion temperature is in the range of from about 165 DEG F to about 190 DEG F (73.9 DEG C to about 87.8 DEG C). The steam is shut off and salt, sugar and carrageenan, as the second gum of a stabilizer system, are added to the mixing tank. Agitation is continued for a period of from about 1 to about 4 minutes to provide a non-fat cream cheese mix. The cream cheese mix is then homogenized to provide a non-fat cream cheese product.