IE64863B1 - Process for making a vegetable fat cream and cheese product therefrom - Google Patents

Description

920086 PROCESS FOR MAKING A VEGETABLE FAT CREAM AND CHEESE PRODUCT THEREFROM This invention relates to a process for preparing a vegetable fat cream which is high in unsaturated fatty acids, and the vegetable fat cream prepared by such a process. The invention further relates to a process for using this vegetable fat cream to prepare a hard cheese product resembling Cheddar Cheese, but which contains vegetable fat which is high in unsaturated fatty acids, wholly or partially in place of milk fat, and which may also contain a lower total fat content than a traditional Cheddar Cheese, and the cheese product made by such a process.

Throughout this specification the term vegetable fat is used to include both solid vegetable fats and liquid vegetable oils.

One reason for wishing to substituting vegetable fat for milk fat in cheese is that milk fat is high in saturated fatty acids. Medical experts have for many years warned that a diet high in fat, and particularly a diet high in saturated fatty acids, is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, and that fat intake, and particularly saturated fatty acid intake, should be reduced. One way to do this is to reduce the total fat content of foods that contain a high proportion of saturated fatty acids. Another way is to substitute vegetable fats low in saturated fatty acids for fats high in saturated fatty acids, such as milk fat . Many medical experts believe that the polyunsaturated fatty acid content of the diet should be increased, as this might have a protective effect against coronary heart disease. More 920086 recently the view has been put forward that an increase in the monounsaturated fatty acid content of the diet might have a similar or even better protective effect.

Substituting the milk fat in dairy products such as cheese by vegetable fats high in unsaturated fatty acids (polyunsaturated or monounsaturated or both) thus has the double effect of reducing saturated fatty acid intake and raising unsaturated fatty acid intake, whereas reducing the total fat content of dairy products such as cheese only has the single effect of lowering saturated fatty acid intake.

A process for preparing a semi-hard to hard cheese product is disclosed in GB 2214776A. This process inherently suffers from a disadvantage that replacement of milk fat by fat rich in unsaturated fatty acids results in a cheese product having a poor cheese flavour. In order to overcome this disadvantage, GB 2214776A uses cheese flavour concentrates which are added during the cheese making process. Only with the use of these added cheese flavour concentrates is an acceptable favour produced in the cheese product.

In other known processes preparation of a vegetable fat cream or a "filled milk" from skimmed milk and vegetable fat is disclosed for use in making a cheese product. However, in these processes it is often necessary to use an emulsifier such as a lecithin or mono- and diglycerides and/or a stabiliser such as a hydrocolloid as part of the processes (e.g. GB 2223927A). Clearly, the need to use these additives is undesirable because it results in additional processing steps and expense. Furthermore, owing to the consumers' trend away from products containing additives, dairy products containing few additives are more commercially acceptable.

IE 920086 The present invention provides a process for producing a vegetable fat cream, which process comprises: forming a mixture of vegetable fat and whey in a weight ratio of 1:1.5 to 1:9, wherein the vegetable fat comprises by weight at least 70% unsaturated fatty acids; blending the mixture to form an artificial cream; and homogenising the artificial cream.

There is also provided a process for producing a cheese product, which process comprises: making a vegetable fat cream as described above; mixing the vegetable fat cream with milk to form a filled milk; and preparing a cheese product therefrom.

Thus, the cheese product produced in accordance with the present invention has a good flavour resembling that of a normal mild Cheddar cheese without the use of undesirable cheese flavour concentrates or artificial additives such as emulsifiers and stabilisers.

In the process of producing the vegetable fat cream, the whey used may be natural whey or a reconstituted whey solution. Typically, the whey is sweet cheese whey or a reconstituted solution of 7 - 10% by weight of whey powder or of demineralised whey powder. Preferably, the weight ratio of vegetable fat to whey is in the range 1:2 to 1:2.5, more preferably 1:2.33.

The artificial cream formed by blending the mixture of vegetable fat and whey typically has a 10 - 40% fat content. Preferably, the fat content is in the range 2 8.5 to 3 3.3%, more preferably about 30%.

The step of homogenising the artificial cream is IE 920086 preferably effected at a pressure of 500 - 1500 psi and at a temperature of 50 to 55°C. More preferably, the pressure is about 750 psi.

Typically, the vegetable fat is selected from fats which are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, fats which are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids or mixtures thereof. The vegetable fat may therefore be selected according to the type of cheese product required to be produced from the vegetable fat cream.

The vegetable fat cream may be used in the process of making a cheese product as described above. The process does not use a conventional method of Cheddar cheese making but uses instead, either a method resembling that used for the manufacture of American Washed Curd Cheese or a modified method of Cheddar Cheese manufacture.

Nevertheless, the cheese product made according to the present invention resembles a mild Cheddar cheese in both taste and texture.

A hard cheese product may be produced in which the milk fat is replaced by one or more vegetable fats and which comprises by weight at least 70% of the fat as unsaturated fatty acids. Alternatively, a hard cheese product may be produced in which the milk fat is partially replaced by one or more vegetable fats and which comprises by weight at least 60% of the fat as unsaturated fatty acids.

The milk mixed with the vegetable fat cream is preferably pasteurised milk and may be skimmed milk or a mixture of skimmed milk and whole milk depending on the amount of milk fat required in the filled milk. Typically, a filled milk of 1 - 4% fat content is formed, preferably 2.3 - 2.5 % fat content. The skimmed milk used is 920086 typically a normal skimmed milk containing less than 0.1% milk fat.

Preferably the process for making the cheese product further comprises ripening the filled milk in the presence of a starter culture; and adding a coagulating enzyme to form a coagulum.

The starter culture used to ripen the filled milk may be of the mesophilic or thermophilic type as generally used in cheese making. The coagulating enzyme is typically added in the form of rennet and may be of animal, vegetable or microbial origin. Optionally, at the stage of coagulation or ripening, colouring matter suitable for use in cheese making may be added to the filled milk in order to impart an acceptable colouring to the cheese product. Proteolytic enzymes commonly used for enhancing cheese flavour may also be added at the stage of ripening.

Once a coagulum has formed, the coagulated curd is preferably cut into pieces of curd. The pieces of curd are preferably cut over 5 to 10 minutes and are approximately 1/2 inch cubes. Optionally, calcium chloride may be added before cutting the coagulum in amounts normally used in cheese making in order to aid the coagulation process.

Preferably, the curd is scalded to 35 - 48°C over 15 minutes, more preferably to 40°C over 30 minutes. The scalded curd is then cooked at 35 - 48°C for 15 to 19 minutes. The time and temperature chosen for the scalding and cooking of the curd generally depends on the type of starter culture used for the cheese making. A high temperature and longer time for scalding and cooking would generally only be used with a thermophilic starter culture.

After cooking the curd, typically one of two processes IE 920086 may be used to separate the curd. The curd may be drained after cooking and allowed to cheddar, followed by milling and salting to an acidity of 0.42 to 0.65% lactic acid. Alternatively, the curd may be washed in water to bring the temperature to 28 - 32°C, preferably to 30°C, followed by pitching the curd. The curd is then left, with or without dry stirring, until the acidity reaches 0.2 - 0.6% lactic acid, preferably 0.3% lactic acid, followed by salting. At this stage, proteolytic enzymes may also be added.

Once the curd has been brought to the correct acidity, it is filled into moulds, pressed and then ripened to form a final cheese product at 7 - 12°C, preferably about 8°C.

To make a cheese product high in monounsaturated fatty acids, a vegetable fat preferably containing at least 55% by weight of monounsaturated fatty acids and 5 - 25% by weight of saturated fatty acids is used. Examples of such vegetable fats are olive oil, rapeseed oil, peanut (groundnut or arachis) oil, high monounsaturated fatty acid sunflowerseed oil (Trisun) and hydrogenated non-lauric vegetable fat. Preferably the vegetable fat is a hydrogenated rapeseed oil containing 77.5 - 82.5% by weight of monounsaturated fatty acids and 15 - 20% by weight of saturated fatty acids.

To make a cheese product high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, a vegetable fat preferably containing at least 4 5% by weight of polyunsaturated fatty acids and 7.5 - 25% by weight of saturated fatty acids is used. Examples of such vegetable fats are sunflowerseed oil, safflowerseed oil, soyabean oil, cottonseed oil, and maize (corn) oil. Preferably the vegetable fat is a sunflowerseed oil containing at least 55% by weight of polyunsaturated fatty acids and less than 15% by weight of saturated fatty acids. 920086 Alternatively, the vegetable fat cream may be used to make a cheese product containing raised levels of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids but a low level of saturated fatty acids. In this case the vegetable fat cream is made from a mixture of one or more vegetable fats high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and one or more vegetable fats high in monounsaturated fatty acids, the ratios of the different vegetable fats used depending on the desired ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids in the vegetable fat cream. The saturated fatty acid content of the mixture of vegetable fats will remain at less than 25%.

As a further alternative, the vegetable fat cream may be used to make a cheese product in which only part of the milk fat is replaced by the vegetable fat cream, for example a cheese product in which the fat content consists of 75% of vegetable fat and 25% of milkfat, or of 50% of vegetable fat and 50% of milkfat. Preferably the fat content of the cheese product consists of 4 5-55% sunflowerseed oil and 45-55% milk fat. The inclusion of the milk fat in the cheese product means that the proportion of saturated fatty acids in the fat content of the cheese product will be raised and that of unsaturated fatty acids will be lowered. In this case the vegetable fat cream is made as above, but it is blended with a mixture of pasteurised skimmed milk and pasteurised whole milk, the ratios of the amounts of vegetable fat cream, skimmed milk and whole milk being such that a partially filled milk of 1.0 - 4.0% fat content, preferably 2.3 -2.5% fat content, is obtained containing the required ratio of vegetable fat to milk fat.

The hard cheese product made according to the invention does not have to resemble a conventional hard IE 920086 cheese, but may be one containing a lower fat content than normal, for example one containing a fat content of around 15%. In this case the fat content of the filled or partially filled milk formed preferably has a fat content of 1.2 - 1.4% fat. Such a reduced fat hard cheese product may have any one of the fat compositions outlined above.

In an alternative embodiment, the vegetable fat cream may be diluted in two stages, firstly to form an intermediate artificial cream and secondly to form the filled milk. The intermediate artificial cream may have a fat content of 5 - 20%, preferably 8 - 16.5%, and more preferably 12%.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only with reference to the following Examples.

EXAMPLES A : PREPARATION OF VEGETABLE FAT CREAM Example A1 239kg of a hydrogenated rapeseed oil (CONFAO 5 ex-Aarhus Olie) were placed in a melting tank and heated to 60°C. 37kg of sweet edible spray dried whey powder were added to 470L of water at a minimum temperature of 60°C in a heating tank and mixed for 10 minutes. The heated oil was added to the whey powder solution and mixed for a further 10 minutes to form an artificial cream of 32% fat content.

This artificial cream was homogenized at 750psi at a temperature of 55°C using a single stage homogenizer.

Example A2 50kg of Trisun high monounsaturated fatty acid sunflowerseed oil were placed in a melting tank and heated 920086 to 60°C. 30kg of sweet edible spray dried whey powder were added to 410L of water to a minimum temperature of 60°C in a heating tank and mixed for 10 minutes using a Silverson high speed mixer. The heated oil was added to the whey powder solution and mixed for 10 minutes using the Silverson mixer, to form an artificial cream of 12% fat content.

The artificial cream was homogenized at 750psi at a temperature of 50°C using a single stage homogenizer.

Example A3 90kg of olive oil were placed in a melting tank and heated to 60°C. 30kg of sweet edible spray dried whey powder were added to 410L of water at a minimum temperature of 60°C in a heating tank and mixed for 10 minutes using a Silverson high speed mixer. The heated oil was added to the whey powder solution and mixed for 10 minutes using the Silverson mixer, to form an artificial cream of 17% fat content.

The artificial cream was homogenized at 750psi at a temperature of 55°C using a single stage homogenizer.

Example A4 The procedure and ingredients of Example A1 were used except that 239 kg of olive oil were used in place of the hydrogenated rapeseed oil.

Example A5 The procedure and ingredients of Example A1 were used except that 239 kg of Trisun high monounsaturated fatty acid sunflowerseed oil were used in place of the hydrogenated rapeseed oil. 920086 Example A6 239kg of a hydrogenated rapeseed oil (CONFAO 5 ex-Aarhus Olie) were placed in a melting tank and heated to 60°C. 37kg of sweet edible spray dried whey powder were added to 470L of water at a minimum temperature of 60°C in a heating tank and mixed for 10 minutes using a Silverson high speed mixer. The heated oil was added to the whey powder solution and mixed for 10 minutes using the Silverson mixer, to form an artificial cream of 32% fat content.

This artificial cream was homogenized at 750psi at a temperature of 55°C using a single stage homogenizer and was pumped into a mixing tank containing 1322L of pasteurised skimmed milk at 50°C. The artificial cream and the skimmed milk were mixed for 10 minutes using a Silverson mixer to form an intermediate artificial cream of 11.5% fat content.

Example A7 The procedure and ingredients of Example A1 were used except that 239 kg of sunflowerseed oil were used in place of the hydrogenated rapeseed oil.

EXAMPLES B : PREPARATION OF VEGETABLE FAT CHEESE PRODUCT Example B1 746L of the artificial cream of Example A1 were added to 9253L of pasteurised skimmed milk in a cheese vat and stirred for 5 minutes to make a filled milk of 2.4% fat content. The temperature of the filled milk was maintained at 33°C. 0.58kg of fl-carotene powder was dissolved in 10kg of hot water and added to the vat and stirred for 5 IE 920086 minutes, then 1.7L of calcium chloride solution was added. 200 units of Eurozyme DVI mesophilic starter were added to the filled milk, which was allowed to ripen for 60 minutes.

When acidity reached 0.19% lactic acid, 2.48L of calf rennet were added, and the ripened filled milk was stirred for 5 minutes and allowed to coagulate for 60 minutes.

When ready the curd was cut to a size of half an inch over a period of 8 minutes. The curd was then scalded to 38°C over 30 minutes, and stirred for 50 minutes. Pasteurized cold water was added to the vat until the temperature reached 30°C, when it was stirred for 10 minutes.

The curd was then pitched onto the DMC belt and the whey was drained. When the acidity of the curd reached 0.3% lactic acid, it was salted with 25kg salt. The curd was then filled into cheese moulds and pressed at low pressure (3psi) for 25 minutes, at medium pressure (9psi) for 25 minutes, and at high pressure (18psi) for 30 minutes, under an 80% absolute vacuum. After pressing the 20kg blocks were bagged, vacuum packed, slatted and stored at 8°C for 4 weeks, when the cheese product was graded.

The cheese product made by this method had a fat content of 24.8%, comprising monosaturated fatty acids 19.4%, saturated fatty acids 4.4% and polyunsaturated fatty acids 0.3%. All the fat was of vegetable origin.

Example B2 490L of the artificial cream of Example A2 were added to 8000L of pasteurised skimmed milk and 1510L of pasteurised whole milk in a cheese vat and stirred for 5 minutes to make a filled milk of 1.25% fat content. The temperature of the filled milk was maintained at 33°C. 0.58kg of beta-carotene powder was dissolved in 10kg of hot IE 920086 water and added to the fat and stirred for 5 minutes. 200 units of Eurozyme DVI mesophilic starter were added to the filled milk, which was allowed to ripen for 85 minutes.

When the acidity reached 0.18% lactic acid, 2.48L of calf rennet were added, and the ripened filled milk was stirred for 5 minutes and allowed to coagulate for 70 minutes. When ready the curd was cut into a size of 1/2 inch and allowed to stand for a period of 10 minutes. The curd was then scalded to 35°C over 15 minutes, and stirred for 10 minutes.

The curd was then pitched to the Tebel Crockatt apparatus, the whey was drained and the curd was channeled and milled as in Cheddar manufacture. When the acidity of the curd reached 0.42% lactic acid, it was salted with 25kg salt. The curd was fed into a large hoop press and pressed at low pressure (700psi) for 10 minutes under a vacuum of 2 5 inches Hg and for 10 minutes without vacuum, then at high pressure (1200psi) for 4 hours. After pressing the curd was cut into 2 0kg blocks, bagged and stored at 8°C for 4 weeks, when it was graded.

The cheese product made by this method had a fat content of 15%, comprising monounsaturated fatty acids 8.2%, saturated fatty acids 5.3% and polyunsaturated fatty acids 1.0%. 50% of the fat was of vegetable origin (Trisun sunflowerseed oil) and 50% was milk fat. The cheese had a very good mild Cheddar flavour.

Example B3 530L of the artificial cream of Example A3 were added to 8660L of pasteurised skimmed milk and 820L of pasteurised whole milk in a cheese vat and stirred for 5 minutes to make a filled milk of 1.3% fat content. The IE 920086 temperature of the filled milk was maintained at 3 3°C. 0.58kg of beta-carotene powder was dissolved in 10kg of hot water and added to the vat and stirred for 5 minutes. 200 units of Eurozyme DVI mesophilic starter were added to the filled milk, which was allowed to ripen for 85 minutes.

When the acidity reached 0.18% lactic acid, 2.48L of calf rennet were added, and the ripened filled milk was stirred for 5 minutes and allowed to coagulate for 70 minutes.

When ready the curd was cut to a size of 1/2 inch and allowed to stand for 5 minutes. The curd was then scalded to 3 5°C over 15 minutes, and stirred until the acidity had risen by 0.02%. The whey was then drained until the curd showed, when it was stirred until the acidity reached 0.16 - 0.18%. Pasteurised cold water at 12°C was added to the vat until the temperature reached 3 0°C, when it was stirred for 5 minutes.

The curd was then pitched, the whey was drained and the curd was cheddared. When the acidity of the curd reached 0.3% lactic acid, it was salted with 25kg salt. The curd was fed into a large hoop press and pressed at low pressure (700psi) for 10 minutes under a vacuum of 25 inches Hg and for 10 minutes without vacuum, then at high pressure (1200psi) for 4 hours. After pressing the curd was cut into 20kg blocks, bagged and stored at 8°C for 4 weeks, when it was graded.

The cheese product made by this method had a fat content of 15%, comprising monounsaturated fatty acids 8.8%, saturated fatty acids 3.9% and polyunsaturated fatty acids 1.8%. 75% of the fat was of vegetable origin (olive oil) and 25% was milk fat.

IE 920086 Example B4 2069L of the intermediate artificial cream of Example A6 were added to 7931L of pasteurised skimmed milk in a cheese vat and stirred for 5 minutes to make a filled milk of 2.4% fat content. The temperature of the filled milk was maintained at 33°C. 0.58kg of beta-carotene powder was dissolved in 10kg of hot water and added to the vat and stirred for 5 minutes. 200 units of Eurozyme DVS thermophilic starter were added to the filled milk, which was allowed to ripen for 60 minutes.

When the acidity reached 0.19% lactic acid, 2.48L of calf rennet were added, and the ripened filled milk was stirred for 5 minutes and allowed to coagulate for 60 minutes. When ready the curd was cut to a size of 1/2 inch over a period of 8 minutes. The curd was then scalded to 47°C over 60 minutes, and stirred to 30 minutes after which it was allowed to settle for 15 minutes. The whey was then drained to the top of the curd, which was stirred for 5 minutes before the remainder of the whey was drained. The curd was then allowed to Cheddar. After cheddaring, the curd was milled, followed by salting with 25kg salt when the acidity reached 0.5 -0.6% lactic acid. The curd was then fed into a large hoop press and pressed at low pressure (700psi) for 10 minutes under a vacuum of 25 inches Hg and for 10 minutes without vacuum, then at high pressure (1200psi) for 4 hours. After pressing the curd was cut into 25kg blocks, bagged and stored at 8°C for 4 weeks, when it was graded.

The cheese product made by this method had a fat content of 24.8%, comprising polyunsaturated fatty acids 16.6%, monounsaturated fatty acids 4.9% and saturated fatty acids 2.6%. All the fat was of vegetable origin.

IE 920086 Example B5 1241L of the intermediate artificial cream of Example A5 were added to 8759L of pasteurised skimmed milk in a cheese vat and stirred for 5 minutes to make a filled milk of 1.36% fat content. The temperature of the filled milk was maintained at 3 3°C. 0.58kg of beta-carotene powder was dissolved in 10kg of hot water and added to the vat and stirred for 5 minutes. 2 00 units of Eurozyme DVI mesophilic starter were added to the filled milk, which was allowed to ripen for 85 minutes.

When the acidity reached 0.18% lactic acid, 2.48L of calf rennet were added, and the ripened filled milk was stirred for 5 minutes and allowed to coagulate for 70 minutes. When ready the curd was cut to a size of 1/2 inch and allowed to stand for 10 minutes. The curd was then scalded to 35°C over 15 minutes and stirred for 10 minutes. The whey was then drained until the curd showed, when pasteurised water at 25°C was added to the vat up to the original level of the whey.

After stirring for 20 minutes, the curd was pitched, the whey was drained and the curd was channeled. When the acidity of the curd reached 0.4% lactic acid, it was salted with 25kg salt. The curd was fed into a large hoop press and pressed at low pressure (700psi) for 10 minutes under a vacuum of 25 inches Hg and for 10 minutes without vacuum, then at high pressure (1200psi) for 4 hours. After pressing the curd was cut into 25kg blocks, bagged and stored at 8°C for 4 weeks, when it was graded.

The cheese product made by this method had a fat content of 16%, comprising monounsaturated fatty acids 12.4%, polyunsaturated fatty acids 1.6% and saturated fatty acids 1.6%. All of the fat was of vegetable origin.

IE 920086 Example B6 2069L of the intermediate artificial cream of Example A6 were added to 7931L of pasteurised skimmed milk in a cheese vat and stirred for 5 minutes to make a filled milk of 2.4% fat content. The temperature of the filled milk was maintained at 3 3°C. 0.58kg of beta-carotene powder was dissolved in 10kg of hot water and added to the vat and stirred for 5 minutes. 200 units of Eurozyme DVI mesophilic starter were added to the filled milk, which was allowed to ripen for 60 minutes.

When the acidity reached 0.19% lactic acid, 2.48L of calf rennet were added, and the ripened filled milk was stirred for 5 minutes and allowed to coagulate for 70 minutes. When ready the curd was cut into a size of 1/2 inch over a period of 8 minutes. The curd was then scalded to 39.9°C over 30 minutes, and stirred for 60 minutes. Pasteurised cold water was added to the vat until the temperature reached 3 0°C, when it was stirred for 10 minutes.

The curd was then pitched to the Tebel Crockatt apparatus, the whey was drained and the curd was stirred as in Cheddar manufacture. When the acidity of the curd reached 0.3% lactic acid, it was salted with 25kg salt. The curd was fed into a large hoop press and pressed at low pressure (700psi) for 10 minutes under a vacuum of 25 inches Hg and for 10 minutes without vacuum, then at high pressure (1200psi) for 4 hours. After pressing the curd was cut into 20kg blocks, bagged and stored at 8°C for 4 weeks, when it was graded.

The cheese product made by this method had a fat content of 24.8%, comprising monounsaturated fatty acids 19.4%, saturated fatty acids 4.4% and polyunsaturated fatty acids 0.3%. All the fat was of vegetable origin.

IE 920086

Claims (22)

CLAIMS;

1. A process for producing a vegetable fat cream, which process comprises: forming a mixture of vegetable fat and whey in a weight ratio of 1:1.5 to 1:9, wherein the vegetable fat comprises by weight at least 70% unsaturated fatty acids; blending the mixture to form an artificial cream; and homogenising the artificial cream at a pressure of 500 to 1500 psi and at a temperature of 50 to 55°C.

2. A process a claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of vegetable fat to whey is 1:2 to 1:2.5.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vegetable fat comprises by weight at least 55% monounsaturated fatty acids and 5 to 25% saturated fatty acids.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3, wherein the vegetable fat is selected from olive oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, high monounsaturated fatty acid sunflower oil and hydrogenated non-lauric vegetable fat, or a mixture thereof.

5. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the vegetable fat is a hydrogenated rapeseed oil comprising by weight 77.5 to 82.5% monounsaturated fatty acids and 15 to 20% saturated fatty acids.

6. A process as claimed in claim 1 of claim 2, wherein the vegetable fat comprises by weight at least 45% polyunsaturated fatty acids and 7.5 to 25% saturated fatty acids.

7. A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the vegetable fat is selected from sunflowerseed oil, safflowerseed oil, IE 920086 - 18 - soyabean oil, cottonseed oil and maize oil, or a mixture thereof.

8. A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vegetable fat is a sunflowerseed oil comprising by weight at least 55% polyunsaturated fatty acids and less than 15% saturated fatty acids.

9. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vegetable fat comprises a mixture of fats high in monounsaturated fatty acids and of fats high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereby the saturated fatty acid content of the mixture is less than 25%.

10. A process for producing a cheese product, which process comprises: making a vegetable fat cream as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; and mixing the vegetable fat cream with milk to form a filled milk; and preparing a cheese product therefrom.

11. A process as claimed in claim 10, which further comprises; ripening the filled milk in the presence of a starter culture; adding a coagulating enzyme to form a coagulum; cutting the coagulum into pieces of curd; scalding the curd to 35 to 48°C over 15 to 60 minutes; cooking the curd at 35 to 48°C for 15 to 90 minutes; draining the curd after cooking; allowing the curd to cheddar; milling the curd; salting the curd at an acidity of 0.42 to 0.65% lactic acid; pressing the curd; and IE 920086 - 19 - ripening the curd to form the cheese product.

12. A process as claimed in claim 10, which further comprises; ripening the filled milk in the presence of a starter culture; adding a coagulating enzyme to form a coagulum; cutting the coagulum into pieces of curd; scalding the curd to 3 5 to 48°C over 15 to 60 minutes; cooking the curd at 35 to 48°C for 15 to 90 minutes; washing the curd to bring the temperature to 2 8 to 32°C; pitching the curd; allowing the curd to reach an acidity of 0.2 to 0.6% lactic acid; salting the curd; pressing the curd; and ripening the curd to form the cheese product.

13. A process as claimed in in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the filled milk has a fat content of 1 to 4%.

14. A process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the filled milk has a fat content of 2.3 to 2.5%.

15. A process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the filled milk has a fat content of 1.2 to 1.4% and the cheese product is a reduced fat cheese product.

16. A process as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the milk mixed with the vegetable fat cream to form the filled milk is skimmed milk.

17. A process as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the milk mixed with the vegetable fat cream to form the IE 920086 20 filled milk is a mixutre of skimmed milk and whole milk.

18. A process as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fat content of the filled milk consists of 45-55% of sunflowerseed oil and 45-55% of milkfat.

19. A process for producing a vegetable fat cream substantially as hereinbefore described in any one of the Examples A.

20. A vegetable fat cream whenever prepared by a process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 or 19.

21. A process for producing a cheese product substantially as hereinbefore described in any of the Examples B.

22. A cheese product whenever prepared by a process as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 18 or 21. Dated this the 10th day of January, 1992 F. R. KELLY & CO. AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANTS