Method of and equipment for controlling the content of fat in milk

US5260079A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Westfalia Separator GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Karl-Heinz Zettier · Oelde, DE
• Werner Hanschmann · Oelde, DE
• Wolfgang Wieking · Oelde, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 17, 1992
• Grant date: Nov 9, 1993
• Expiry date: Nov 17, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A01J11/10
• WIPO field: Food chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of and equipment for controlling the content of fat in milk. Whole milk is separated into skim milk. Some of the cream is returned to the skim milk to create a standardized milk. The standardized milk is employed to derive a parameter that dictates how much cream is to be added. The fat contents detected in the standardized milk are exploited to vary the amount of added cream. The density of the skim milk is measured at intervals and the results are stored. The density of the standardized milk is measured and more or less cream is added until a prescribed difference between the skim milk and the standardized milk, corresponding to the desired fat content in the standardized milk, is obtained. The density of the skim milk and that of the standardized milk are measured in the same sensor. The result of each measurement of the density of the skim milk is compared with the stored result. When there is a discrepancy between the two results, the most recently measured result is stored instead of the previously stored result. How much cream is added is controlled in accordance with a density difference that varies with the discrepancy.