Curds

Antibiotics were used in folk medicine at least as early as 2500 years ago when the Chinese reported the medicinally beneficial effects of moldy bean curd. Evidence for some type of tetracycline antibiotic usage by the Sudanese-Nubian civilization (350 AD) was reported in 1980 (6). Fluorescent areas in human bones from this eta were observed that were identical in location and characteristics to modern bone from patients treated with tetracyclines. Identification of tetracycline in the ancient bones was further substantiated by fluorescence spectmm measurements and microbiological inhibition studies (7). 

Tofu. Tofu is prepared by adding a coagulant such as calcium sulfate to soymilk to precipitate the protein and oil into a gelatinous curd. The curd is then separated from the soluble portion (whey), pressed, and washed to yield a market-ready product. Tofu, a traditional food in Japan (90), was populari2ed in the United States in the late 1970s and is available in many U.S. supermarkets. 

Whey is the fluid obtained by separatiag the coagulum from cream and/or skim milk, and is a by-product of either caseia or cheese manufacture. The composition of whey is determined by the method of curd formation, curd handling practices, and methods of handling whey as it is separated from the curd. Dried acid whey contains ca 12.5 wt % proteia (total nitrogea x6.38), 11.0 wt % ash, and 59 wt % lactose, whereas sweet whey contains 13.5 wt % proteia, 1.2 wt % fat, 8.4 wt % ash and 74 wt % lactose. The composition varies with the type of acid used (7). 

Cheese. The evolution of imitation cheese has come from the substitution of milk components ia the development of filled and nondairy cheese and development of a synthetic cheese based on the Chinese food sufu, a form of tofu, which is based on soybean curd. 

Soybean-Based Cheese. In tofu cheese manufacture, the soybeans are cooked to give soy milk, then formed into a curd using calcium sulfate, and pressed to give tofu. The tofu is inoculated y ctinomucor elegans fermented, salted, and aged to form sufu (soft cheese) (17). This product is widely used ia the Orient and is gaining acceptance ia the United States. 

Whey concentration, both of whole whey and ultrafiltration permeate, is practiced successfully, but the solubility of lactose hmits the practical concentration of whey to about 20 percent total sohds, about a 4x concentration fac tor. (Membranes do not tolerate sohds forming on their surface.) Nanofiltration is used to soften water and clean up streams where complete removal of monovalent ions is either unnecessary or undesirable. Because of the ionic character of most NF membranes, they reject polyvalent ions much more readily than monovalent ions. NF is used to treat salt whey, the whey expressed after NaCl is added to curd. Nanofiltration permits the NaCl to permeate while retaining the other whey components, which may then be blended with ordinaiy whey. NF is also used to deacidify whey produced by the addition of HCl to milk in the production of casein. 

Hardness Calcium, magnesium, barium and strontium salts expressed as CaCOa Chief source of scale in heat exchange equipment, boilers, pipe lines, etc. forms curds with soap interferes wKh dyeing, etc. Softening, distillation, internal boiler water treatment, surface active agents, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis... 

The condition of the curd on precipitation is important. As the milk starts to gel, agitators in the coagulation tanks are started as the temperature is raised to about 65°C. Under these conditions the protein is thrown out in fine particles. Too slow an agitation will produce large clots difficult to wash whilst too fine a curd also presents washing problems. In order to obtain the requisite consistency of the precipitate it may be necessary to add inorganic material to the skimmed milk. For example, the addition of phosphate ions will prevent undesirable flaky polymer. Similarly, calcium-deficient casein will not coagulate satisfactorily and the addition of calcium ions may be necessary. 

The coagulated particles are given four to five preliminary washings after precipitation and the washed curd is then passed through a curd press to extract the maximum amount of water. 

The drying of the curd is completed by passing through a rotary drier such as the Pillet-Bordeaux. In this machine the curd passes down a chute with hot air running counter to the direction of flow of material. Strict temperature control is essential, the maximum discharge temperature being below 65°C. If such control is not made then the resin will be dark in colour. 

Hardness Calcium and magnesium salts in the forms of CaCOj, Ca, Mg. This is the primary source of scaling in heat exchange equipment, boilers, pipelines/transfer lines, etc. Tends to form curds with soap and interferes with dyeing applications as well. 

Eric F. Curd (4, 9, Appendix) Liverpool - John Moores University, West Kirby Wirral L48 8BJ, UK... 

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