Performance of an impact type device for continuous production of paneer

Chhana, a heat-acid coagulated product of milk, is pressed to make paneer. Like Tofu, paneer is extensively used for the preparation of a large number of culinary dishes. For the pressing, chhana was kept in cages made from a special type of screen and the cages were subjected to impact forces. Total amount of energy imparted to chhana during impacts was correlated with reduction of moisture, increase in hardness of pressed chhana and the solid lost through whey from pressed chhana. Rate of change of moisture content, hardness and solid loss with the energy imparted was found to follow first order reaction kinetics. Prototype of an impact type device was made from which compressed blocks of chhana could be taken out at regular intervals. Validity of first order reaction kinetics model was confirmed with the prototype device. Relative deviation percentage between the model and experimental values obtained from the prototype was found to lie between 3.7% and 4.1%.