Cheese Rind Removal

When removing the rind from cheese, knives and mechanical methods often result in a high amount of waste because large areas of the cheese that could otherwise be used must be removed. This causes avoidable food loss and runs counter to sustainable production. The “Cheese Rind Removal” project is therefore developing a novel method for removing the rind using laser ablation: The rind is vaporized by laser energy, so that only the outermost layer is removed and waste is significantly reduced. Through customized measurements, the process is designed to be adaptable to different sizes and shapes of cheese wheels, making it suitable for many types of cheese. The resulting steam is extracted and filtered to ensure safe use in food production environments.