Reliable Moisture Analysis For America’s Swiss Cheese Maker

If you have tasted American Swiss cheese, it likely came from Brewster, Ohio. Brewster Cheese is a small-town company with a big production line. In one year, Brewster’s 300+ employees make more Swiss cheese than any other US company, supplying over 100 million pounds of cheese to various national brands and retailers. During cheese-making, milk solids are separated from liquids (whey). Whey is mostly water with variable amounts of protein, lactose and salts. Lactose, as a monohydrate powder, is commercially valuable to the food and pharmaceutical industries as a sweetener, stabilizer and filler.

The Challenges of Lactose Monohydrate Production

After purification and crystallization, lactose monohydrate contains both bound and free moisture. This water content is crucial during packaging: too much promotes mold growth; too little results in lower profit since it is sold by weight. Brewster Cheese’s existing moisture analyzer struggled to maintain the precise hydration levels their food and pharmaceutical industry customers required. The production line needed a fast, reliable instrument, easy to operate and sturdy enough to use many times per day, with the sensitivity to distinguish between free and bound water. METTLER TOLEDO reviewed the production requirements and recommended an HX204 Moisture Analyzer.

A High-Performance Solution?

With its precise temperature control, the HX204 accurately measures both moisture types separately — or simultaneously, using a custom stepped drying program — giving valuable information on purity and enabling quality control. The instrument proved to be the practical solution they needed. Being near the line and operated by shift workers who may be rough with equipment, the design includes a hanging weighing pan with overload protection for durability. The smooth stainless-steel interior facilitates safe and rapid cleaning. Fast halogen heating and a real-time drying curve provide for rapid feedback on moisture content. They analyze 30 samples per day, with results in under 10 minutes. SmartCal calibration on a bi-weekly basis ensures results can be trusted and that their customers are receiving high-quality product.?

Since installing the new moisture analyzer, the production line has eliminated mold-related problems, reduced waste and increased profits and uptime. The Brewster Cheese whey plant production manager reported that METTLER TOLEDO “nailed the exact analyzer we needed… and the route you suggested we follow was spot on.”