Frederic Melton
Cheese is made by curdling milk, using rennet or an acid, which separates the curds (solid) from the whey (liquid). The curds are then drained, shaped, salted, and aged to develop flavour and texture. Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese, and the type of milk used is the biggest variable in cheesemaking. The origin of the milk, including the animal's diet, and whether it has been pasteurised, will determine the style, texture, and flavour of the cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Milk as a key ingredient in cheese | Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese. |
| Variety of milk used | Cow, goat, sheep, water buffalo, reindeer, moose, yak, and donkey milk are all used to make cheese. |
| Pasteurization of milk | Milk is sometimes pasteurized to kill pathogens and make cheese safe for consumption. |
| Coagulation | Milk is coagulated using rennet or an acid, separating the curds (solid) from the whey (liquid). |
| Curd size and moisture content | Smaller curds result in drier, firmer cheeses, while larger curds retain more moisture, creating softer cheeses. |
| Salt | Salt is added to enhance flavor, regulate moisture, control texture, and preserve the cheese. |
| Bacteria and mold | Bacteria and mold contribute to flavor and texture, with different bacterial cultures used for different types of cheese. |
| Aging | Aging develops the distinct flavors, textures, and aromas of cheese, with controlled conditions to ensure food safety. |
| Cheese variety | Cheese variety is influenced by milk type, bacterial cultures, curd processing, and aging methods. |
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What You'll Learn
Milk is the key ingredient in cheese
Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese. The process of turning milk into cheese is called "milk's leap to immortality". It involves controlled spoilage of milk, resulting in a less perishable, more delicious form of concentrated fat and protein.
Milk is a white, creamy substance that comes from mammals. Cow milk is the most commonly used milk in the United States for both drinking and cheesemaking, but any type of milk can be used to make cheese. In fact, most cheeses could be made out of just about any milk. Goat milk, sheep milk, reindeer milk, moose milk, yak milk, and even wild donkey milk are all used to make cheese. Each type of milk produces a unique kind of cheese. For example, sheep milk cheeses develop deeply sweet, English toffee flavors as they age. Water buffalo milk is the second-highest consumed milk in the world and has the highest fat content of all milk types.
The process of making cheese involves separating the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. This is usually done by acidifying (souring) the milk and adding rennet, a coagulant that helps the milk turn into curds. The acidification can be accomplished by adding an acid, such as vinegar, or by using starter bacteria that convert milk sugars into lactic acid. The curds are then drained, shaped, salted, and aged to develop flavor and texture.
The variety in cheese comes from factors such as the type of milk, bacterial cultures, curd processing, and aging methods. The origin of the milk, including the animal's diet, whether it has been pasteurized, the butterfat content, and the processing methods, all influence the style, texture, and flavor of the cheese.
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Pasteurisation kills bacteria and extends shelf life
Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese. The process of making cheese involves separating the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. This is done by adding rennet to acidified milk. The acidification is achieved by adding an acid, such as vinegar, or by using starter bacteria that convert milk sugars into lactic acid.
In the context of cheese-making, pasteurisation is a technique used to treat milk to kill pathogens and extend its shelf life. This process involves heating the milk to a certain temperature for a specified duration, typically below the boiling point of water (100°C or 212°F). Pasteurisation eliminates harmful bacteria and other microbes that can cause food spoilage and diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, and food poisoning.
The specific temperatures and durations for pasteurisation vary depending on the type of milk and the method used. For example, the High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) method pasteurises milk at 71.5°C to 72°C for 15 seconds, while the batch method pasteurises at 63°C for 30 minutes. There is also the Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) method, which pasteurises milk at 135°C for 1-2 seconds. These processes ensure the safety of milk and prolong its shelf life, with HTST providing a refrigerated shelf life of about two weeks.
Critics of pasteurisation argue that it also kills beneficial bacteria that contribute to flavour, and that properly handled milk from healthy animals does not require it. However, pasteurisation has significantly reduced milk-related illnesses. Additionally, it is worth noting that not all spoilage organisms are destroyed, and subsequent refrigeration is necessary to maintain the extended shelf life.
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Rennet is a coagulant that separates milk into curds and whey via coagulation
Rennet is a set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. It is traditionally used to separate milk into solid curds and liquid whey, which are then used in cheese production. The process of separation is called coagulation.
Rennet from calves is becoming less common, with fewer than 5% of cheeses in the United States being made using animal rennet today. This is due to the limited availability of mammalian stomachs for rennet production. Instead, most cheese is now made using chymosin derived from bacterial sources, or microbial rennet.
The coagulation process involves clipping off the hairy layer of casein micelles, allowing them to attach to one another. This results in a semi-solid structure of milk curds, which consist of paracasein micelles, fat globules, and whey. The whey proteins are denatured by heat, exposing "sticky" portions that can bond to each other or to casein proteins.
Coagulation can also be achieved through the use of acids or a combination of acid and heat. Examples of acid-coagulated cheeses include cottage cheese, quark, and chèvre. On the other hand, ricotta, mascarpone, and paneer are examples of cheeses that use a combination of acid and heat for coagulation.
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Salt is added to cheese to enhance flavour and regulate moisture
Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese. The process of making cheese involves the controlled spoilage of milk, resulting in a less perishable, more delicious form of concentrated fat and protein. The first step in cheesemaking is separating the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. This is usually done by acidifying the milk and adding rennet.
Salt levels in cheese range from ~0.7% (w/w) in Swiss-type to ~6% (w/w) in Domiati. The total sodium content in cheeses varies from ~40 to 800 mg sodium/100 g of most types of natural cheese, where salt is the only source of sodium. Processed cheese contains a higher level of sodium (~1500 mg/100 g) overall.
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Different types of milk produce unique kinds of cheese
Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese. The process of cheese-making involves separating milk into solid curds and liquid whey. This is done by acidifying the milk and adding rennet. The type of milk used is the biggest variable in the cheese-making process.
The four types of milk that the FDA has approved for cheese-making in the United States are cow's milk, water buffalo milk, goat's milk, and sheep's milk. Each type of milk produces a unique kind of cheese. For example, cow milk cheeses possess a creamy, buttery, and smooth quality, with less fat content than some other milk types. Cow's milk cheeses range from soft to hard and include Havarti, Munster, Camembert, and Chaource. Goat's milk cheeses include Bûcheron, Caprino, Crottin de Chavignol, feta, Garrotxa, Montrachet, and pyramid cheese. Sheep milk cheeses are also common, though their specific names were not detailed in my sources. Water buffalo milk is highly prized and used in a few kinds of cheese, including Italian buffalo mozzarella, paneer, Scamorza, and Braila. It has an extremely high amount of fat, almost 10%, which makes it ideal for certain semi-soft and soft cheeses.
In some cultures, cheese is made with milk from other animals, such as reindeer, moose, yak, and even wild donkey. The origin of the milk, including the animal's diet and geographical location, contributes to the unique characteristics of the resulting cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese is made from milk, bacteria, coagulants, and salt. The milk is separated into solid curds and liquid whey, which are then drained, shaped, salted, and aged to develop flavour and texture.
Cow's milk is the most common type of milk used to make cheese due to its wide availability and optimal fat and protein content. However, cheese can also be made from sheep's milk, goat's milk, buffalo milk, reindeer milk, moose milk, yak milk, and even wild donkey milk.
Factory-made cheese overtook traditional cheesemaking during World War II, and factories have been the primary source of cheese in America and Europe since then. Modern cheese plants use pasteurisation and standardisation to ensure the milk meets safety standards and is suitable for large-scale production.
