Frederic Melton
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep and goat's milk, but cow's milk can also be used. To make feta cheese, a starter culture is required to begin the fermentation process. Mesophilic starter cultures are a popular choice for cheesemakers, as they are easy to use and can be used to make a range of semi-soft cheeses, including feta. These cultures are freeze-dried and can be purchased online. They are combined with lipase powder to create a more robust flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese Type | Feta |
| Culture Type | Mesophilic |
| Culture Form | Powdered |
| Milk Options | Sheep, Cow, Goat |
| Rennet | Yes |
| Calcium Chloride | Optional |
| Usage Rate | 1/8 tsp. per 1 gallon (3.7 liters) |
| Culture Composition | Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus |
| Acidification | Medium-High |
| Aroma | Medium |
| Gas | None |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Feta cheese starter culture
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep and goat's milk, but cow's milk can also be used. Feta cheese starter culture is available in powdered form and can be purchased online. The Cultures for Health Feta Cheese Starter, for example, comes with four packets of starter cultures and is suitable for beginners. Each packet can culture up to a gallon of milk and yields about a pound of feta.
To make feta cheese, you will need milk, rennet, and, optionally, calcium chloride to create a firmer curd. You can also add lipase powder to enhance the flavour. The amount of starter culture required depends on the volume of milk being used. For instance, a 50 CXU packet of LyoPro FETA culture can inoculate 126 gallons of milk.
LyoPro FETA is a multi-species mesophilic starter culture specially designed for making feta cheese. It contains a balance of five unique cultures, including Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. These cultures produce a more robust flavour and are homofermentative lactic acid-producing cultures with good acidifying activity.
Another option is the Feta-Mesophilic MT1 starter culture, which contains four unique cultures: Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. This culture is also suitable for making feta cheese and can be purchased online. The usage rate varies depending on whether it is for hobbyist or industrial use. For hobbyists, approximately 1/8 teaspoon of culture is required for 1-5 gallons of milk.
Mesophilic cheese cultures are used to make a range of semi-soft cheeses, including feta, and can be purchased online. These cultures are easy to use and can be added directly to the milk according to your recipe.
Pizza Hut's Cheese: Vegetarian or Not?
You may want to see also
LyoPro Feta mesophilic culture
Yes, you can use mesophilic culture for feta cheese. In fact, LyoPro FETA is a specially designed multi-species mesophilic starter culture for making feta cheese. It contains a balance of five unique cultures, which produce a more robust flavour.
LyoPro FETA is a homofermentative lactic acid-producing culture with good acidifying activity. Its composition includes:
- Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
- Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
- Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus
- Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus
- Lactobacillus helveticus
The 50 CXU packet of LyoPro FETA will inoculate 126 gallons of milk. It can be used with cow/goat milk or sheep milk. The usage rate is 2-4 DCU per 26.5 gallons (100 litres) of cow/goat milk or 1-2 DCU per 26.5 gallons (100 litres) of sheep milk.
LyoPro FETA is a great option for those looking to make feta cheese at home. It is easy to use and produces a robust flavour. In addition, LyoPro FETA has good reviews and can be purchased online.
Raclette Cheese: The Best Varieties for Your Next Party
You may want to see also
Feta cheese culture blends
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk. However, cow milk is also a popular option. When making feta cheese at home, you can use a mesophilic starter culture blend specifically formulated for feta cheese, such as the LyoPro FETA culture, which is a multi-species mesophilic starter culture made in Italy. It contains a balance of five unique cultures that produce a robust flavor: Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.
The LyoPro FETA culture is a freeze-dried, direct-set culture, which means that each packet can be used only once. It has a medium-high acidification level, a medium aroma, and no gas production. To use this culture, you will need to add milk, rennet, and optionally calcium chloride to create a firmer curd. The amount of culture needed will depend on the volume of milk you are using. For example, a 50 CXU packet will inoculate 126 gallons of milk.
Another option for a feta cheese culture blend is the MT1 culture, which is also a multi-species mesophilic starter culture. It contains an equal strain balance of four unique cultures: Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. This culture is used at a rate of approximately 1/8 teaspoon for 1-5 gallons (3.78-19 liters) of milk.
There are also freeze-dried culture blends available from companies like Cultures for Health, which offer a four-packet mesophilic powdered active culture blend. Each packet can culture up to one gallon of milk, yielding about one pound of feta cheese. These culture blends are beginner-friendly and come with easy-to-follow instructions, making them a popular choice for those new to cheesemaking.
The Ultimate Cheesy Pizza Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Feta cheese with sheep, cow, or goat milk
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk, but it can also be made with cow's or goat's milk. In the US, if the label on a feta cheese package simply says "milk", it is made from cow's milk. If it is made from another animal's milk, the label must specify. For example, it would say ""goat milk" or "sheep milk".
MT1 is a multi-species mesophilic starter culture that can be used to make feta cheese. It contains four unique cultures in equal balance, producing a robust flavor. When using this culture, it is recommended to also use lipase powder. The amount of powder used depends on the volume of milk and its source. For example, the recommended amount of powder for 3.78-19L of milk is approximately 1/8 teaspoon, while the amount of powder used for 100 liters of cow or goat milk is 2-4 DCU.
Feta cheese made with sheep's milk is considered by some to be the best and most traditional. It has a rich, tangy flavor and a crumbly texture. One popular brand of sheep's milk feta is Valbreso, which is known for its nutty and complex flavor with a good balance of richness, salt, and tang.
Goat's milk feta is also available and is described as having a strong and pungent flavor with a creamy and crumbly texture.
Cow's milk feta is widely available in the US, with several popular brands such as President, Kryssos, Odyssey, Krono, and Athena being sold at Walmart. However, some people argue that cow's milk feta is not actual feta cheese and that it tastes like garbage.
Cheez-Its: Real Cheese or Not?
You may want to see also
Feta cheese culture usage rates
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep and goat's milk, although cow's milk is also sometimes used. The Cultures for Health Feta Cheese Starter, available on Amazon, comes with four packets of starter culture, each of which cultures up to a gallon of milk and yields about a pound of feta. The product is suitable for beginners and can be used with any type of milk.
The usage rate for hobbyists is approximately 1/8 teaspoon of culture for 1-5 gallons (3.78-19 litres) of milk. For commercial use, the recommended amount is 100 DCU per 1000 litres of milk.
The LyoPro Feta Mesophilic and Thermophilic Starter Culture is another option for making Feta cheese. This culture is specifically formulated for Feta cheese and is ideal for medium-high acidification and excellent flavour. It contains a balance of five unique cultures, producing a more robust flavour. The recommended usage rate for this product is 2-4 DCU per 26.5 gallons (100 litres) of cow/goat milk or 1-2 DCU per 26.5 gallons (100 litres) of sheep milk.
The Feta-Mesophilic MT1 is another specially-designed multi-species mesophilic starter culture for making Feta cheese. It contains an equal strain balance of four unique cultures, which also produce a more robust flavour. The hobbyist usage rate for this product is the same as the previously mentioned Cultures for Health product: approximately 1/8 teaspoon of culture for 1-5 gallons (3.78-19 litres) of milk. The industry usage rate is the same as the LyoPro product: 2-4 DCU per 26.5 gallons (100 litres) of cow/goat milk or 1-2 DCU per 26.5 gallons (100 litres) of sheep milk.
The Best Cheeses to Use in a Caesar Salad
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Mesophilic cultures are freeze-dried cultures that are used to make feta cheese. They are combined with powdered lipase to create a more robust flavour.
Some examples include the Feta-Mesophilic Mt1, LyoPro Feta Mesophilic, and Cultures for Health Feta Cheese Starter.
You can use a packet of mesophilic culture per gallon of milk. You can also add rennet and calcium chloride to create a firmer curd.
