Bushra Griffith
Cheese is a beloved food product made from milk. The process of making cheese involves collecting milk, checking its quality, standardizing it, and pasteurizing it. Starter cultures are then added to the milk, which ferment the lactose into lactic acid, influencing the cheese's flavor and texture. The milk is then curdled, and the curds are separated from the whey. The curds are then salted and pressed into a form or hoop, depending on the type of cheese. The cheese is then aged, and finally, it is ready to be enjoyed! Plant-based cheese, on the other hand, is made without animal-derived ingredients and instead uses nuts, seeds, legumes, starches, and thickeners. This process typically involves soaking nuts or seeds, blending them with other ingredients, cooking or fermenting the mixture, and then shaping and seasoning the final product.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Soy, tofu, nuts, seeds, grains, coconut, oils, starches, almond milk, coconut milk, plant-based proteins, vegetable proteins, tree nuts, legumes, nut milk, plant milk, plant matter, plant-based oils and fats, seasonings, herbs, spices, thickeners, stabilizers, mung bean, faba, pea plant proteins |
| Process | First, plant proteins are separated from overall plant matter. Then, thickening agents, oils, and other ingredients are added to create a cheese-like consistency and improve taste. The mixture is then fermented, causing it to coagulate and form curds, which are then separated from the whey. The resulting cheese is then pressed and aged to develop its flavor and texture. |
| Styles | Cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, gouda, cream cheese, brie, blocks of cheese, soft spreadable cheese, grated cheese, cheese dips, shredded cheese |
| Flavors | Variety of flavors |
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What You'll Learn
- Ingredients: soy, nuts, seeds, grains, coconut, oils, starches, and more
- Process: fermentation, coagulation, separation, pressing, and ageing
- Texture: thickening agents are added to improve texture and consistency
- Taste: flavourings, nutritional yeast, herbs, and spices are added
- Labelling: the use of the word cheese for non-dairy products is controversial
Ingredients: soy, nuts, seeds, grains, coconut, oils, starches, and more
Vegan cheese can be made from a variety of ingredients, including coconut, soy, nuts, seeds, grains, oils, and starches. Each of these ingredients offers its own unique flavour and texture to the final product.
Coconut milk is a popular choice for vegan cheese, as it has a rich and creamy texture similar to traditional cheese. While the coconut flavour is subtle, some people prefer to use regular coconut milk over organic coconut milk, as the latter has a stronger coconut taste. Coconut cream or rice milk can also be used instead of coconut milk. Nutritional yeast is often added to vegan cheese to give it a "cheesy" flavour.
Soy milk is another common ingredient used to make vegan cheese at home. It is an inexpensive option and can be turned into soy cottage cheese, yogurt, and cream cheese. Soy milk is heated, cooled, and then combined with yogurt or a starter culture to make cheese. The mixture is then hung so that the whey can drain out, leaving behind a cheese-like product.
Nut cheese is often made from cashews, which are soaked in water and then blended in a food processor. Probiotics or fermented grain water (called rejuvelac) are added to the blended nuts to start the fermentation process. Additional ingredients such as salt, herbs, and spices can be added for flavour. The mixture is then fermented and chilled to harden, resulting in a block, round, or spreadable cheese.
Starch is also used in cheese-making, particularly in processed mozzarella cheese. It helps to improve the texture and functionality of the cheese while reducing the use of natural cheese or rennet casein. Starch-based ingredients are also cost-effective alternatives to dairy-based ingredients, which can be unpredictable in price.
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Process: fermentation, coagulation, separation, pressing, and ageing
Fermentation
Fermentation is a crucial step in cheese-making, where microorganisms play an essential role in developing the flavour of the cheese. The process involves converting sugars into acids or alcohols, which can be achieved through microbial fermentation as the milk transforms into cheese.
Coagulation
Coagulation is the process of converting liquid milk into a solid mass or curd. This can be achieved through enzyme action (rennet), acid addition, or a combination of acid and heat. The enzyme in rennet shaves off the casein hairs, allowing the casein micelles to stick together and form the structure of the cheese.
Separation
After the curdling stage, the curd is separated from the whey, which extends the shelf life of the cheese.
Pressing
The pressed cheese is then put into a fermentation room for further ripening and fermentation.
Ageing
The final stage of cheese-making is ageing, where the cheese is left to age in controlled environments, such as cheese cellars, under the supervision of expert cheesemakers. They regulate temperature and humidity to ensure the survival of microorganisms, which are vital to turning the curd into cheese and developing its flavour, colour, and texture.
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Texture: thickening agents are added to improve texture and consistency
Thickening agents are added to cheese to improve texture and consistency. This is done to create a more desirable product for consumers. For plant-based cheese, thickening agents are necessary to mimic the texture and consistency of dairy cheese.
Thickening agents are added to plant-based cheese to aid in fermentation and improve taste. They create a similar consistency to dairy cheese. Common thickening agents used in plant-based cheese include starches and oils. Starches used include tapioca, derived from the roots of cassava plants, and arrowroot. Oils used include coconut oil, which also adds flavour.
Other thickening agents used in cheese production include emulsifiers, stabilizers, and gelling agents. These additives help to control the texture, melting properties, and nutritional value of the cheese. For example, Xanthan Gum (XT) is used to thicken cottage cheese dressings by providing good drainage control. It improves consistency and reduces volume in sour cream. A combination of XT 0.5% solution and CMC 0.5% solution can be used to prepare low-fat cream cheese.
In addition to thickening agents, the aging process for vegan cheese gives the bacteria time to further break down the plant protein, yielding a more nuanced flavour and texture.
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Taste: flavourings, nutritional yeast, herbs, and spices are added
Flavourings, nutritional yeast, herbs, and spices can be added to cheese to enhance its taste. This is especially common in plant-based cheese, which is made without animal-derived ingredients and often includes additional ingredients to mimic the taste of traditional dairy cheese.
Flavourings
Trilogy Flavours, for example, creates natural flavourings for cheese products, offering both oil and water-soluble flavourings. Oil-soluble flavourings are added at the curd stage for hard cheeses, while water-soluble flavourings can be added directly to a brine or soaking solution for soft cheeses. Flavourings can include meaty flavours such as bacon or pepperoni, as well as fruit flavours for a kid-friendly twist.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is a popular ingredient in vegan cooking, often used as a cheese substitute. It adds savoury, cheesy, and nutty notes to dishes and is packed with probiotics, potassium, zinc, vitamins, protein, fibre, and amino acids. It can be used as a dry seasoning, in sauces, or as a main dish ingredient. Its flaky, dry texture and umami flavour make it a great substitute for grated Parmesan.
Herbs
Herbs are commonly added to cheese to enhance flavour. Classic pairings include thyme, dill, or chives with pretty much any cheese, while basil is often paired with mozzarella. Herbs can be added during the binding process or as toppings, garnishes, sauces, or fillings. When heated with cooking fat, the volatile oils in dried herbs infuse the other ingredients, creating a fresh and fragrant essence.
Spices
Spices can also be added to cheese to enhance flavour, though the flavour distribution of whole spices in cheese may vary, resulting in an inconsistent taste experience.
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Labelling: the use of the word cheese for non-dairy products is controversial
The process of making plant-based cheese typically involves soaking nuts or seeds in water to soften them, blending them with other ingredients such as starches, thickeners, and flavourings, and then cooking or fermenting the mixture to achieve a cheese-like consistency. The resulting product can be shaped, sliced, and seasoned to mimic different types of cheese.
Labelling: The Use of the Word "Cheese" for Non-Dairy Products is Controversial
The labelling of vegan cheese and other non-dairy products as "cheese" is a highly debated topic. Dairy industry groups in the United Kingdom and the European Union have pushed for regulations prohibiting the use of terms like "cheese" on purely plant-based products. They argue that terms such as "milk", "cheese", and "cream" should be reserved for products derived from animal milk to avoid misleading consumers.
In February 2019, a vegan cheese shop in Vancouver, British Columbia, faced scrutiny from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which ordered them to stop using the term "cheese" on their products. The CFIA deemed it "misleading" to consumers, even though the store labelled its products as "dairy-free" and "plant-based". However, the CFIA later reversed its decision, stating that there was no objection to using the term "100% dairy-free plant-based cheese" as long as it was truthful and not misleading.
Similarly, in the United Kingdom, strict standards are applied to food labelling, and terms like "milk", "cheese", and "cream" are protected to describe dairy products exclusively. In 2019, a Brixton-based vegan cheese shop was asked by Dairy UK to stop using the term "cheese" for the same reason – to avoid confusing shoppers. The debate over labelling extends beyond Europe, with France passing an amendment in 2017 that bans companies from using meat-related words to describe vegan dishes.
On the other hand, advocates for vegan food labelling argue for free speech rights and the importance of clearly disclosing the nature of their products. In 2020, Miyoko's Creamery, a vegan cheese company, filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Food and Agriculture after being ordered to remove dairy terms from its packaging. The company founder, Miyoko Schinner, is a vocal supporter of free speech rights regarding vegan food labelling.
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Frequently asked questions
Plant-based cheese is made from ingredients such as nuts, seeds, legumes, starches, thickeners, and oils. Common nuts and seeds used include almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, and pumpkin seeds.
The process of making plant-based cheese involves soaking nuts or seeds in water to soften them, then blending them with other ingredients such as starches, thickeners, and flavourings. The mixture is then cooked or fermented to achieve a cheese-like consistency.
The process of making regular cheese starts with collecting milk from dairy farms and checking it for quality and purity. The milk is then standardized by adding more fat, cream, or protein, and pasteurized to kill bacteria. Good bacteria or "starter cultures" are then added to the milk to ferment the lactose into lactic acid, which helps determine the cheese's flavour and texture. The curds are then separated from the whey and salted, then pressed into a form or hoop to achieve the desired shape and consistency. The cheese may then be aged for days or years before it is ready to eat.
The main difference between the two processes lies in the initial steps. Plant-based cheese involves soaking and blending nuts, seeds, or legumes, while regular cheese starts with collecting and standardizing milk before adding bacteria. Another difference is that plant-based cheese often involves the use of thickening agents to achieve a cheese-like consistency, while regular cheese relies on the separation of curds and whey.
