Bushra Griffith
Cheese is a beloved food with a long history, enjoyed by everyone from the early Romans to modern-day Americans, who consume an average of 40 pounds of cheese per person per year. Cheese is made from milk, usually cow's milk, but it can also be made from sheep, goat, buffalo, camel, or other mammal milk. The process of making cheese involves adding bacteria and rennet to the milk, which causes it to separate into solid curds and liquid whey. The curds are then salted, pressed into shape, and aged to develop flavour and texture. The final product varies depending on the type of milk, bacteria, and ageing process used.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base Ingredients | Milk, cultures, coagulants, salt |
| Milk Source | Cow, sheep, goat, buffalo, camel, horse, yak, moose |
| Milk Standardization | Addition of fat, cream, or protein |
| Pasteurization | Kills harmful bacteria |
| Starter Cultures | Bacteria that convert lactose into lactic acid |
| Coagulants | Rennet, acid, or rennin |
| Aging | Affects flavor, texture, and crumbliness |
| Color | Added depending on the type of cheese |
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What You'll Learn
Milk quality and composition
Milk is the star ingredient in cheese. It can come from cows, goats, sheep, buffalo, camels, or other mammals. Before milk is transformed into cheese, it is collected from dairy farms and tested for quality and purity. Samples are taken to ensure the milk meets the required standards. Once it passes, the milk is filtered and standardised. This involves adding more fat, cream, or protein to ensure the base milk is the same for a consistent cheese.
After standardisation, the milk is pasteurised. Pasteurisation is necessary to kill any harmful bacteria in raw milk. Then, good bacteria, or "starter cultures", are added to the milk. These bacteria eat the lactose sugar in the milk, turning it into lactic acid. This process helps determine the cheese's flavour and texture. Different types of cultures are used to create different types of cheese. The two most common types of starter cultures are mesophiles and thermophiles. Mesophilic cultures are best for most cheeses as they thrive at lower to moderate temperatures. Thermophilic cultures are more suitable for longer-aged, hard cheeses that need warmer temperatures during ripening and cooking.
The next step is to add a coagulant to help the milk turn into curds. The coagulant may be a type of acid or, more commonly, rennet. Rennet is an enzyme complex that causes the milk to gel, similar to yoghurt, before the curds (solids) separate from the whey (liquid). The amount of rennet and time needed for this process can vary depending on the type of cheese. Once the milk starts to gel, cheesemakers cut it into chunks, allowing the whey to come out. Drier cheeses are often cut more to form smaller curds, while curds cut less are larger and moister. The curds are then stirred and heated to release more whey.
Finally, salt is added to most cheeses to enhance their flavour and regulate moisture content, affecting their texture. Salt also controls bacteria growth and helps preserve the cheese. The type of salt used is important, with cheesemakers typically using non-iodised salt or cheese salt as iodine can affect the cheese's flavour and texture.
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Acidification
The starter bacteria play a significant role in the cheese-making process. They are responsible for the fermentation of lactose, the milk's natural sugar, into lactic acid. This, in turn, increases the acidity levels in the cheese, aiding in curdling, preservation, and flavour development. The type of bacteria chosen depends on the desired cheese variety. For instance, mesophilic cultures are commonly used for most cheeses, as they thrive at lower to moderate temperatures. In contrast, thermophilic cultures are more suitable for long-aged, hard cheeses that require warmer temperatures during the ripening and cooking process.
The addition of starter cultures is a critical step in determining the cheese's flavour and texture. Different types of cultures are used to create distinct varieties of cheese. For example, Swiss starter cultures may include Propionibacterium freudenreichii, which produces propionic acid and carbon dioxide gas bubbles during the aging process, giving Emmental cheese its characteristic holes.
While most cheeses use a combination of starter bacteria and rennet, a few fresh cheeses rely solely on acidity for curdling. Rennet, a complex enzyme, plays a crucial role in setting the cheese into a strong and rubbery gel. However, when used in conjunction with rennet, the acidification process helps produce the desired texture and flavour profile for the specific type of cheese being crafted.
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Coagulation
The coagulant causes the milk to coagulate or thicken, forming a gel-like substance. This process is similar to how milk curdles naturally in our stomachs due to the action of stomach acids and enzymes. Rennet, a complex of enzymes, plays a vital role in coagulation. It can be produced through microbial bioprocessing or traditionally sourced from the stomachs of calves and other mammals, where it aids in milk digestion.
During coagulation, the milk separates into solid curds and liquid whey. The curds are then cut into chunks, allowing the whey to drain out. The size of the curds influences the moisture content of the final cheese, with smaller curds resulting in drier cheese.
The coagulation process can be achieved through direct acidification by adding acids like vinegar, commonly used in cheeses like paneer and queso fresco. However, most cheeses employ starter bacteria that convert milk sugars into lactic acid, contributing to both coagulation and flavour development. These bacteria, along with the enzymes they produce, play a significant role in determining the cheese's final texture and flavour, especially in aged cheeses.
The coagulation step is essential in cheese production as it initiates the separation of milk into curds and whey, setting the foundation for the desired cheese consistency and flavour profile.
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Curd cutting and pressing
The curd-cutting process begins after milk coagulation. The curd mass is cut to initiate moisture loss. The amount of moisture lost depends on the surface area of the newly formed curd particles. Cutting the curd mass exposes the tiny gaps in the coagulum, allowing whey/water to leak out. This moisture loss is known as whey expulsion or syneresis. After cutting, the curds are allowed to rest and heal. They are then cooked and stirred, resulting in further moisture loss. The total cutting time should not exceed 10 minutes, preferably less than 5 minutes, as the curd is continually changing during cutting.
The type of cheese being made will determine how the curds are cut. Softer cheeses, like Camembert and Brie, may skip the cutting step and go straight into moulds, keeping the curds at a larger size and retaining moisture. Harder cheeses, like Parmesan, will require smaller curds, which may be achieved using a whisk after the initial cutting. Smaller curds will result in greater fat recovery, as large curds tend to get crushed, resulting in the loss of fines. Smaller curds will also dry out faster, so cooking temperatures and stirring may need to be adjusted.
To cut the curds, cheesemakers use a cheese "harp" or cheese "knives". These consist of parallel knife blades and/or wires. Knives are popular, but some cheeses, like ricotta, can be made by simply stirring the coagulated milk to break up the curd particles. For harder cheeses, a whisk can be used to further reduce the size of the curds after the initial cutting. It is important to gently move the whisk through the curds to avoid completely breaking them down.
After cutting, the curds are pressed to create a wheel or block of cheese. The curds are put into a mould and pressed under a weight of 1 gallon of water (approximately 8 lbs) for 1-3 hours. This results in a consolidated mass of curds. For certain types of cheese, the curd is gathered under the whey in a large cloth and transferred to forms prior to pressing. For other types of cheese, the curd is pressed under the whey using "curd tables" or "press vats".
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Ripening
The ripening process is influenced by several factors, including the interaction of bacteria, enzymes, and physical conditions in the curing room. Temperature and humidity play a significant role in the speed of the reactions, with different cheeses requiring specific conditions. For example, Camembert, Blue cheese, and other surface-ripened varieties are kept at 10–15 °C, while Cheddar is ripened at a relatively low temperature of 6–8 °C.
The ripening process can be broadly classified as interior and surface ripened. Interior-ripened cheeses, such as Cheddar and Italian types, undergo changes primarily within the cheese, while surface-ripened cheeses, such as Camembert, Brie, and Gruyère, derive their flavour from both internal ripening and the surface environment. Surface-ripened cheeses can also be influenced by moulds and yeasts, which contribute to flavour and texture. For example, the growth of Brevibacterium linens creates an orange coat on cheeses like Limburger, giving it a distinctive odour and flavour.
The ripening process is primarily about the breakdown of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates (acids and sugars), which releases flavour compounds and modifies cheese texture. Enzymes from three main sources—rennet, enzyme preparations added during coagulation, and microorganisms that grow within the cheese or on its surface—catalyze these chemical changes. The addition of exogenous enzymes, such as proteinases and lipases, can also be used to speed up the ripening process and enhance flavour.
In recent years, advancements in technology have led to the development of genetically modified lactic acid bacteria (GM LAB) that can accelerate cheese ripening. These bacteria have been altered to have specific properties that enhance the ripening process. However, the traditional method of ripening cheese in cellars and caves is still practised, albeit with more regulated processes and an improved understanding of the underlying microbiology and chemistry.
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Frequently asked questions
The primary ingredient in cheese is milk, usually from cows, but also from sheep, goats, buffalo, camels, or other mammals. Other ingredients include cultures, coagulants, and salt.
Coagulants are substances that help turn milk into curds. The most common coagulant is rennet, an enzyme complex that causes the milk to gel.
Cultures are living bacteria that are added to the milk to help turn lactose sugar into lactic acid. This process helps with curdling, preservation, and flavour development.
Once the milk is collected, it is tested for quality and purity. It is then filtered, standardised, and pasteurised. After this, the cultures are added, and the milk is left to curdle. The curds are then separated from the whey (liquid) and salt is added. The curds are then pressed into shape and the cheese is aged.
Different types of cheese exist due to variations in ingredients, processes, and ageing. For example, different types of milk, cultures, and coagulants can be used, and the amount of time cheese is aged for can vary.
