Andy Montoya
Cheese is often shaped into a wheel during production, and there are several reasons for this. The wheel shape helps to keep the cheese sealed and safe from bacteria and insects. The shape also makes it easier for the mould to spread evenly across the cheese as it ages and ripens. The wheel shape is also more structurally sound, as it can withstand pressure better than rectangular shapes. In addition, the wheel shape reduces the surface area, which is beneficial as it reduces moisture loss during the ageing process. Finally, the wheel shape is also more easily transported than other shapes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for wheel shape | Easier for the mold's microflora to spread across the entire cheese at an even pace |
| Better shape for the hard rind to form and protect the cheese from insects and bacteria | |
| Easier to transport | |
| Holds up better to pressure | |
| Reducing surface-area-to-volume is beneficial as there is less area to lose moisture during the aging process | |
| Traditional | |
| Downsides | Tricky for the average person to consume |
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What You'll Learn
Wheels are easier to transport than other shapes
For centuries, cheese has been crafted and stored in wheel shapes, and this practice is backed by science. The wheel shape makes it easier for the mould to spread evenly across the cheese as it ages. This is not just a coincidence or for aesthetic purposes, as there are functional benefits to this shape.
The wheel shape is also advantageous for transportation. Wheels are easier to transport than other shapes due to their ability to reduce friction. Before the invention of carts, people relied on sledges and frames hauled by animals for transportation. However, friction between the rough ground and the frame made travelling difficult. The introduction of wheels revolutionized transportation by minimizing friction, allowing for smoother and more efficient movement.
The use of wheels for transportation dates back thousands of years, with the earliest evidence of wheeled vehicles found in the archaeological record during the Bronze Age, around 3500 BCE. The invention of spoked wheels by the Sintashta culture in 2000 BCE further enhanced the efficiency of carts by reducing their weight and making them easier to pull.
The shape of cheese wheels may also have been influenced by the use of drums and buckets in the cheese-making process before industrialization. The circular shape of these containers naturally lent itself to the formation of cheese wheels. Additionally, the reduced surface area of a wheel-shaped cheese compared to a block or rectangular shape helps minimize moisture loss during aging, resulting in a greater yield when it comes time to sell or consume the cheese.
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The shape helps keep cheese sealed and safe from bacteria and insects
The wheel shape of cheese helps keep it sealed and protected from bacteria and insects in several ways. Firstly, the shape allows for the even distribution of mould across the cheese as it ages and ripens. Moulds like P. camemberti and P. candidum help break down milk proteins, giving cheese its soft, delicate flavour. If the cheese had edges, the mould would collect around them, resulting in uneven cultivation.
Secondly, the wheel shape provides a larger surface area for a hard rind to form. This rind acts as a protective barrier, safeguarding the cheese from external factors like insects and undesirable bacteria. A round shape also tends to hold up better to pressure than rectangles, further contributing to its ability to seal and protect the cheese during transportation and storage.
The practice of making cheese in wheel shapes is believed to have originated around 7,000 B.C. in Southwest Asia. Nomadic tribes in the Middle East made cheese in large wheels for ease of transportation, and this practice was continued by merchants through the Bronze and Iron Ages to the times of the Roman Empire.
Today, the wheel shape is still advantageous for artisanal cheeses, ensuring even mould distribution and providing a larger surface area for the protective rind to form.
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It's easier to form a hard rind around a wheel of cheese
The wheel shape of cheese is not just for aesthetics. The practice of making cheese wheels is centuries old, and there is a scientific reason behind it. The wheel shape helps to keep the cheese sealed and safe from bacteria and insects. The shape also makes it easier for the mold to spread evenly across the cheese.
Cheese wheels are usually formed using drums and buckets. The circular shape of the mold can withstand the pressure exerted on it during the formation of hard cheeses. The rind, which is a part of the aging process of cheese, is formed when cheesemakers add a solution of bacteria to the outside of the cheese. This causes mold to bloom and grow until it hardens all around the cheese. The rind is where the ripening starts, and it is also edible.
Thus, the wheel shape of cheese helps in the even spread of mold and the formation of a hard rind, which is an essential part of the aging process of cheese.
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The moulds used to form the cheese are traditionally wheel-shaped
Secondly, the wheel shape allows the mould to spread more evenly across the cheese. As the mould moves over the surface and then downward, the circular shape of the cheese allows the microflora to spread at an even pace. If the cheese had edges, the mould would collect around them, resulting in an uneven distribution of mould.
Thirdly, the wheel shape reduces the surface area of the cheese, which is beneficial during the aging process as it reduces moisture loss. This results in a greater yield when it is time to sell or eat the cheese.
Finally, the wheel shape is also practical for transportation and handling. Historically, large wheels of cheese were easier to transport than other shapes, and they could be rolled, which was preferable to carrying. Additionally, drums and buckets were often used to make wheels of cheese before the existence of factories, and these containers naturally produced a wheel shape.
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The wheel shape helps mould distribute more evenly
The wheel shape of cheese helps mould distribute more evenly across the cheese. The mould moves over the surface and then travels downwards. This even spread of mould is harder to achieve with rectangular blocks of cheese, where mould can collect around the edges.
The wheel shape also helps to keep the cheese sealed and safe from bacteria and insects. A hard rind forms around the outside of the cheese, protecting it from external factors. The rind is better able to form on a wheel of cheese than on other shapes. This is one of the reasons why, historically, cheese was often made in large wheels—it was easier to transport and less prone to damage during travel.
The wheel shape also reduces the surface area of the cheese, which is beneficial during the ageing process as there is less area to lose moisture. This means there will be a greater yield when it comes to selling or eating the cheese.
Finally, the wheel shape is also a result of the tools used to make cheese. Drums and buckets were often used to make wheels of cheese, and this practice has continued as cheese-making has become more industrialised.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese is made in the shape of a wheel because the wheel shape makes it easier for the mould's microflora to spread across the cheese at an even pace. The wheel shape also helps to keep the cheese sealed and safe from bacteria and insects.
Wheel-shaped cheese has a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio than rectangular cheese, which means there is less surface area for moisture to escape from during the ageing process.
Wheel-shaped cheese is denser and easier to handle without breaking apart. In the past, wheels of cheese were also easier to transport than other shapes as they could be rolled.
