Frederic Melton
Cheese is made from milk, which can come from cows, goats, sheep, and even camels, llamas, reindeer, water buffalo, horses, and humans. The milk is collected from farms and taken to a cheese plant, where it is standardised and pasteurised. Then, good bacteria or starter cultures are added to the milk, which ferment the lactose into lactic acid and determine the cheese's flavour and texture. Different types of cultures are used to create different types of cheese. The curds are then cut, stirred, and heated to release whey, and the curd is separated from the whey. The curd is then salted and pressed into a form, and the cheese is aged before it is ready to eat.
What are different cheeses made from?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Basic Ingredient | Milk |
| Milk Source | Cow, Goat, Sheep, Reindeer, Buffalo, Human, etc. |
| Bacteria | Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Propionibacter shermani, etc. |
| Other Ingredients | Salt, Cream, Protein, Whey, Rennet |
| Cheese Types | Fresh, Lactic Natural Rind, Bloomy Rind, Hard Heated, Blue, Stretched Curd, Whey Cheese, Pasta Filata, etc. |
| Texture | Soft, Weak-Bodied, Semi-dry, Dry, Hard, Crumbly, Elastic, Open-textured, Stringy, etc. |
| Flavour | Salty, Bland, Sweet, Intense, Distinctive, etc. |
| Colour | White, Yellow |
| Rind | White, Bloomy |
| Aging | Fresh/Unripened, Ripened, Aged |
| Moisture Content | Soft, Hard |
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What You'll Learn
Milk from different animals
The type of animal milk used plays a significant role in the flavour and texture of the resulting cheese. For example, goat's milk cheese tends to have a tangier, sharper flavour than cow's milk cheese. The breed of animal, their diet, and the quality of their milk can also impact the final product. For instance, the same type of cheese made from the milk of cows kept on high alpine pastures will taste different from that made from cows in lush grass fields.
Raw milk, which has not been heat-treated to destroy bacteria, is often favoured for cheesemaking as it contains beneficial bacteria and enzymes that contribute to the flavour and complexity of the cheese. However, raw milk must be sourced from healthy, well-cared-for animals to ensure food safety. On the other hand, pasteurized milk has a longer shelf life and reduces the risk of food-borne illnesses, but it damages the proteins and enzymes in the milk, requiring the addition of ingredients like calcium chloride or lipase during cheesemaking.
The process of making cheese from milk involves a series of steps that transform the milk into a solid, edible product. Milk is collected from dairy farms and undergoes quality and purity tests before being standardized and pasteurized. Then, starter cultures or bacteria are added to ferment the lactose and produce lactic acid, determining the cheese's flavour and texture. The milk is then allowed to curdle and separate into solid curds and liquid whey. The curds are cut, stirred, and heated to release more whey, and then salted and pressed into forms or hoops to shape the cheese. Finally, the cheese may be aged to develop its flavour and texture further before it is ready for consumption.
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Bacteria and cultures
Cheese is made from milk, and milk contains microbes. These native microbes are carried over into the cheese, and as the cheese ages, ambient organisms are also introduced. However, to ensure consistency and speed up the process, cheesemakers usually add "starter cultures" of specific bacteria to the milk at the beginning of cheesemaking. These bacteria feed on lactose, the milk's natural sugar, and convert it into lactic acid. This process of fermentation preserves the milk in the form of cheese, which can then be consumed months or years later. Different bacteria produce different flavours and textures of cheese.
The most common starter cultures are from the Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, and Enterococcus genera. Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, for example, is used to make cheddar, while Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus is used in mozzarella. Lactobacilli are commonly used in Swiss and alpine cheeses, and Lactobacillus helveticus is often added to encourage the growth of flavour-enhancing tyrosine crystals and give the cheese a sweet flavour. Lactobacillus helveticus is also commonly used as an adjunct, or a microbe added for reasons other than producing lactic acid.
Non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) are also important. These microbes are present naturally in the milk or are picked up during cheesemaking. They are essential for cheese ripening and flavour development, especially in raw milk cheeses, which have more intense and unique flavours. As the cheese ages, the number of NSLAB increases while the starter cultures die off. NSLAB are the subject of ongoing research, as the exact role they play in flavour development is not yet fully understood.
In addition to bacteria, mould and yeast are also used in cheesemaking. Mould is often introduced to create a rind, and it can be either white, as in bloomy rind cheeses, or blue, as in blue-veined cheeses. Yeast is commonly used in moulded and surface-ripened cheeses and is naturally present in many natural rind cheeses. A careful balance of yeast, mould, and bacteria gives rise to natural rinds and creates the "terroir" of a cheese.
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Moisture content
The moisture content of cheese is one of the most common methods of classifying cheese, and it can vary from very soft to very hard. There is no distinct boundary between these categories, and some cheeses can move between them depending on the length of ageing.
Fresh cheeses, also known as "unripened" cheeses, are not aged at all. They are soft, spreadable cheeses with creamy textures and very mild flavours. The texture of fresh cheese depends on how much whey and moisture are drained from the final product. For example, cottage cheese has a soupy texture, while queso fresco is crumbly. Fresh cheeses can be made from different types of milk and varying amounts of salt, which gives them distinct flavours.
Soft, ripened cheeses such as Camembert and Brie have a mould added to the surface, which produces a protein-digesting enzyme. This enzyme breaks down the curd during ripening, creating a runny texture and developing the characteristic flavour.
Harder cheeses, such as Parmesan and Romano, are aged for longer. Their very low moisture content makes them more crumbly and good for grating.
The moisture content of cheese is influenced by the type of milk used and the cheesemaking technique. For example, goats' milk cheese tends to be softer due to its higher water content, while sheep's milk cheese is creamier because of its higher fat content.
The size of the curds and the amount of heating also affect the moisture content of the final product. Smaller curds and more heating result in drier cheeses, while larger curds and less heating lead to moister cheeses.
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Production methods
The production method for cheese typically starts with collecting milk from dairy farms. Once it reaches the cheese plant, cheesemakers will test the milk to ensure it passes quality and purity tests. The milk is then filtered and standardised, which may involve adding more fat, cream, or protein. This standardisation is important to ensure a consistent base milk for a consistent cheese. The milk is then pasteurised to kill any dangerous bacteria.
At this point, good bacteria or "starter cultures" are added to the milk. The type of bacteria added will determine the cheese's flavour and texture. The starter cultures ferment the lactose, the milk's natural sugar, into lactic acid. Different types of cultures are used to create different types of cheese. For example, Swiss starter cultures include Propionibacter shermani, which produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles during ageing, giving Swiss cheese or Emmental its holes.
The cheesemakers will then cut the gelled milk, allowing the whey to come out. Drier cheeses are cut more to form smaller curds, so more moisture is released. The curds are then stirred and heated to release more whey. The curd is then separated from the whey, and it's time to start shaping the cheese. Depending on the type of cheese, the curd may be salted and then pressed into a form, as with Cheddar and Colby cheeses. Alternatively, the curd is pressed into a hoop and brined, as with mozzarella and Swiss cheeses. The cheese is pressed, and more whey is released, giving it the desired shape and consistency.
Once the cheese is shaped, it may be aged before it is ready to eat. The length of ageing will depend on the type of cheese being produced. Very hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano are aged for longer, resulting in a very low moisture content that makes them more crumbly and suitable for grating. Some cheeses have mould culture added during the initial cheese-making process, which grows along the veins within the cheese as it ages. This is different from Brie or Camembert, where the mould grows on the outside of the cheese. Blue cheese can be soft or firm, with mould growing along the veins due to piercing the cheese to allow air in. Examples include Gorgonzola and Stilton. Freshly made cheese is usually blander and saltier, and it is the ageing or ripening period that helps develop the flavour. As cheese ages, microbes and enzymes break down the casein proteins, changing the texture and intensifying the flavour. Ripening conditions are carefully controlled, with different temperatures and humidity levels affecting the rate of ripening, moisture loss, and rind formation.
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Flavour and texture
The flavour and texture of cheese are influenced by a multitude of variables. While all cheese is made from milk, the type of milk used can vary, with cows', goats', and sheep's milk being the most common. The breed of animal and their diet can affect the flavour of the milk, and therefore the cheese. For example, goats' milk cheese is white in colour and has a distinctive flavour, while sheep's milk produces a creamy-textured cheese.
The production method also plays a significant role in determining the flavour and texture of the final product. Fresh cheeses, for instance, are young, soft, and weak-bodied, made by acidifying milk and then draining off the whey. Examples include cottage cheese and French fromage blanc. On the other hand, lactic natural rind cheeses are drained slightly more, dried, and then aged, allowing natural yeasts, moulds, and bacteria to grow on the rind. Small French goats' milk cheeses like St Maure are made in this way.
Bloomy rind cheeses are inoculated with white mould and slightly more rennet is added. They are then dried and left to age, encouraging a white coat of mould to grow. Examples include Brie and Camembert, which are known for their soft, runny texture and characteristic flavour. Blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola and Stilton, can also be soft or firm and is made by adding blue mould, either naturally or artificially, which forms veins where it comes into contact with air.
Hard cheeses like Parmesan and Romano are aged for longer, resulting in a very low moisture content that makes them crumbly and ideal for grating. The length of ageing and moisture content are common methods of classifying cheese, with softer cheeses generally having a higher moisture content and being less aged. Stretched curd cheeses like mozzarella are made by heating and stretching the curd to form a stringy texture.
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Frequently asked questions
The basic ingredients used to make cheese are milk, salt, and live microbial cultures including rennet.
While most cheese is made using cows' milk, milk from other animals, especially goats and sheep, is also used.
Fresh cheeses are also known as "unripened" cheeses because they aren't aged at all. Examples include cottage cheese, cream cheese, and queso fresco.
Examples of blue cheese include Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Roquefort.
