Kamil Perry
Swiss cheese is known for its distinctive appearance, including the white spots that develop during the aging process. These spots are not mold but rather calcium lactate crystals, formed when lactic acid interacts with the cheese's calcium. This process is known as proteolysis, where the breakdown of amino acids during aging causes the cheese to lose moisture, resulting in the formation of crystals. These crystals are flavourless and scentless, affecting only the sensory perceptions of sound, touch, and sight when consuming the cheese. They are an indication of a well-aged cheese and are commonly found on hard cheeses such as cheddar, aged gouda, and gruyere.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What are the white spots | Calcium lactate spots, also called cheese crystals |
| Why do they appear | Formed when lactic acid interacts with the cheese's calcium |
| Appearance | White crystals or a layer of white film |
| Texture | Coarse to the touch |
| Taste | Flavorless |
| Type of cheese | Hard cheeses like cheddar cheese, aged gouda, and gruyere |
| Reason for absence in softer cheeses | Softer cheeses have more water content, preventing the lactate from being seen |
| Other names | Calcium phosphate, Ikaite, and Struvite crystals |
| Formation | Product of mineral (salt) emulsion during cheesemaking or protein breakdown (proteolysis) as the cheese ages |
| Function | Help mold-ripened cheeses become soft |
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What You'll Learn
White spots are not mould
The white spots on Swiss cheese are not mould. They are, in fact, crystals of calcium lactate, also known as cheese crystals. These crystals are formed when lactic acid interacts with the cheese's calcium. As the cheese ages and loses moisture, the lactate rises to the surface along with the moisture, and as the moisture recedes, the lactate is left on the surface in the form of crystals.
Cheese crystals are commonly found on hard cheeses like cheddar cheese, aged gouda, and gruyere. Softer cheeses like mozzarella do not get these white marks because they have a higher water content, which prevents the lactate from being visible. Cheese crystals are flavourless and scentless and do not affect the taste of the cheese. However, they do provide a crunchy texture and are considered desirable by many cheese lovers as they indicate that the cheese is well-aged.
The presence of calcium lactate crystals can be distinguished from mould by their appearance and texture. Mould will typically appear as a soft, raised mass on the surface of the cheese, whereas calcium lactate crystals will feel coarse and be more engrained in the cheese.
In addition to calcium lactate crystals, other types of crystals that can form on cheese include calcium phosphate, ikaite, and struvite crystals, which are commonly found on the rind of bloomy rind cheeses like Brie or Camembert, as well as washed-rind cheeses like Epoisses, Chimay, or Grayson. These crystals are formed through the mineral (salt) emulsion during cheesemaking or protein breakdown (proteolysis) during the cheese-aging process.
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Calcium lactate spots
The presence of calcium lactate spots on cheese is desirable and indicates that the cheese is well-aged. These spots are flavourless and scentless, and do not affect the taste of the cheese. Instead, they impact the sensory perceptions of a bite of cheese, such as sound (crunching), touch (bumpiness or rough texture), and sight (white spots, clusters, or patches).
In addition to calcium lactate, other types of crystals that can form on cheese include calcium phosphate, ikaite, and struvite. These crystals are commonly found on mold-ripened cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, and Epoisses, and indicate the age of the cheese. The formation of crystals in cheese is a result of either mineral (salt) emulsion during cheesemaking or protein breakdown (proteolysis) as the cheese ages.
In the case of Swiss cheese made from pasteurized milk, the development of white spots during the hot room stay was observed. However, this was attributed to the presence of Streptococcus faecalis subsp. liquefaciens, which caused bitterness in the milk cultures.
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Cheese crystals
The white spots on Swiss cheese are likely to be cheese crystals, which are flavourless and scentless. They are formed by the breakdown of amino acids during the cheese-aging process. As a cheese ages, it loses moisture and its protein structure contracts and stretches. This process of protein breakdown is called proteolysis. Cheese crystals can develop inside the paste of cheese or around the little holes inside a cheese.
There are several types of crystals that grow in or on cheese during the cheesemaking or aging process. They are either the product of a mineral (salt) emulsion during cheesemaking or protein breakdown (proteolysis) as the cheese ages. The crystals that are most noticeable in cheese are "organic crystals", formed by the breakdown of amino acids during the cheese-aging process. Each type of organic crystal found in cheese is named after the amino-acid chain that broke up to create it. For example, tyrosine crystals give aged goudas their famous crunchy texture. Leucine crystals have a similar effect but have a more diffused, smear-like appearance. Both of these types of crystals may be found in Swiss cheeses.
Calcium lactate spots, also called cheese crystals, are commonly found on hard cheeses like cheddar cheese, aged gouda, and gruyere. They are formed when lactic acid interacts with the cheese's calcium. Many cheese lovers appreciate these crystals, which indicate that the cheese is well-aged. Softer cheeses like mozzarella do not get these white marks because they have a higher water content, preventing the lactate from being seen.
Calcium phosphate, ikaite, and struvite crystals can be found on any "mold-ripened" cheese. They may be noticed in the slight grittiness at the rind of a bloomy rind cheese like Brie or Camembert, or a washed-rind cheese like Epoisses, Chimay, or Grayson. These crystals help mould-ripened cheeses become soft, and they indicate when a hard cheese has been nicely aged.
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Swiss cheese made from pasteurized milk
The white spots on Swiss cheese are likely to be crystals, which are flavourless and scentless. They are either the product of a mineral (salt) emulsion during cheesemaking or protein breakdown as the cheese ages. The crystals are formed by the breakdown of amino acids during the cheese-aging process. As a cheese ages, it loses moisture and its protein structure contracts and stretches, causing the amino acid chains to break up.
Swiss cheese is traditionally made from raw milk, but nowadays, many varieties are made using pasteurized milk. In the case of cheese made from pasteurized milk, the milk is heated to at least 72 °C for 15 seconds and then cooled down before being used to make cheese. This process deactivates the enzymes in the milk and the naturally occurring bacteria. Special aroma-forming substances (bacteria) are added to make the cheese mature. Cheese made from pasteurized milk is usually consumed when it is younger and tends to be milder than raw milk cheese. Well-known varieties of Swiss cheese made from pasteurized milk include Green Tilsiter, mozzarella, and most soft cheese.
Swiss cheese made from raw milk, such as Emmentaler AOP, Gruyère AOP, and Sbrinz AOP, retains the active enzymes in the milk and bacteria from the natural environment, which produce aromas during maturation that are not present in pasteurized cheese. Traditional Swiss cheese varieties like Emmentaler AOP, Sbrinz AOP, Gruyère AOP, and Appenzeller® are made from silage-free milk to prevent late-blowing, which can occur in cheeses made with pasteurized milk due to heat-resistant spores.
The white spots on Swiss cheese made from pasteurized milk are likely still the same crystals as those found on raw milk cheese. These crystals can include calcium phosphate, ikaite, and struvite, which are found on any "mold-ripened" cheese. They help make mold-ripened cheeses soft and are a sign of a well-aged cheese. The crystals do not affect the taste of the cheese but do provide a crunchy texture and a rough mouthfeel.
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Amino acid breakdown
The white spots on Swiss cheese are not mould, but rather crystals that form during the cheese-making or -aging process. These crystals are the product of either a mineral (salt) emulsion during cheesemaking or protein breakdown (proteolysis) as the cheese ages. The organic crystals are formed by the breakdown of amino acids during the aging process. As a cheese ages, it loses moisture and its protein structure contracts and stretches. This movement causes the amino acid chains that make up the protein structure to break up.
The type of organic crystal is named after the amino-acid chain that broke up to create it. For example, tyrosine crystals give aged goudas their famous crunchy texture. Leucine crystals have a similar effect but have a more diffused, smear-like appearance than tyrosine crystals. Both of these types of crystals may be found in Swiss cheeses.
The presence of crystals in cheese does not affect its taste; they are flavourless and scentless. However, they do affect other sensory perceptions of a bite of cheese: sound (crunching), touch (bumpiness or rough texture), and sight (white spots, clusters, or patches).
In the case of hard cheese, lactate rises to the surface of the cheese along with the moisture, which then recedes, leaving the lactate on the surface. This lactate is visible as white crystals or a layer of white film, which some may mistake for mould. However, calcium lactate crystals will feel coarse to the touch and will be more engrained in the cheese than mould.
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Frequently asked questions
The white spots on Swiss cheese are organic crystals formed by the breakdown of amino acids during the cheese-aging process. They are commonly found on hard cheeses like cheddar, aged gouda, and gruyere.
No, the white spots are not mould. Mould will be soft and raised on the surface of the cheese. The white spots are calcium lactate crystals, which will feel coarse to the touch and be more engrained in the cheese.
The crystals do not affect the taste of the cheese as they are flavourless and scentless. However, they do affect the sound (crunching), touch (bumpiness or rough texture), and sight of the cheese.
