Cheese Lovers: Uncovering The Genetic Family Tree

Cheese is a dairy product and a member of the Milk Group, which also includes milk, yogurt and meat and beans. It is produced from milk and can be coagulated in different ways to produce different varieties.

Cheese is a member of the Milk Group

Based on the method of coagulation of the milk and various technological parameters, cheeses can be classified into about 12 major families. These include acid-coagulated varieties (Cottage cheese, Quarg, and Cream cheese), varieties coagulated by a combination of heat and acid (Ricotta), and Rennet-coagulated cheeses (most varieties).

Milk, yogurt and cheese are all classified as dairy products on MyPlate, the United States Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines. Products made from milk that retain their calcium content, whether the milk comes from cows, goats or other animals that produce milk, belong to the dairy family by the USDA classification. The USDA also classifies calcium-fortified soy milk as a dairy product, even though it's made from the soybean plant, not from animal milk. Foods made from milk that don't contain calcium are not classified as dairy products -- and thus don't belong to the milk, yogurt and cheese group.

Cheese varieties are classified into 12 major families

Cheese varieties are classified into about 12 major families based on the method of coagulation of the milk and various technological parameters. These families contain varieties that are similar in terms of the technology of their manufacture and microbiology and biochemistry of their ripening, but may be made from milk of different species.

The 12 major families of cheese are:

• Acid-coagulated varieties (for example, Cottage cheese, Quarg, and Cream cheese).
• Varieties coagulated by a combination of heat and acid (for example, Ricotta).
• Rennet-coagulated cheeses (most varieties), which can be subdivided based largely on the technology of their manufacture and ripening.
• Enzyme-modified cheese, which is used as a flavoring.
• Imitation cheese products (cheese analogues).
• Norwegian whey cheeses (Brunost, brown cheese).

Cheese is a diverse group of milk-based food products and is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms. It is a generic term for a dairy product made from milk that retains its calcium content.

Cheese is a milk-based food product

No definitive list of cheese varieties exists but it is estimated that there are about 1000-1500 varieties produced worldwide. However, many of these cheeses are very similar and attempts have thus been made to classify varieties into relatively homogeneous groups. Based on the method of coagulation of the milk and various technological parameters, cheeses can be classified into about 12 major families.

Many of these major families contain varieties that are similar in terms of the technology of their manufacture and microbiology and biochemistry of their ripening but may be made from milk of different species. Imitation cheese products (cheese analogues) and enzyme-modified cheese, which is used as a flavoring, are also produced. Finally, a minor group of Norwegian whey cheeses (Brunost, brown cheese) are produced by concentration and crystallization of whey to give a product with a smooth, firm body, and a caramel-like flavor and long shelf-life.

Milk, yogurt and cheese are all classified as dairy products on MyPlate, the United States Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines. Products made from milk that retain their calcium content, whether the milk comes from cows, goats or other animals that produce milk, belong to the dairy family by the USDA classification. The USDA also classifies calcium-fortified soy milk as a dairy product, even though it's made from the soybean plant, not from animal milk. Foods made from milk that don't contain calcium are not classified as dairy products -- and thus don't belong to the milk, yogurt and cheese group.

Cheese has a long history and the collective heritage of certain varieties has been ensured in Europe by Protected Designations of Origin for certain varieties.

Cheese is a dairy product

Cheese is a member of the Milk Group (out of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and beans). Milk, yogurt and cheese are all classified as dairy products on MyPlate, the United States Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines. Products made from milk that retain their calcium content, whether the milk comes from cows, goats or other animals that produce milk, belong to the dairy family by the USDA classification. The USDA also classifies calcium-fortified soy milk as a dairy product, even though it's made from the soybean plant, not from animal milk. Foods made from milk that don't contain calcium are not classified as dairy products -- and thus don't belong to the milk, yogurt and cheese group.

Many of these major families contain varieties that are similar in terms of the technology of their manufacture and microbiology and biochemistry of their ripening but may be made from milk of different species. Based on the method of coagulation of the milk and various technological parameters, cheeses can be classified into about 12 major families:

• Acid-coagulated varieties (for example, Cottage cheese, Quarg, and Cream cheese)
• Varieties coagulated by a combination of heat and acid (for example, Ricotta)
• Rennet-coagulated cheeses (most varieties), which can be subdivided based largely on the technology of their manufacture and ripening

No definitive list of cheese varieties exists but it is estimated that there are about 1000-1500 varieties produced worldwide. However, many of these cheeses are very similar and attempts have thus been made to classify varieties into relatively homogeneous groups.

Cheese is produced from milk

Cheese is a diverse milk-based food product that is produced throughout the world. It is made from milk of different species and is classified as a dairy product by the USDA.

No definitive list of cheese varieties exists, but it is estimated that there are about 1000-1500 varieties produced worldwide. Many of these cheeses are very similar and attempts have been made to classify varieties into relatively homogeneous groups. Based on the method of coagulation of the milk and various technological parameters, cheeses can be classified into about 12 major families.

The first family is acid-coagulated varieties (for example, Cottage cheese, Quarg, and Cream cheese). The second family is varieties coagulated by a combination of heat and acid (for example, Ricotta). The third family is Rennet-coagulated cheeses (most varieties), which can be subdivided based largely on the technology of their manufacture and ripening.

Imitation cheese products (cheese analogues) and enzyme-modified cheese, which is used as a flavoring, are also produced. Finally, a minor group of Norwegian whey cheeses (Brunost, brown cheese) are produced by concentration and crystallization of whey to give a product with a smooth, firm body, and a caramel-like flavor and long shelf-life.

Cheese is a member of the Milk Group (out of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and beans). Milk, yogurt, and cheese are all classified as dairy products on MyPlate, the United States Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines. Products made from milk that retain their calcium content belong to the dairy family by the USDA classification.

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