Andy Montoya
The yellow colour in cheese comes from beta-carotene, a pigment found in grass. When cows eat grass, beta-carotene dissolves into their fat stores, which then end up in the milk. However, the colour is concealed by milk's opaque appearance. To enhance the yellow colour, cheesemakers have historically used natural dyes such as saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto, an extract from the achiote tree. Today, annatto is commonly added to milk during cheesemaking to produce a range of colours from ivory to orange.
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What You'll Learn
Beta-carotene in grass
Beta-carotene is a naturally occurring yellow plant pigment and antioxidant found in grass. It is a precursor to vitamin A, which is essential for cattle health, including reproduction and growth. When cattle graze on green pasture, they ingest beta-carotene, which is stored in their fat, giving it a yellowish colour. This fat from grass-fed cattle is considered healthier and tastier.
Beta-carotene is also responsible for the yellow colour in some cheeses. Milk from grass-fed cows contains beta-carotene, and when made into cheese, it imparts a yellow hue. Different breeds of cows process beta-carotene differently, resulting in variations in milk and cheese colour. The concentration of beta-carotene in milk and cheese can also be influenced by factors such as the richness of the grass and the ageing process.
While beta-carotene from grass is the traditional way to obtain yellow cheese, modern cheesemakers often use annatto, a plant extract, to colour their products. Annatto can produce a range of shades, from ivory to orange, and is used to standardise colour, distinguish products, and continue traditional practices.
In summary, beta-carotene in grass is not only beneficial for cattle health but also contributes to the natural yellow colour of cheese made from grass-fed cow's milk. However, the use of annatto or other colouring agents in cheesemaking has become a common practice, especially in American and supermarket cheeses.
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Annatto dye
Annatto is a natural food colouring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana). The tree is native to tropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico to Brazil. The condiment is made by grinding the small red seeds of the tree into a powder or paste. The colour comes from various carotenoid pigments, mainly bixin and norbixin, found in the reddish waxy coating of the seeds. Annatto has a slightly nutty, sweet, and peppery flavour and a scent described as "slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg".
Annatto has been used as a colouring and flavouring agent in various cuisines from Latin America, the Caribbean, the Philippines, and other countries where it was introduced by Spanish and Portuguese colonizers in the 16th century. In Mexican and Belizean cuisines, it is used to make the spice recado rojo, while in Venezuela, it is used in the preparation of hallacas and huevos pericos. In the Philippines, annatto is used in the sauce for pancit palabok, and in Guam, it is used to make a staple rice dish flavoured with onion, garlic, butter, and other spices.
In addition to its culinary uses, annatto has been used in South and Central America for art, cosmetics, and medical purposes. For example, it was used for ritual and decorative body painting, sunscreen, insect repellent, and manuscript painting. Today, annatto is widely used as a colouring agent in many processed food products, such as cheeses, dairy spreads, butter, margarine, custards, and cakes.
Annatto is often used to impart a yellow to red-orange colour to foods. In cheesemaking, the amount of annatto added to milk can be adjusted to achieve a desired colour, ranging from rich ivory to bright orange. For example, French mimolette cheese is known for its deep orange colour, which is achieved through the use of annatto.
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Marigold petals
The colour of cheese is influenced by the diet of the cows providing the milk. When cows eat primarily green grass, the butterfat in milk is tinted yellow or orange, which in turn makes whole milk cheese yellow. However, when the cream is skimmed from the milk, cheese made from it will be white, which historically indicated lower-quality cheese.
To disguise the use of low-fat milk, English farmers in the 16th century began adding dyes to their cheese, including marigold petals, which would have been readily available in the summer months. Marigold petals contain carotenoids, which are fat-soluble yellow pigments. These pigments are also found in carrots, which is why carrot juice was another natural dye used by early cheesemakers.
Today, annatto, a dye made from the seeds of the achiote tree, is commonly used to colour cheese. The amount of annatto added during cheesemaking determines the final colour of the cheese, which can range from rich ivory to bright orange. French mimolette is an example of annatto-dyed cheese that is so deeply coloured that it resembles cantaloupe.
While annatto is the most widely used dye, other natural dyes such as paprika, saffron, and turmeric are also used to colour cheese. These dyes not only affect the colour of the cheese but also its flavour, as early cheesemakers using marigold petals and other natural dyes would have discovered.
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Carrot juice
The colour of cheese is influenced by the diet of the cows from which the milk is obtained. When cows graze on grass, their milk tends to be richer in beta-carotene, resulting in a more yellowish colour. Conversely, during winter, when cows are fed silage and hay with lower levels of beta-carotene, the milk produced has less of the yellowish pigment.
To compensate for these seasonal variations and maintain a consistent colour, cheesemakers have historically employed various colouring agents. One such agent is annatto, derived from the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana, which lends a yellow-orange hue to the cheese. Annatto has been used since the 18th century and is favoured for its minimal impact on flavour and texture.
However, prior to the discovery and widespread use of annatto, cheesemakers in the 16th and 17th centuries resorted to alternative natural dyes. One notable ingredient used for this purpose was carrot juice, which was particularly prevalent in South West England. The use of carrot juice as a colouring agent was also referenced in the book "Little House on the Prairie", where the character Laura added carrot juice to her butter and cheese to enhance their colour.
While carrot juice effectively adds colour to cheese, it is worth noting that it imparts a distinct carrot flavour. Additionally, carrot juice contains significantly lower levels of beta-carotene compared to annatto, which is the desired pigment in cheese. As a result, carrot juice may not be as effective in achieving the desired colour intensity.
In conclusion, while carrot juice can be used to make cheese yellow, annatto is a more popular and effective choice due to its higher beta-carotene content and less prominent flavour. Nevertheless, the use of colouring agents remains optional, and some cheesemakers choose to forgo added colour altogether, resulting in white or naturally yellowish cheese.
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Saffron
To make saffron-infused cheese, you can follow a variation of a Sicilian sheep milk cheese recipe. The milk used can be from a cow or a sheep, depending on preference. Saffron is added to the milk, turning it from pale white to a light golden colour. As the cheese continues to form and dry, the colour of the curds will darken to a bright yellow. The cheese will have a soft rind, a fragrant and compact yellow paste, and a delicate, savoury flavour.
When making saffron-infused cheese, it is important to divide the saffron into several groups before adding it to the curds, as it will be difficult to handle with wet hands. Begin by placing a layer of curds into a mould, followed by a layer of peppercorns, another layer of curds, a layer of saffron, and so on until the mould is full. Finish with a final layer of curds.
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Frequently asked questions
The yellow colour in cheese comes from beta-carotene in the grass that cows eat.
Beta-carotene is a fat-soluble yellow pigment and antioxidant found in grass.
Cows that are grain-fed produce milk with little to no beta-carotene, resulting in white cheese.
Cheesemakers use additives like annatto, paprika, saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and turmeric to make their cheese yellow.
Adding yellow colouring to cheese makes it look like higher-fat cheese, which is more appealing to consumers and commands higher prices.
