Kamil Perry
Cheese is made by adding enzymes to milk, which causes it to curdle. The solids are then strained out and smooshed together. The liquid that is strained out is called whey.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of liquid | Whey |
| How it forms | Milk is composed of water, lactose, fat, protein, and minerals. To make cheese, the water needs to be removed from the milk. Enzymes are added to milk, which causes it to curdle. The solids are then strained out and the remaining liquid is whey. |
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What You'll Learn
- Rennet enzymes cause milk to coagulate and separate into curds and whey
- The solids are strained out and smooshed together to form cheese
- The water needs to be removed from milk to make cheese
- The proteins in milk must coagulate to form cheese
- Cream cheese is a form of fresh cheese with a high fat content
Rennet enzymes cause milk to coagulate and separate into curds and whey
Milk is composed of water, lactose, fat, protein, and minerals. Rennet enzymes are added to milk to make cheese. Rennet is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. Its key component is chymosin, a protease enzyme that curdles the casein in milk. In addition to chymosin, rennet contains other enzymes, such as pepsin and a lipase.
The casein molecules aggregate into spheres called micelles. The outer layer is negatively charged, which allows the micelles to remain dispersed in liquid milk. When rennet is added, it splits off the hydrophilic portion of the casein micelles so they will no longer stay suspended in the aqueous solution of milk. Instead, the casein aggregates together to form the curds, while the whey (or liquid portion) separates.
The curds are a semi-solid structure resulting from the enzymatic coagulation of milk, consisting mainly of paracasein micelles, fat globules, and whey. This gel undergoes a series of changes in its composition and structure during setting and curing, affecting curd density.
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The solids are strained out and smooshed together to form cheese
Milk is made up of water, lactose, fat, protein, and minerals. To make cheese, the water needs to be removed from the milk. This is done by adding enzymes to the milk, which causes it to curdle. The solids are then strained out and smooshed together to form cheese.
The solids portion of milk contains approximately 3.7% fat and 9% solids-not-fat. When enzymes are added to the milk, the casein molecules aggregate into spheres called micelles. The outer layer of the micelles is negatively charged, which allows them to remain dispersed in liquid milk. However, when rennet is added, it causes the milk to coagulate, or stick together, forming curds. The curds are then strained out and smooshed together to form cheese.
One type of cheese, cream cheese, is made by suspending plain yoghurt inside cheesecloth for a day. The liquid that drips out is called whey. Whey is the liquid portion of milk that is separated from the curds when making cheese.
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The water needs to be removed from milk to make cheese
Milk is made up of water, lactose, fat, protein, and minerals. To make cheese, the water needs to be removed from the milk. This is done by adding enzymes to the milk, which causes it to curdle and separate into solids and liquids. The solids are then strained out and pressed together to form cheese. The liquid that is strained out is called whey.
The most common enzyme used to make cheese is rennet, which causes the milk to coagulate and separate into curds and whey. Rennet splits off the hydrophilic portion of the casein micelles, which are spheres made up of casein molecules. The casein molecules are normally dispersed in liquid milk due to their negative charge, but when rennet is added, the casein aggregates together to form curds.
The process of removing water from milk is a scientific one. The water must be removed in a way that does not affect the other components of milk, such as lactose, fat, protein, and minerals. These components are important for the flavour, texture, and nutritional value of cheese.
Some cheeses can be made quickly, while others require aging to develop the proper flavour, texture, and moisture levels. The aging process allows the cheese to absorb some of the removed water, which affects the texture and moisture content.
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The proteins in milk must coagulate to form cheese
Milk is made up of water, lactose, fat, protein and minerals. To make cheese, the water must be removed from the milk. This is done by adding enzymes to the milk, which causes it to curdle. The enzymes cause the proteins in the milk to coagulate, or stick together, and form curds. The curds are then strained out and pressed together to form cheese. The liquid that is strained out is called whey.
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Cream cheese is a form of fresh cheese with a high fat content
Milk is composed of water, lactose, fat, protein and minerals. To make cheese, the water needs to be removed from the milk. Enzymes are added to milk, which causes it to curdle, and then the solids are strained out and pressed together. The most common enzyme used to make cheese is rennet, which causes the milk to coagulate and separate into curds and whey. Whey is the liquid portion of the cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
The liquid that forms in cheese is called whey.
Whey is the liquid portion of milk that separates from the solids when enzymes are added to cause curdling.
Enzymes are proteins that cause milk to coagulate or curdle, separating the whey from the curds.
The most common enzyme used to make cheese is rennet, which is used to make hard cheeses.
The whey is typically strained out and separated from the solids, which are then smooshed together to form cheese.
