Randy Chandler
The colour of cheese is influenced by several factors, including the composition of the milk, added ingredients, fermentation, and maturation. The diet of milk-producing animals also plays a significant role in the colour of cheese. Goat cheese is white because goats process beta carotene differently, leaving it colourless. In contrast, the yellow colour of cow's cheese comes from the beta carotene in the grass they eat.
Characteristics of why grass-fed goat cheese isn't yellow
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diet of the animal | Goats do not absorb the yellow pigment (beta carotene) from grass like cows do. |
| Milk composition | The amount of fat and protein in the milk influences the colour of the cheese. Goats do not store beta carotene in their fat. |
| Added ingredients | Herbs, dyes, or spices can change the colour of the cheese. |
| Animal confinement | Cows in confinement are fed a mix of grains, protein supplements, and dried grasses, resulting in milk with fewer irregularities in colour. |
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What You'll Learn
Goat biology
The goat, Capra hircus, was one of the earliest animals to be domesticated, between eight and ten thousand years ago. The wild goat, Capra aegagrus, is native to the dry hills of the Mediterranean basin, including Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. Goats are generalist herbivores, meaning they will eat most things, but they are also highly selective feeders. They consume foliage, twigs, bark, flowers, fruit, roots, plant litter, seeds, and fungi. They can also eat most plants in the Australian pastoral zone, including prickly acacia and many poisonous or bitter plants that sheep and cattle avoid. Goats are selective about their diet, and specific shrubs, grasses, or herbs may make up the majority of their diet at different times or in different locations.
Goats are a convenient livestock animal for farmers due to their small size, varied diet, and ability to provide both meat and milk. They are also well-suited to their environment, as they are typically found in rocky or hilly areas that provide protection from predators and human disturbance. However, they can also be found in flat regions with dense shrub cover and arid or semi-arid rangelands.
The colour of goat cheese is influenced by the composition of the milk, including the amount of fat and protein. Goats do not absorb the same pigments from their diet as cows, which is why their cheese remains white instead of turning yellow. Maintaining a consistent diet for milk-producing animals is essential to achieving a uniform colour in cheese production.
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Goat diet
Goats have a complex digestive system that requires different types and amounts of food to function properly. A goat's diet should be tailored to its age and breed, and it is important to maintain a consistent diet to keep the animal healthy. Goats are “browsing” animals, meaning they prefer not to eat anything that has touched the floor. They enjoy eating wild plants and hedgerow cuttings, but it is important to note that many common plants are poisonous to them, including alder, yew, rhododendron, laurel, privet, laburnum, honeysuckle, walnut, evergreen shrubs, and more. Therefore, it is important to check any pasture to ensure it is safe for goats.
Hay should make up around half of a goat's daily diet. Hay is grass that has been cut, dried, and baled, preserving much of the grass's nutritional value. It provides the goat with both nutrition and dry roughage to balance the moisture and fiber content in the rumen, one of the four chambers of a goat's stomach. In addition to hay, goats also require supplementary foods, such as mineral salt licks, and concentrates with added vitamins and minerals, especially if they are growing or being milked.
Goats also require a constant supply of clean, fresh drinking water, which should be secured so that it cannot be knocked over. It is important to note that sweet feed and grain can sometimes cause urinary calculi in goats, particularly wethers, so these should be limited in the diet. Instead, the diet should be mostly made up of hay and roughage, with only small amounts of grain.
The colour of goat cheese is influenced by the composition of the milk, including the amount of fat and protein. Goats do not absorb the same pigments from their diet as cows, which is why goat cheese is white, while cow cheese tends to be yellow. This pigment is excreted in the milk, leading to the natural yellow colour of cow cheese.
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Cow diet
The colour of cheese is influenced by several factors, including the composition of the milk, such as the amount of fat and protein, as well as any added ingredients like herbs, dyes, or spices. The diet of the animal also plays a role in the colour of the cheese, with variations in their feed leading to different cheese colours. Maintaining a consistent diet for milk-producing animals is essential to achieving a uniform colour in cheese production.
Cows are grazing animals, and their natural diet consists mainly of grasses, legumes, alfalfa, clover, and hay. They may also enjoy fruits as snacks, consuming about 2% of their body weight in food each day. However, the reality for most cows, especially those in factory farms, is that their diet is predominantly corn, soybeans, and their byproducts, with grass and hay making up a smaller percentage. This diet is often implemented to cut costs and maximise profits, rather than prioritising the welfare and nutrition of the cows.
Grass-fed cows, on the other hand, are typically pasture-raised or grass-finished, meaning they spend most or all of their lives on grass pasture. The grass-fed approach is known to produce meat and milk with distinct flavour profiles, and the colour of the cheese may also be influenced. A high-energy diet, such as one rich in corn, can increase milk output, while other diets, like flax-based feeds, can alter the fat content and omega-3 content of the resultant beef.
The difference in the colour of goat cheese and cow cheese is due to the absorption of pigments in their diets. Cows absorb certain pigments from their food, which are then excreted in their milk, resulting in a natural yellow colour in cow cheese. Goats, on the other hand, do not absorb these pigments, which is why their cheese remains white.
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Milk composition
The colour of cheese is influenced by several factors, including the composition of the milk, which plays a significant role. The amount of fat and protein in the milk affects the final colour of the cheese. Goats and water buffalo do not store beta carotene in their fat the same way cows do. Beta carotene is a fat-soluble yellow pigment and antioxidant found in grass. After a cow chews the cud, beta-carotene dissolves into the animal's fat stores and ends up in the milk in fat globules, leading to a natural yellow colour in the cheese. This pigment is absorbed by cows and excreted in their milk, but goats do not absorb it from their diet, which is why goat cheese remains white.
However, it is important to note that diet is not the only factor influencing the colour of cheese. Added ingredients, such as herbs, dyes, or spices, can also change the colour. Moreover, the acidity of the cheese also plays a role, with more acidic cheeses like cottage cheese and feta retaining their white colour due to their dense protein structures.
In modern times, inconsistent cheese colour is less of an issue, as large-scale confinement farms have come to dominate dairy production. Cows in confinement are typically fed a carefully formulated mix of grains, protein supplements, and dried grasses, resulting in milk with minimal irregularities in colour.
While grass is a significant part of a goat's diet, it is not their only source of nutrition. Goats may also consume other plants and herbs, which can vary depending on the season and their specific living environment. Additionally, in some cases, grains are used to supplement the diet of goats, especially when they are being moved to new pastures.
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Added ingredients
The colour of cheese is influenced by several factors, including the composition of the milk and the added ingredients. While the amount of fat and protein in the milk affects the final colour of the cheese, added ingredients such as herbs, dyes, or spices can also alter the colour.
In the case of goat cheese, the lack of beta carotene in the fat of goats is the main reason why it is white rather than yellow. Beta carotene, a fat-soluble yellow pigment found in grass, is absorbed by cows and stored in their fat globules, resulting in the natural yellow colour of cow's milk and cheese. Goats, on the other hand, do not absorb and store beta carotene in the same way, which is why their cheese remains white.
To maintain a consistent colour in cheese production, it is crucial to keep the diet of milk-producing animals consistent. For example, cows that are confined and fed a controlled mix of grains, protein supplements, and dried grasses produce milk with minimal irregularities in colour. This standardised approach to dairy farming has become prevalent over the last three decades, contributing to the consistent colour of cow's milk and cheese.
While the natural colour of goat cheese is white due to the absence of beta carotene in goat's milk, it is possible to add ingredients to alter its colour. For instance, annatto, a natural dye derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, can be added to give goat cheese a yellow or orange hue. This practice is commonly used in cheeses like Cheddar and Gouda to achieve a more appealing colour.
Additionally, goat cheese producers may incorporate various spices, herbs, or other natural ingredients to create distinctive flavours and colours in their products. These added ingredients can impart unique characteristics to the cheese, making it stand out in the market. However, it is essential to note that the use of added ingredients should be properly labelled and disclosed to consumers to ensure transparency and maintain the quality and recognisability of the cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
Goats process beta carotene differently from cows, leaving it colorless. Therefore, milk and fresh cheeses made from goat milk will always naturally be white.
Beta carotene is a pigment found in grassy plants that gives cow's milk its signature yellow tone.
The diet of the milk-producing animal influences the color of the cheese. Cows that eat fresh grass in spring and summer will produce more yellow milk due to the beta carotene in the grass.
Yes, the color of cheese is influenced by several factors, including the composition of the milk, added ingredients, the fermentation process, and maturation time.
The yellow color in goat cheese is usually a sign that it has dried out or gone bad. However, if only part of the cheese is affected, you can cut off and discard that portion and still eat the rest, as long as it shows no other signs of spoilage.
