Cheese Making 101

Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research

Dean Sommer, Cheese & Food Technologist

Cheese 101

Cheesemaking is Simple

Unfortunately it isn’t easy

Is Cheesemaking an Art?

Or is it a science?

Cheesemaking is a Food Preservation Technique

Typical Composition of Milk and Cheese

Component Milk Cheddar Mozzarella

Water

Fat

Protein

Minerals

Lactose

pH

87.4

3.75

3.15

0.8

4.75

6.6

38

32

25

4.1

0

5.1

48

22

21

3.5

0.2

5.2

Bulk Truck on the Farm

Delivery Truck to Intake

Controlling the fat and protein content of the cheese milk

Fat ProteinMilk

Standardization

Pasteurization

Heat (thermal) process

1610 F 15 sec. 1450 F 30 min.

Pasteurization

Kills pathogens and other unwanted bacteria

But . . .

Kills beneficial (flavor) bacteria andEnzymes too

enzymes

enzymes

The engine for this process is starter culture

Starter cultures are bacteria

Coccus Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactisLactococcus lactis ssp. cremorisStreptococcus thermophilus

Rods Lactobacillus bulgaricusLactobacillus helveticus

Add Starter

Starter cultures are like bags of enzymes

lactoseprotein

peptidesacid flavor

enzymes

Fat

Annatto/Color

Add Rennet

• Rennets are enzymes

• Other terms used are coagulant and milk-clotting enzyme

• Any enzyme that coagulates milk

Rennet

Rennet

• Veal calf stomachs

• Microbial (vegetable)

• Fermentation Produced Chymosin

• Others

Adding Rennet

Cheese is like a sponge

Fat and

serum

are

trapped

Calcium ion “free calcium”

(ionic calcium from the milk,

or addition of calcium

chloride)

Rennet Coagulation(thin network = soft clot, small pores)

Casein micelles

Addition of coagulant

pH 6.4 - 6.6

Loss of protruding k casein

Ca ++

Cl- Cl-

How do Cheesemakers decide when to cut?

Cut Coagulated Milk

Forms cubes, 1/4” or 3/8”

Curds shrink, expel water (whey)

Heat and Cook the Curds and Whey

101°F for 30 - 45 minutes for Cheddar90°F 118°F for 45 minutes for Swiss

98°F for 20 minutes for Brick

as you heat the curd, the curd shrinks, and more water is expelled

Separate the Curd from the Whey

Slabbing and Milling of Curd

Add salt

Press curd in form (hoop)

Press curd in hoop

Put cheese in saturated

salt solution

Or

When to Salt – Depends on Variety

Direct Salting

Brine Salting

Curing or Ripening

Develop desirable body, texture, flavor

Could be days, months or years, depends on the cheese

Mozzarella 1 week to 2 monthsCheddar 1 month to yearsCottage Cheese 1 day to 1 monthParmesan years

Review of Cheese Varieties and Specialty Cheeses

Chandan. 1997. Dairy-based Ingredients39

Cheeses

Unripened cheeses, made by

coagulating milk proteins with

acid, e.g., soft cheeses like

cottage, cream, Neufchatel,

Paneer, Quarg, etc.

Ripened cheese, made by

coagulating with enzymes

(rennet-type) and culture aids

Bacterial ripened Mold ripened

Internal External Internal External

Cheddar

Swiss

Colby

Edam

Gouda

Gruyere

Romana

Provolone

Parmesan

Brick

Trappist

Limburger

Liederkranz

Muenster

Monterey Jack

Port du Salut

Blue

Roquefort

Gorgonzola

Stilton

Camembert

Brie

Classification of

Cheeses by Type of

Ripening

• Cheddar

• Colby/Monterey Jack

• Swiss

• Edam /Gouda

• Romano

• Provolone

• Mozzarella

• Parmesan

• Muenster

• Brick

• Trappist

• Limburger

• Liederkranz

• Gruyere

• Esrom

• Comté

• Port du Salut

• Reblochon

• Tilsit

• Blue

• Roquefort

• Gorgonzola

• Stilton

• Danableu

• Rosenbourg

• Bleu d’Auvergne

• Blue Shropshire

• Camembert

• Brie

• Cambozola

• Coulommiers

• Saint André

The Cheesemaker is the Ultimate Analytical Tool

Eyes

Nose

Mouth

Ears

Hands

Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research

Funded in part by

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board

Dairy Management, Inc./Dairy Research Institute

CDR Industry Team