CHEESE

                                             

Product made from curd of milk from cows or other animals through

coagulation of casein with enzyme (rennin), acid (usually lactic), and

with or without treatment with heat, pressure, salt, and ripening

(fermentation) by micro organisms

DEFINED

Processing of Cheese

Acidification of milk Coagulation or Curdling Cutting & Draining the Curds Ripening

MANUFACTURE OF CHEESE There are very wide range of cheese varieties and

many differences in processing methods, however, the basic steps are: Production of a coagulum through the action of

rennet and/or lactic acid Separation of the resulting curds from the whey Texturisation of the cheese: compressing and

stretching the curds Milling of curd blocks and addition of salt Pressing the curds Ripening to develop flavour and texture.

Processing of Cheese First, lactic-acid producing bacteria is introduced to

curdle the milk, transforming its proteins, butter fat, minerals, sugar and vitamins into solid lumps called curds

Second, the curds are separated from the milky liquid, called whey, and are salted [for taste and curing], cooked [if necessary to shrink the curd], drained, shaped and/or pressed [to eliminate more whey] into moulds

Finally, the shaped curds are ripened using a variety of different aging [generally, the longer it is aged the more pronounced is the flavor] techniques.

CLASSIFICATION

SOFT: Unripened:

Low fat: cottage cheese High fat: Cream cheese

Ripened: Brie SEMISOFT:

Ripened by bacteria: brick, Munster Ripened by bacteria & surface micro: Limburger Ripened by interior blue mold: Roquefort, Blue

Classification …

HARD: Ripened by bacteria w/o eyes: Cheddar Ripened by bacteria w/ eyes: Swiss

VERY HARD (grating): Ripened by bacteria: Parmesan

PROCESSED CHEESE: Pasteurized American / Australian

WHEY CHEESES: Ricotta

MILK COMPONENTS

Fat Protein (casein) Lactose Minerals Water

CHEESE

TERMS Curd: coagulated

protein entrapping some fat, lactose, water & minerals

Whey: Remaining dissolved lactose, proteins, minerals & water

CHEDDARING- CHEESE MAKING PROCESS

Pasteurized whole milk is heated to 31oC in vat and stirred

Streptococcus lactis starter culture added Colouring added After 30 min, acidity has increased and

rennin is added stirring is stopped & mixture sets for 30

min.

Custard like curd forms in 30 min. Acid production continues Curd is cut into 1/2 in. cubes Heated to 38oC for about 1 hour to increase

acid production and release whey Whey is drained and individual curds are

matted together The matted curd is cut into blocks and

stacked/restacked to remove whey (cheddaring)

Curd blocks are milled into small pieces and salted

Curd pieces are pressed overnight at 20 psi to remove remaining whey and shape the cheese

Cheese placed in cool room at 16oC and 60% RH for 3-4 days for rind development

Then wrapped in film or dipped in hot paraffin Ripening for 60 days to 12 months

COTTAGE CHEESE PROCESS

Past., skim milk heated to 22oC Streptococcus lactis and Leuconostoc citrovum

(flavor producing) is added Fermented for 14 hrs Curd cut into small pieces and cooked for 90

min with stirring

Whey is drained & curd is washed with cold water

Curd is salted Mixed with cream to give 2% or 4% fat

(creamed cottage cheese)

SWISS CHEESE PROCESS

Process is similar to Cheddar except that Propionibacterium shermanii and other lactic acid bacteria are added in addition to S. lactis. P. shermanii ferments lactic acid into propionic acid and CO2

ENGLISH CHEESE

Cheddar Cheshire Lancashire Derby Leicester Stilton

FRENCH CHEESE

Brie Camembert Roquefort Neufchatel Port – du – Salut

ITALIAN CHEESE

Gorgonzola Parmesan Bel Paese Romano Mozzarella Ricotta

SWISS CHEESE

Emméntal Sap-sago Gruyère Raclette

DUTCH CHEESE

Gouda Edam

CHEESE SERVICE

The cover for Cheese on a Classic French menu Side plate, Side knife, Small fork

Cheese used in cooking Parmesan and Cheddar

The accompaniments for Cheese Cruet (Salt, pepper and mustard) Butter in a butter dish Celery sticks on ice Radishes – when in season Castor sugar for cream cheese Cheese biscuits (Water Biscuits, Cream

crackers, sweet digestive wafer biscuits) Crowdie oatcakes

Storing Cheese

Cool, dark place Good air circulation Correct packaging If not covered in original wrapping, it must be

wrapped in grease proof paper or cling film Store away from foods, which absorb flavours

FONDUE

A Swiss specialty, wherein a copper pot of melted cheese and wine is kept upon a burner and guests dip pieces of dry bread into the mixture on special long forks

BLUE VEIN CHEESE

Curd is cut into cubes, drained & moulded. During coagulation or moulding spores of fungus penicillium glaucum are added. This fungus gives the blue veining. E.g. Blue Cheshire, Stilton, Gorgonzola

Blue Cheese - By skewering certain types of cheeses with copper wire to inject it with a kind of penicillin