.

CHEESE

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 !
Today, you will learn how
to make cheese and the
science behind this
thousand-year-old treat.
Cheesemaking is fairly
simple as long as you
know the chemical
processes deployed in
creameries.

Cheesemaking is the process of controlled spoiling of milk by removing the

water and then concentrating its protein, fats, and other nutrients to increase its
shelf life.
This process is thought to have been accidentally discovered and made by nomadic
herdsmen who stored their milk in vessels made from their livestock’s stomachs.
These stomach linings contains a mix of lactic acid, bacteria as milk contaminants
and rennet, which would sour the milk and coagulate and ferment.
Cheese could made from a variety of animal milks like goat and buffalo milk, but
cow milk is by far the most popular. Cow milk consists of mostly water (86.5%),
lactose (milk sugar) (4.8%), fat (4.5%), proteins (caseins and whey) (3.5%), and
several other vitamins and minerals (0.7%).
During the process, the liquid containing whey proteins, other major milk proteins,
and lactose are all removed in the cheese whey. This is why cheese barely contains
any water, which explains why 10 liters of milk only yields 1 kg of cheese.

:
1. Curdling the milk
2. Separating they whey (liquid) and curds (solids)
3. Pressing down the curds
4. Ripening / aging
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 :
Milk is curdled by using acids, bacteria, and
enzymes, such as rennet, lemon juice, or
vinegar. After adding any of those the casein
protein in the milk will start to destabilize
and coagulate to form curds. This also helps
to control the growth of any unwanted
bacteria in the cheese. A special type of
bacteria is usually added to start the
cheesemaking process by converting lactose
into lactic acid which decreases the milk’s
pH.
Different types of acids, bacteria, and enzymes is added into the milk that depends
on the type of cheese being made.
• Mesophilic bacteria → used to make mellow cheeses such as cottage cheese,
cheddar, and gouda, since they can only thrive at room temperature and die at higher
temperatures.
• Thermophilic bacteria → used to make sharp tasting cheeses such as parmesan and
Romano, since they can still thrive at higher temperatures (~ 55 °C)

Rennet is a mixture that contains an active

enzyme called chymosin, and is used as a
starter bacterium for making most
cheeses. Rennet speeds up the casein
protein coagulation process and produces
a stronger and firmer curd. Rennet is also
used to lower the acidity in some types of
cheese. Rennet originally came from the
stomachs of any young mammal that has a diet mostly made up of milk, but most
of the rennet we use today is GM (genetically modified).
Casein proteins are called micelles in milk, because their molecular structure is
ball-like shaped. Casein molecules contains both a hydrophilic (attracted to water)

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and hydrophobic (repels water) part. The hydrophobic parts sit in the middle of the
micelle, while the hydrophilic parts sit on the outside.
Chymosin breaks down the kappa casein found on
the surface of these micelles and convert them from
being hydrophilic to hydrophobic, which causes
them to trap fat and water in the curds.
These micelles could be as large as 0.1 mm but are
limited in their size, because the κ-casein will grow
larger when this protein is neutralized. When the
protein is finally neutralized it can’t prevent their
growth of these micelles anymore → curds.

:
After curdling the milk, you
remove they whey or the liquid
part using a cheese cloth or a fine
mesh cloth. After removing the
water and whey proteins from
milk the fats, casein proteins, and
lactose are left behind.
Sometimes the curds are reheated
and have salt added to them to
drain any excess water left and make them firmer. When heating the curds, the
protein within the curds will start to denature (the protein bond and links are
broken down).

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 :
This is an optional step that depends on the type of cheese being made. Soft and
moist cheeses such as ricotta won’t require to go through this step. This process is
just pressing any excess water from the cheese to tighten the curd texture which
will result in a more solid product. The cheese is then pressed and molded into the
desired shape.

:
Ripening or more commonly known as aging,
is a process where several types of firm or
moldy cheeses go through this step-in order to
develop flavor and lose more water. The
cheese is left in a humidity and temperature-
controlled environment which depends on the
cheese type. During this time bacteria will
start to break down the cheese proteins will
will alter and affect the final flavor and texture
of the cheese.

Sometimes cheesemakers introduce

different types of fungi to produce a
specific desired characteristic, such
as flavor and texture. In camembert
and brie cheeses its’s on the
surface, while for blue cheese its
internally. These fungi will produce
digestive enzymes that will break
down the large protein molecules
present in the cheese, which makes
the cheese softer, runnier, or maybe even blue.
Sources:

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2. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/827-the-science-of-cheese
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesemaking
4. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/826-cheesemaking-introduction
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