Cheese making

Introduction
• Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-
based food products. Cheese is produced
throughout the world in wide-ranging flavours,
textures, and forms.
• Cheese consists of proteins and
fat from milk, usually the milk of
cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep.
It is produced by coagulation of
the milk protein casein.
 Objective of cheese
making
 To obtain the optimum cheese composition with
respect to moisture, acidity (pH), fat, protein and
minerals (especially calcium)
 Establish the correct structure of the cheese at
the microscopic level; and
 Ripen to perfection.
Grouped according to texture and basic
manufacturing procedures there are seven families
of cheese.
 First Step
• Milk from the evening milking is allowed to stand
overnight. By natural processes, this milk will have partially
separated during its overnight standing period. The cream is
skimmed off, and the partially skimmed milk is combined
with whole milk from the morning milking.
 Second Step
The milk is gradually heated to 30 to 35 C (86
to 95 F)
before acidification
and coagulation.
 Step 3
• Acidification: Starter culture is added to milk to
change lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid. This
process changes the acidity level of the milk and
begins the process of turning milk from a liquid into
a solid.
 Starter culture
• Fermentation starters (called simply starters within
the corresponding context) are preparations to
assist the beginning of the fermentation process in
preparation of various foods and fermented drinks.
A starter culture is a microbiological culture which
actually performs fermentation.
 Step 4
Coagulation: Rennet is added to further encourage
the milk to solidify ,
forming a custard
-like mass.
 rennet
• .Rennet An enzyme used to coagulate milk during
the cheese making process. Rennet is derived from
one of four sources: the stomach lining of a young
calf (the enzyme rennin is found in the stomach
lining of animals because it aids in the digestion of
their mother's milk)
• plants (typically thistle)
• microbes in fungus and yeast
• Genetically engineered rennet that
imitates animal rennet.
 Step 4
Cutting:-
It's then cut into small pieces to begin the process of
separating the liquid (whey) from the milk
solids (curds).Large curds are
cooked at lower temperatures
, yielding softer cheeses like
Mascarpone and Ricotta.
Curds cut smaller are cooked
at higher temperatures,
yielding harder cheeses
like Gruyere and Romano
 Step 5
Stirring, Heating & Draining:-
Cheese makers cook and stir the curds and whey until
the desired temperature
and firmness of the
curd is achieved. The
whey is then drained
off, leaving
a tightly formed curd.
Here you can see the cheese maker
taking some of the whey out of the
vat.
 Step 6
• Salting: Salt adds flavour and also acts as a preservative so the
cheese does not spoil during long months or years of ageing. It also
helps a natural rind to form on the cheese. There are several ways to
use salt. Salt can be added directly into the curd as the cheese is
being made. The outside of the wheel of cheese can be rubbed with
salt or with a damp cloth that has been soaked in brine. The cheese
can also be bathed directly in vat of brine.

Concentrated brine. adding the salt directly into the

drained curd
 Step 7
 Curd Transformation
Different handling techniques and salting affect
how the curd is transformed into the many cheese
varieties made.
• Shaping:
Step 8
The cheese is put into a basket or a mold to form it into a
specific shape. During this process, the cheese is also
pressed with weights or a machine to expel any
remaining liquid.
Pressing determines
the characteristic shape
of the cheese and
helps complete the
curd formation. Most
cheeses are pressed in
three to 12 hours, depending
on their size.
 Step 9
Ripening: Referred to as affinage, this process ages cheese until it
reaches optimal ripeness. During this process, the temperature and
humidity of the cave or room where the cheese ages is closely monitored. For
some cheeses,
ambient molds in the air
give the cheese a distinct
flavour. For others, mold is
introduced by spraying it on
the cheese (brie) or injecting it
into the cheese (blue cheese).
Some cheeses must be turned,
some must be brushed with oil,
and some must be washed with
brine or alcohol.
Aging should take place in a controlled environment.
Different cheeses required different temperatures and
humidity's, however in a small refrigerator
temperature is kept
at 55°F and 85%
humidity. During aging
, the cheese should
be rotated or flipped
periodically
to prevent moisture
from settling in the
cheese and to prevent
an inconsistent internal
consistency.