Carmela Ariane D.

Aliazas BS Chemistry

Cream Cheese
Cream cheese is considered to be a fresh type of cheese due to the fact that it is not aged. It was invented by the Americans in the state of New York in 1872. The flavor is subtle, fresh, and sweet, but has lightly tangy taste. At room temperature, cream cheese spreads easily and has a smooth and creamy texture which makes it rich. It is made by adding cream to cows milk which gives it its richness but it is not ripened therefore limiting its shelf life. Cream cheese is usually white in color and is called white cheese in certain parts of the world. It also comes in low fat and non-fat varieties. In comparison to other types of cheeses that have a long aging process, cream cheese can be enjoyed right away. It however must be stored in a cool place therefore it should be refrigerated as it can absorb odors. It is also best eaten when cool. This type of cheese is also good for mixing with herbs and spices as well as fruits or even chocolates.

Types of Cream Cheese: Curd Cheese Cottage Cheese Mascarpone Cheese Ricotta Neufchatel (reduced fat cream cheese) Flavoured Cream Cheese (herbal, fruity, vegetable and peppery are available)
These cheeses are soft and smooth and have a fresh aroma, except for cottage cheese. The colour varies from a milky white to a creamy yellow colour, which is ofcourse dependent on the content of fat that is available in the cream cheese. Based on the texture of the cream cheese, it has to be packaged in plastic containers, jars, and sold in tubs or blocks.

Presently, existing pasteurization and packaging techniques are allowing cream cheese manufacturers to produce cream cheese with a refrigerated shelf-life of up to 6 months. Remember the fresher the cheese the better it will taste.

Blue Cheese

Blue cheese is a common categorization of cow's milk and/or goat's milk cheeses with a blue or blue-green mold. The blue mold in these cheeses is due to mold spores from Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum to name a few. Most blue cheeses (bleu cheese) today are either injected with the mold or the mold is mixed right in with the curds, to ensure an even distribution of the mold. Blue cheese was initially produced in caves, where there was a natural presence of mold. Most of these cheeses must still be matured or aged in the caves where they were originally developed. So the longer it ages, the more intense the flavour and smoother the texture. A combination of mold and other ingredients make up the colour, flavour and texture of the cheese. Many blue cheeses are made from whole cow's milk, but there are also made with goat's milk. These complex blue cheeses are usually categorized as some of the best cheeses in the world. There flavour is usually strong, and have a tangy taste that differentiate these type of cheeses from others.

Types of Blue Cheese

Gorgonzola - This blue cheese is from Italy and is made from cow's milk. Stilton - This cheese is considered to be the king English cheeses, it is manufactured from sheep or cow's milk. Roquefort This is made from cow's milk and is one of France's national treasures. It is somewhat porous and has a green color rather than blue streaks. It has a soft, creamy texture and has a spicy taste. Cabrales - is one of the four most famous blue cheeses. It is a combination of cow, sheep and goat's milk. Danablu - One of the most well-known blue cheeses originally from Denmark. Benedictine Bleu This cheese is from Canada and has been famous since 1943.

Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar cheese originated from an English village called Cheddar. It is a firm cheese which originates from cows milk. This type of cheese is one of the most popular cheeses and varies in taste. It can be of a mild taste to a sharper taste. Because of the recognition of cheddar cheese, it is usually readily available and varies in quality as well. Individuals tend to associate either off-white, pale yellow or even a pumpkin orange color with cheddar cheese. This originates from dyes being added to the cheese for a change in color. Cheddar cheese also has different flavors, which is dependent on the make of the cheese as well as the aging process. Mild tasting cheddars are usually processed for a shorter period of time while a sharper taste would come from cheese processed over a several months.

 There are several aspects that make cheddar different from other cheeses. Firstly, the bacteria that it is fermented with. Secondly, the process by which it is manufactured and thirdly, cheddaring which is a process the cheese goes through to make the end result distinctive to taste.

Different Types of Cheddar Cheese

1. Mild Cheddar - This cheese is considered young as it has only been aged for 3 months, hence its mild taste. 2. Semi-Matured Cheddar -Aged for 3-6 months. 3. Matured Cheddar - Aged for 6-12 months. 4. Vintage Cheddar - Aged up to 18 months. 5. Flavored Cheddar - This matured cheddar with an additional flavour, example: garlic, bacon or port wine.

6. Flavored Processed Cheddar Has an extra ingredient such as onion, garlic, curry or even pecan nut. 7. Processed Cheddar Has a mild flavour and a smooth texture. 8. Cheedam Combination of cheddar and edam cheeses. This cheese has a mild taste. 9. Steppen This is low-fat cheddar cheese. 10. Double Gloucester Has a high colour and a tangy flavour. 11. Cheshire A bit acidic yet mild. Depending on the aging process and may have a more prominent flavour. 12. Cotto Made from skimmed milk and has a fresh mild flavour. 13. Red Leicester - Has a slightly lemony taste. This cheddar cheeses colur originates from vegetable dye.

Processing Steps in Cheddar Cheese Production:

1. Standardize Milk Milk is often standardized before cheese making to
optimize the protein to fat ratio to make a good quality cheese with a high yield.

2.Pasteurize/Heat Treat Milk Depending on the desired cheese, the

milk may be pasteurized or mildly heat-treated to reduce the number of spoilage organisms and improve the environment for the starter cultures to grow. Some varieties of milk are made from raw milk so they are not pasteurized or heat-treated. Raw milk cheeses must be aged for at least 60 days to reduce the possibility of exposure to disease causing microorganisms (pathogens) that may be present in the milk. (32C) to bring it to the temperature needed for the starter bacteria to grow. If raw milk is used the milk must be heated to 90F (32C). starter cultures and any non-starter adjunct bacteria are added to the milk and held at 90F (32C) for 30 minutes to ripen. The ripening step allows the bacteria to grow and begin fermentation, which lowers the pH and develops the flavor of the cheese.

3.

Cool Milk Milk is cooled after pasteurization or heat treatment to 90F

4. Inoculate

with Starter & Non-Starter Bacteria and Ripen The

5. Add Rennet and Form Curd The rennet is the enzyme that acts on the milk proteins to form the curd. After the rennet is added, the curd is not disturbed for approximately 30 minutes so a firm coagulum forms. 6. Cut Curd and Heat The curd is allowed to ferment until it reaches pH 6.4. The curd is then cut with cheese knives into small pieces and heated to 100F (38C). The heating step helps to separate the whey from the curd. 7. Drain whey forms a mat.

The whey is drained from the vat and the curd

8. Texture curd The curd mats are cut into sections and piled on top of each other and flipped periodically. This step is called cheddaring. Cheddaring helps to expel more whey, allows the fermentation to continue until a pH of 5.1 to 5.5 is reached, and allows the mats to "knit" together and form a tighter matted structure. The curd mats are then milled (cut) into smaller pieces.

9. Dry Salt or Brine For cheddar cheese, the smaller, milled curd pieces are put back in the vat and salted by sprinkling dry salt on the curd and mixing in the salt. In some cheese varieties, such as mozzarella, the curd is formed into loaves and then the loaves are placed in a brine (salt water solution).
10. Form Cheese into Blocks The salted curd pieces are placed in cheese hoops and pressed into blocks to form the cheese. 11. Store and Age The cheese is stored in coolers until the desired age is reached. Depending on the variety, cheese can be aged from several months to several years. 12. Package Cheese may be cut and packaged into blocks or it may be waxed.

Goat Cheese
Goat cheese is a cheese that is made from goat milk. It is sometimes called chevre. Goat cheese comes in a wide array of forms. It can either be made firm or semi-firm in texture. It is usually a soft, smooth cheese which spreads easily and has a distinct flavor that is tangy like that of goat milk. The strong goat flavor is due to the hormones in the milk which can be reduced. Goat milk is highly influenced by what goats are eating as goats tend to eat more bitter plants which cows would not eat, hence the distinctive taste. Goat cheese is a preferred dairy product as it is said to be less dense in calories like the cheese made from cows milk. Goat cheese is also easier to digest; therefore some persons who can not have other milk products will more likely be able to eat goat cheese.

 Goat cheese is often made in areas where refrigeration is limited so aged goat cheeses are frequently and heavily treated with salt for the prevention of decay. Due to this, salt has become a distinct flavour that is present in the taste of goat cheese. It is also said that goat cheese does not put any strain on the heart, which is great news. This is due to its low fat content and the cheese being able to be digested quite easily.

Manufacturing Goat Cheese

Goat cheese is manufactured by warming goat milk and mixing it with rennet, which is an enzyme which allows the milk to curdle. The curds are then drained and pressed. Soft goat cheese is made by hanging bundles of cheesecloth filled with curds for a number of days to be drained and cured.

Types of Goat Cheese Castelo Branco This type of goat cheese is from Portugal Halloumi Greek cheese made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk Feta Greek cheese also made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk

Swiss Cheese

Swiss cheese is the general name for numerous types of cheese that were initially prepared in Switzerland. It is also known as Emmental. Swiss cheese is made from cows milk. It is lightly flavored, sweet and nutty. Swiss cheese is known for being glossy, light or pale yellow, and having large holes in it which is a result of carbon dioxide released during the process of maturation. So basically the gas bubbles from the carbon dioxide produces the holes in the cheese. The holes in Swiss cheese are known as eyes.

Types of Swiss Cheese

1.

Baby Swiss This type of swiss cheese is of light yellow colour,

and has a soft, smooth texture with small holes, or eyes and is made from whole cow's milk. The flavor is mild, buttery, creamy and a bit sweet. 2. Comte This Swiss cheese is a type of Gruyere cheese. The full name is really Gruyere de Comte. It is a circular cheese with small round holes; it is dark in colour with a tough texture and has a yellowish interior. The aging process is longer than that of the Swiss Gruyere cheese. Comte is a buttery, tangy cheese and has a sweet, fruit-like flavor. 3. Tete de Moine This is made from enriched summer milk, the inside of the cheese is hard and creamy to yellow in colour and darkens depending on the aging process. It has a sweet and tangy flavour with a taste of nuts. It is also the strongest of the Swiss Cheeses.

4. Raclette this cheese is made from cow's milk that is heated

under a hot grill. The heat intensifies the full, nutty and somewhat fruity aroma of Raclette. When grilled, the outer layer becomes crunchy and has a delightfully savory flavor.

5. Jarlsberg This type of cheese is from Norway. It is made

from cows milk and is rich and creamy and a bit sweet.

6. Blarney - Blarney Irish Castle Cheese is a natural, partially soft

semi-skimmed cheese somewhat like young Gouda. It is aged for at least 3 months.

Production of Swiss Cheese

1. Curdling
When the milk first arrives, it undergoes quality controls before being filtered. Dairy milk is heated slowly and stirred constantly in a large cheese vat until the desired temperature has been reached. Rennet, an enzyme taken from the stomachs of young calves that can also be produced microbially, is added to the milk together with lactic acid bacteria (or possibly just acids). When making white mould cheese (e.g. Camembert) and blue mould cheese (e.g. Roquefort), mould cultures are introduced into the milk. The stirring equipment is then switched off. After resting for 30 to 40 minutes, a jelly-like mass appears (protein in its set form), the milk has curdled.

2. Pre-cheesing
The jelly-like mass is broken up using a cheese harp, a stirring instrument strung with thin wire. The pieces become smaller and smaller as they are stirred. The curd separates from the watery part, which is the whey. The smaller the pieces of curd, the harder the cheese will be at the end of the manufacturing process. The whey can be processed further in two different ways. It is either centrifuged to obtain cream, in which case the whey cream is used to produce dairy butter, or the whey is replaced with vinegar or another acid and then used to make Ziger.

3. Heating, forming and saline bathing

The curd is heated to 57C maximum, whilst being constantly stirred. With the help of a cheesecloth, it is lifted out of the whey and given its shape, the Jrb. The cheese is pressed to force the whey out. The lactic acid bacteria that have been added to the cheese turn the lactose into lactic acid. The cheese, which is still soft, is put into a saline bath for a period lasting from 30 minutes to two days depending on the size of the cheese. During this time, it absorbs salt and loses moisture. The rind forms the cheese becomes stable.

4. Fermenting and ripening

The fermentation process affects the formation of holes in the cheese dough and the aroma. The holes are produced as a result of carbon dioxide gas, which is released as milk sugar (lactose) is broken down by specific lactic acid bacteria. As this gas cannot escape, it forms bubbles. The bubbles make holes in the cheese dough. As the cheese ripens, the protein is broken down into a more easily digestible form. At this stage, the cheese gets the taste that is typical of its particular variety. It can take from several days (e.g. Tomme) to several years (e.g. Sbrinz AOC) for the cheese to mature. During this time, the cheese wheel must be carefully looked after by turning and washing it regularly.

5. Quality control
The cheese is checked thoroughly before it goes on sale. This is to ensure that only cheese of excellent quality is sold. Hole formation, the quality of the cheese dough, taste and outward appearance (shape and conservation) are checked and assessed.

Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a loosely packed cow's milk cheese distinguished by its slightly bland taste and the whey which is left in with the cheese curds. The cheese is designed to be eaten fresh, and is highly perishable. There are a number of uses for cottage cheese, ranging from a dish in and of itself to a substitute for ricotta in dishes like lasagna. Most grocers carry cottage cheese, and it is also often available directly through dairies.

Making Cottage cheese

To make cottage cheese, cow's milk is curdled and then drained, but not pressed. Draining removes much of the whey in the cheese, but not all of it. Pressing would extract the remainder of the whey, turning cottage cheese into a firmer cheese like pot cheese or farmer's cheese. Some producers also rinse the curds to reduce the acidity of the cheese, so that it will taste less sour and tangy. The curds and whey are packaged together and sent to market; cottage cheese should ideally be eaten within 10 days.

 There are a number of variants on cottage cheese. Some producers use nonfat or skim milk to make nonfat or low fat cottage cheese. Others add cream to the cottage cheese after it is made for a rich, creamy cottage cheese. Some producers tend to make a more dry style cottage cheese, while others keep it moist. The curds also range in style from small bits to large chunks, sometimes called popcorn style. In some cases, ingredients such as fruit or savory vegetables are added to make the cottage cheese more flavorful.