Tip
Milk Pro­cess­ing

Cheese is produced when milk becomes sour and the solid components separate from the liquid whey. Essentially two different types of cheese are distinguished according to the production:

• Rennet cheese: Addition of rennet (ferment of the calf's stomach) at approx. 30 °C causes the sweet coagulation of the milk.
• Acid curd cheese: Input of lactic acid cultures with a following coagulation.
• In most cases, both types are combined.

Additionally, the types of cheese can be grouped according to different factors:

• Origin of the milk (goat cheese, sheep cheese, buffalo cheese)
• Water content (cream cheese, soft cheese, acid curd cheese, semi-solid cheese, hard cheese)
• Fat content (low fat to double fat)
• Cultures (moulds, bacteria)
• Raw milk cheese, soft cheese, brine cheese, scald cheese

Generally the production of all types of cheese is similar. The huge number of different types of cheese originates from the small differences and the huge number of possibilities of treatment, refining, etc.

1. Preparation
   The milk is pasteurized (except for the production of raw milk cheese). With the addition or separation of the cream, the wanted fat content can be adjusted.
2. Curdling of the milk
   Either rennet or lactobacilli (starter cultures) are added to the milk or both are combined to curd the milk. The so-called "curd" or "jelly" is generated. After a short time, a sample of the curd is made.
3. Curd
   If the curd has reached the right consistency, it is divided with a cheese harp. The finer the curd the harder the finished cheese (more whey is drained). With some cheese types, the curd is heated carefully afterwards, so that more whey can resign.
4. Moulds and press
   If the curd has reached the right consistency for the wanted cheese type, the cheese is filled in the typical cheese moulds. By dripping off or pressing, the remaining whey is separated from the curd.
5. Salt-water bath and wax
   By the bathing in salt-water more water is extracted from the outer layers - the rind formation is supported, the taste is intensified and the cheese is preserved naturally. Many types of hard cheese receive an additional protective coating of cheese wax.
6. Ripening
   The typical flavour can develop by ripening - only cream cheese doesn't need a ripening. According to the type of cheese, a different type of ripening is used and the cheese is turned, coated, brushed, rolled in herbs or treated with mould.
7. Storage
   Important for the storage of cheese is the optimal, constant temperature and a high humidity. Warmth, too cool storage or light can harm the quality and the taste.

Making cream cheese, Mozarella and Ricotta - discover more videos on YouTube!