How is Cheese Made?
People have known about turning milk into curds and whey since 10,000 B.C. The curds, lumps of phosphoprotein, are turned into cheese.
Cheese factories begin the cheese making process with milk. The milk received is usually not pasteurized, so it contains bacteria. This bacteria is needed to produce lactic acid, which is essential for the curdling process. Large cheese factories may buy pasteurized milk and add a culture of bacteria. The milk then has to sit until enough lactic acid has formed.
Animal or vegetable rennet is then added to milk. Rennet is an ingredient with an enzyme that coagulates milk. Traditionally, it is made from lining of a calf's stomach.
This enhances the separation of curds and whey (whey is a filmy substance) necessary for making cheese. Once the curds and whey are formed, the curds are cut horizontally and vertically. After the curds are completely separated from the whey, the whey is drained.
At this point the curds contain moisture which must be removed. Depending on the type of cheese being made, a different amount of moisture is removed. The curds may be cut heated or even filtered. Once the proper amount of moisture is removed, the curds are placed in a mold.
Most cheeses are aged at this point. The product will be bathed in brine, wrapped in a cloth or enhanced with a flavoring mold and left to sit anywhere from a month to several years. Cheeses like cottage cheese aren't aged, while extra sharp cheddar cheese is aged for more than two years.
During the aging process, a rind may develop. Sometimes this occurs naturally, and sometimes it is a result of bacteria being sprayed on the cheese. Cheeses may also be sealed in wax or cloth, either in addition to or instead of rinds. The cheese may also be heavily salted if it will be exported.
Once the cheese is complete, it may be edible but inferior. This cheese, often Swiss, Gruyere, Colby or cheddar, is made into processed cheese. The inferior product is ground into a powder and mixed with water, which forms a paste. Ingredients like fillers, slat, preservatives, and emulsifiers are added. The paste is then heated, poured into long ribbons, and sliced.
Sources:
http://www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/cheese
http://mistupid.com/food/cheese.shtml
Published by SE
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