Objectives:

1. Cheese Production Objectives: To gain knowledge of cheese production and processing To understand the classification of cheese To learn about cheese varieties and their characteristics

2. What is Cheese? • Made from the curd of cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk • Milk is thickened with an enzyme or special bacteria then separates into liquid (whey) and semisolids (curd) • Casein = primary protein in milk • Curd is derived from the coagulation of casein using an enzyme (rennin), an acid (lactic acid) or by heating, pressurizing, ripening, or adding salt

3. Cheese Making • Age-old process viewed as an art • About 4000 years ago, people began to process milk from animals • First cheese factory was built in Oneida County, New York in 1851

4. Cheese Production • Natural cheese production expanded from 418 million pounds in 1920 to 2.2 billion pounds in 1970 • Production increased to over 6 billion pounds/year in the early 1990’s

5. Cheese Development • Basic cheeses were developed from milk, accidents, trial and error and regional environmental conditions • More than 800 names for cheeses exist • Only 18 distinct types of cheeses exist

6. Cheese History “The Big Cheese” was coined in 1801 when a cheese maker delivered a wheel of cheese weighing 1,235 pounds to Thomas Jefferson

7. Cheese Regulations • Food and Drug Administration requires finished cheeses made from raw or pasteurized milk to be ripened in 60 days or more to safeguard against pathogens • Pathogens include any disease-producing organisms present in the milk

8. Cheese Types • Brick • Camembert • Cheddar • Cottage • Cream • Edam • Gouda • Hand • Limburger

9. Cheese Types • Neufchatel • Parmesan • Provolone • Romano • Roquefort • Sapsago • Swiss • Trappist • Whey

10. Cheese Classification • Based on texture and ripening • Categories include: • hard • semi-soft • moisture content • Cheeses are ripened by bacteria or molds • Cheeses can be unripened ricotta

11. Cheese Bacteria Ripening • Bacteria-ripened cheese can fall into any three categories • May produce gas, creating eyes • May not produce gas, not causing eyes

13. Cheese Processing Steps • Coagulating milk • lactic acid-producing culture added • rennin-like enzyme added • mixture is thoroughly mixed Note: Large curds with more water content become soft cheeses. Small curds with less water content become hard cheeses.

14. Cheese Processing Steps • Cutting the Curd (takes about 10 min) • curd knives are made of intersecting wires and used to cut the curd • curd is cut into small cubes • Cooking • small cubes are agitated and heated • cubes shrink and become hard

15. Cheese Processing Steps cheese draining table • Draining whey and matting curd • after curds settle, the whey is drained • curds are allowed to mat for 15 minutes • during matting, individual curds fuse together to form a continuous slab

16. Cheese Processing Steps • Milling and salting • curd blocks and slabs are passed through a mill that cuts the blocks into small pieces • amount of salt sprinkled on the blocks and slabs is 2.5% of the curd weight Note: salting speeds up drying process

17. Cheese Processing Steps • Pressing • milled and salted pieces are placed in hoops fitted with cheese-cloths • hoops are pressurized overnight using a hydraulic press • this affects the final moisture, texture and shape of the cheese

18. Cheese Processing Steps • Curing or ripening • cheese is placed in a cool room for 3-4 days • this causes mild surface drying and forms rind • to prevent mold growth the block is vacuum packaged or dipped in paraffin • ripening is continued for 60 days • for peak flavoring the cheese might be ripened for 12 months or longer

19. Cheese Blue-Veined Cheese • Characterized by semi-soft texture and blue mold growing throughout curd • Mold growth is encouraged during ripening period of 3-10 months

20. Cheese Brick Cheese • American Wisconsin cheese is brick-shaped with a pale yellow, semi-soft center and mild earthy flavor • As it ripens, flavor becomes stronger • It’s name originated from the fact bricks were once used to weigh the curd and press out the whey

21. Cheese Brie Cheese • This French cheese is characterized by a downy white rind and a cream colored, buttery soft interior oozing at peak ripeness • Once ripe, Brie has a short shelf life and must be consumed quickly

22. Cheese Camembert Cheese • Named by Napoleon in a Norman village • Mold-ripened cheese characterized by a soft cream-colored curd and white felt-like mold growth covering its entire surface • Hardened edges forecast over-ripeness

23. Cheese Cheddar Cheese • Originated in England • Firm cheese ranging in color from natural white to pumpkin orange and in flavor from mild to sharp • Orange cheddars are colored with annatto and natural dye

24. Cottage Cheese Cheese Cottage Cheese • Fresh cheese made from whole, part-skimmed milk, or skimmed cow’s milk • Texture is very moist and if curds are allowed to drain longer, pot cheese is formed • Available in small, medium and large curd

25. Cheese Cream Cheese • Developed in 1872 in America • Most popular ingredient for cheesecakes • Smooth, creamy texture with a mild flavor • Made from cow’s milk and, by law, must contain at least 33% milk fat and not more than 55% moisture

26. Cheese Gorgonzola Cheese • Named after a town in Italy, where this cheese was originally made • Ivory-colored interior can be lightly or thickly streaked with bluish-green veins • Cow’s milk cheese with rich, creamy, savory flavor • Usually foil-wrapped in wedges

27. Cheese Limburger Cheese • German cheese • Strongest-smelling cheese • Rind ranges in color from yellow to reddish-brown with a yellow pasty interior • Semi-soft cheese which is ripened by bacteria from the surface inward

28. Neufchatel Cheese • Originating in France • Soft, white and unripened • When young, flavor is slightly salty but mild • After ripening, flavor is more pungent Cheese

29. Parmesan Cheese • Originated in Italy • Made in Argentina, Australia and US • Hard and dry with a golden-colored rind and a straw-colored interior • Rich sharp flavor Cheese

30. Cheese Roquefort Cheese • One of the oldest and best known cheeses in the world • Made from sheep’s milk and exposed to a mold known as Penicillium roqueforti • Aged for three months • Creamy-rich flavor

31. Cheese Swiss Cheese • Classified as a hard cheese • Pale yellow color • Eyes and sweet nutty flavor • Holes/eyes are produced by gas forming organisms • May ripen from 4-12 months to develop nutty flavor • Increased length in ripening results in stronger nutty flavor

32. Process Cheese “Processed Cheese Food”“Processed Cheese Spread” Cheese Substitutes Melting cheeses together to make a desirable product Referred to as cheese analogs, imitation cheese and so on Replace milk fat with vegetable fat and vegetable protein Newer products have reduced levels of fat, cholesterol and sodium To meet federal standards, product must contain no less than 23% fat and no more than 44% moisture Cheese

33. Grades of Cheese • Grade AA • Grade A • USDA “quality approved” cheese How are grades determined? Grades are determined using the following quality factors: • Flavor • Body and Texture • Finish and Appearance

34. 1. Grade AA 2. Grade A • is the highest quality cheese • is very consistent • is high quality, but not as high as Grade AA • greater variation in texture and flavor 3. UDSA "Quality Approved" Cheese • are products not covered by a U.S. grade standard • pasteurized cheese products, cheese spread and cottage cheese • must be manufactured in a plant which meets USDA inspection standards

35. What is whey? • semisolid C. gas • solid D. liquid • Where was the first cheese factory located in the United States? • Texas C. New York • Massachusetts D. California Assessment

36. A cheese wheel weighing 1,235 pounds was given to _____? • George Washington C. Benjamin Franklin • Thomas Jefferson D. Abraham Lincoln • (T/F) There are 800 names for cheese but only 18 distinct varieties. Assessment

37. (T/F) Mold does not ripen cheese. • The holes in Swiss cheese are caused by _____. • liquid C. gases • solids D. vapors • How did Brick cheese originate its name? (short answer) Assessment

38. Hard, semi-soft and _____ are the three classifications of cheese. • _____ was named by Napoleon when he visited a village in Normandy. • Cheddar C. Limburger • Camembert D. Neufchatel Assessment

39. 10. _____ is one of the oldest and best known cheeses worldwide. • Cheddar C. Roquefort • Swiss D. Limburger • _____ cheese originated in the United States and is the main ingredient for cheesecakes. • Cream C. Whipped • Cottage D. Small-Curd Cottage Assessment

40. (T/F) Roquefort is made from cow’s milk. • The _____ requires that the finished cheese product be ripened for more than 60 days. • The first step in cheese processing includes ____ . • cooking C. milling and Salting • cutting the Curds D. coagulating the milk Assessment

41. (T/F) Large curds with less water content become soft cheeses. • How long does it take to cut the curd with curd knives? • 1 hour C. 30 minutes • 10 minutes D. 2 hours Assessment

42. How does salting affect cheese processing? • speeds up the drying process • slows down the drying process • ripens the cheese • makes the cheese taste better Assessment

43. How much salt is sprinkled on the blocks and slabs of cheese? • 50% of curd weight C. 2.5% of curd weight • 25% of curd weight D. 5% of curd weight • (fill in the blank) Mild surface drying causes the _____ to form. • (fill in the blank) The cheese may be dipped in _____ to prevent mold growth. Assessment

44. Acknowledgements www.ilovecheese.com www.shiercompany.com http://amsdev.ams.usda.gov/howtobuy/cheese.htm Kristina Harris – Production Coordinator Jennifer Donaldson – Graphics Coordinator Geoff Scott – Production Manager G.W. Davis – Executive Producer , MMIV CEV Multimedia, Ltd.