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60-451: Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures , and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein . It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows , buffalo , goats or sheep ). During production, milk is usually acidified and either the enzymes of rennet or bacterial enzymes with similar activity are added to cause the casein to coagulate. The solid curds are then separated from

120-468: A milk allergy . People who experience lactose intolerance usually avoid milk and other lactose-containing dairy products, which may cause mild side effects , such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, gas, and nausea. Such individuals may use non-dairy milk substitutes . The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF), Cancer Council Australia (CCA) and Cancer Research UK have stated that there

180-475: A blue cheese such as Stilton (hard: cow's milk), Roquefort (medium: ewe's milk) or Bleu d'Auvergne (medium-soft cow's milk); and a soft/medium-soft goat's cheese (e.g. Sainte-Maure de Touraine , Pantysgawn , Crottin de Chavignol ). A cheeseboard 70 feet (21 m) long was used to feature the variety of cheeses manufactured in Wisconsin , where the state legislature recognizes a " cheesehead " hat as

240-754: A crumbly, flavorful Greek cheese. Cheese produced in Europe, where climates are cooler than the Middle East, required less salt for preservation. With less salt and acidity, the cheese became a suitable environment for useful microbes and molds, giving aged cheeses their respective flavors. The earliest ever discovered preserved cheese was found in the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang , China, dating back as early as 1615 BCE (3600 years before present). Ancient Greek mythology credited Aristaeus with

300-467: A dairy farmer from Rome , New York, who in 1851 started making cheese in an assembly-line fashion using the milk from neighboring farms; this made cheddar cheese one of the first US industrial foods . Within decades, hundreds of such commercial dairy associations existed. The 1860s saw the beginnings of mass-produced rennet, and by the turn of the century scientists were producing pure microbial cultures. Before then, bacteria in cheesemaking had come from

360-487: A heart-healthy eating pattern and choosing reduced-fat dairy over full-fat dairy reduces risk for some, but not all, cardiovascular risk factors". In 2019 the National Heart Foundation of Australia published a position statement on full fat dairy products, "Based on current evidence, there is not enough evidence to recommend full fat over reduced fat products or reduced fat over full fat products for

420-662: A new word started to be used: formaticum , from caseus formatus , or "cheese shaped in a mold". It is from this word that the French fromage , standard Italian formaggio , Catalan formatge , Breton fourmaj , and Occitan fromatge (or formatge ) are derived. Of the Romance languages, Spanish, Portuguese , Romanian , Tuscan and some Southern Italian dialects use words derived from caseus ( queso , queijo , caș , cacio and caso for example). The word cheese

480-874: A protective rind, allows selling when markets are favorable. Vacuum packaging of block-shaped cheeses and gas-flushing of plastic bags with mixtures of carbon dioxide and nitrogen are used for storage and mass distribution of cheeses in the 21st century. The word cheese comes from Latin caseus , from which the modern word casein is derived. The earliest source is from the proto-Indo-European root *kwat- , which means "to ferment , become sour". That gave rise to cīese or cēse (in Old English ) and chese (in Middle English ). Similar words are shared by other West Germanic languages — West Frisian tsiis , Dutch kaas , German Käse , Old High German chāsi —all from

540-439: A range of foodstuffs since ancient times, it is probable that the process of cheese making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach. There is a legend —with variations—about the discovery of cheese by an Arab trader who used this method of storing milk. The earliest evidence of cheesemaking in

600-639: A result of hormones". In 2024, Cancer Research UK stated "there is no reliable evidence that casein or hormones in dairy causes cancer in people". The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that people replace full-fat dairy products with nonfat and low-fat dairy products. In 2017, the AMA stated that there is no high-quality clinical evidence that cheese consumption lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. In 2021, they stated that "taken together, replacing full-fat dairy products with nonfat and low-fat dairy products and other sources of unsaturated fat shifts

660-504: A separation of their fats. Many of these can be coaxed into melting smoothly in the presence of acids or starch . Fondue , with wine providing the acidity, is a good example of a smoothly melted cheese dish. Elastic stringiness is a quality that is sometimes enjoyed, in dishes including pizza and Welsh rarebit . Even a melted cheese eventually turns solid again, after enough moisture is cooked off. The saying "you can't melt cheese twice" (meaning "some things can only be done once") refers to

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720-591: A state symbol. The nutritional value of cheese varies widely. Cottage cheese may consist of 4% fat and 11% protein while some whey cheeses are 15% fat and 11% protein, and triple cream cheeses can contain 36% fat and 7% protein. In general, cheese is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value , DV) of calcium , protein , phosphorus , sodium and saturated fat . A 28-gram (one ounce ) serving of cheddar cheese contains about 7 grams (0.25 oz) of protein and 202 milligrams of calcium. Nutritionally, cheese

780-584: Is "insufficient evidence to draw any firm conclusions as to whether exposure to dietary IGF-1 is associated with an increased incidence of cancer in consumers". The COC also stated it is unlikely that there would be absorption of intact IGF-1 from food by most consumers. A 2019 review concluded that higher-quality research was needed to characterise valid associations between dairy consumption and risk of and/or cancer-related mortality. A 2021 umbrella review found strong evidence that consumption of dairy products decreases risk of colorectal cancer. Fermented dairy

840-409: Is a different French cheese for every day of the year, and Charles de Gaulle once asked "how can you govern a country in which there are 246 kinds of cheese?"). At refrigerator temperatures, the fat in a piece of cheese is as hard as unsoftened butter, and its protein structure is stiff as well. Flavor and odor compounds are less easily liberated when cold. For improvements in flavor and texture, it

900-409: Is associated with significantly decreased bladder cancer and colorectal cancer risk. A 2023 review found no association between consumption of dairy products and breast cancer . The British Dietetic Association have described the idea that milk promotes hormone related cancerous tumour growth as a myth, stating "no link between dairy containing diets and risk of cancer or promoting cancer growth as

960-617: Is based on moisture content, which is then further discriminated by fat content and curing or ripening methods. Some attempts have been made to rationalise the classification of cheese—a scheme was proposed by Pieter Walstra which uses the primary and secondary starter combined with moisture content, and Walter and Hargrove suggested classifying by production methods which produces 18 types, which are then further grouped by moisture content. The British Cheese Board once claimed that Britain has approximately 700 distinct local cheeses; France and Italy have perhaps 400 each (a French proverb holds there

1020-566: Is essentially concentrated milk, but altered by the culturing and aging processes: it takes about 200 grams (7.1 oz) of milk to provide that much protein, and 150 grams (5.3 oz) to equal the calcium, though values for water-soluble vitamins and minerals can vary widely. Dairy product Dairy products or milk products , also known as lacticinia , are food products made from (or containing) milk . The most common dairy animals are cow , water buffalo , nanny goat , and ewe . Dairy products include common grocery store food around

1080-492: Is largely a result of the breakdown of casein proteins and milkfat into a complex mix of amino acids , amines , and fatty acids . Some cheeses have additional bacteria or molds intentionally introduced before or during aging. In traditional cheesemaking, these microbes might be already present in the aging room; they are allowed to settle and grow on the stored cheeses. More often today, prepared cultures are used, giving more consistent results and putting fewer constraints on

1140-450: Is no conclusive evidence. Fermented and low-fat dairy products are associated with a decreased risk of diabetes . Consumption of dairy products are also associated with a decreased risk of gout . A 2023 review found that higher intake of dairy products is significantly associated with a lower risk of inflammatory bowel disease . Some groups avoid dairy products for non-health-related reasons. Some religions restrict or do not allow

1200-647: Is occasionally employed, as in Head cheese , to mean "shaped in a mold". Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history . There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, whether in Europe , Central Asia or the Middle East . The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated . Because animal skins and inflated internal organs have provided storage vessels for

1260-480: Is produced by adding annatto . Other added ingredients may include black pepper , garlic, chives or cranberries . A cheesemonger, or specialist seller of cheeses, may have expertise with selecting, purchasing, receiving, storing and ripening cheeses. Most cheeses are acidified by bacteria, which turn milk sugars into lactic acid ; the addition of rennet completes the curdling. Vegetarian varieties of rennet are available; most are produced through fermentation by

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1320-414: Is strong evidence that consumption of dairy products decreases risk of colorectal cancer . The AICR, WCRF, CCA and Prostate Cancer UK have stated that there is limited but suggestive evidence that dairy products increase risk of prostate cancer . The American Cancer Society (ACS) have stated that because dairy products "may lower the risk of some cancers and possibly increase the risk of others,

1380-405: Is widely advised that cheeses be allowed to warm up to room temperature before eating. If the cheese is further warmed, to 26–32 °C (79–90 °F), the fats will begin to "sweat out" as they go beyond soft to fully liquid. Above room temperatures, most hard cheeses melt. Rennet-curdled cheeses have a gel -like protein matrix that is broken down by heat. When enough protein bonds are broken,

1440-626: The Helvetii . Cheese was an everyday food and cheesemaking a mature art in the Roman empire. Pliny's Natural History (77  CE) devotes a chapter (XI, 97) to describing the diversity of cheeses enjoyed by Romans of the early Empire. He stated that the best cheeses came from the villages near Nîmes , but did not keep long and had to be eaten fresh. Cheeses of the Alps and Apennines were as remarkable for their variety then as now. A Ligurian cheese

1500-610: The River Thames Ceswican , meaning "Cheese farm". In 1022, it is mentioned that Vlach ( Aromanian ) shepherds from Thessaly and the Pindus mountains, in modern Greece , provided cheese for Constantinople . Many cheeses popular today were first recorded in the late Middle Ages or after. Cheeses such as Cheddar around 1500, Parmesan in 1597, Gouda in 1697, and Camembert in 1791 show post-Middle Ages dates. In 1546, The Proverbs of John Heywood claimed "

1560-559: The enzymes they produce) also play a large role in the eventual flavor of aged cheeses. Most cheeses are made with starter bacteria from the Lactococcus , Lactobacillus , or Streptococcus genera. Swiss starter cultures include Propionibacterium freudenreichii , which produces propionic acid and carbon dioxide gas bubbles during aging, giving Emmental cheese its holes or eyes . Some fresh cheeses are curdled only by acidity, but most cheeses also use rennet. Rennet sets

1620-621: The ACS does not make specific recommendations on dairy food consumption for cancer prevention." It has been suggested that consumption of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in dairy products could increase cancer risk, particularly prostate cancer. However, a 2018 review by the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC) concluded that there

1680-478: The EU, dairy is responsible for 27% of all diet related emissions, on average, while plant-based milks cause 2.5–4.5 times fewer emissions. Fermented drink This is a list of fermented foods , which are foods produced or preserved by the action of microorganisms . In this context, fermentation typically refers to the fermentation of sugar to alcohol using yeast , but other fermentation processes involve

1740-570: The Middle East, and most of Latin America and the Caribbean. Low-consumption countries consume under 30 kg per capita per year. These countries are: Senegal, most of Central Africa, and most of East and Southeast Asia. For those with some degree of lactose intolerance , considering the amount of lactose in dairy products can be important to health. Dairy products may upset the digestive system in individuals with lactose intolerance or

1800-629: The Middle East, the Indian subcontinent , and areas influenced by those cultures. But with the spread, first of European imperialism, and later of Euro-American culture and food, cheese has gradually become known and increasingly popular worldwide. The first factory for the industrial production of cheese opened in Switzerland in 1815, but large-scale production first found real success in the United States. Credit usually goes to Jesse Williams,

1860-549: The archaeological record dates back to 5500 BCE and is found in what is now Kuyavia , Poland, where strainers coated with milk-fat molecules have been found. The earliest evidence of cheesemaking in the Mediterranean dates back to 5200 BCE, on the coast of the Dalmatia region of Croatia . Cheesemaking may have begun independently of this by the pressing and salting of curdled milk to preserve it. Observation that

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1920-405: The cheese has set into a very moist gel. Some soft cheeses are now essentially complete: they are drained, salted, and packaged. For most of the rest, the curd is cut into small cubes. This allows water to drain from the individual pieces of curd. Some hard cheeses are then heated to temperatures in the range of 35–55 °C (95–131 °F). This forces more whey from the cut curd. It also changes

1980-399: The cheese into a strong and rubbery gel compared to the fragile curds produced by acidic coagulation alone. It also allows curdling at a lower acidity—important because flavor-making bacteria are inhibited in high-acidity environments. In general, softer, smaller, fresher cheeses are curdled with a greater proportion of acid to rennet than harder, larger, longer-aged varieties. While rennet

2040-576: The cheese itself turns from a solid to a viscous liquid. Soft, high-moisture cheeses will melt at around 55 °C (131 °F), while hard, low-moisture cheeses such as Parmesan remain solid until they reach about 82 °C (180 °F). Acid-set cheeses, including halloumi , paneer , some whey cheeses and many varieties of fresh goat cheese , have a protein structure that remains intact at high temperatures. When cooked, these cheeses just get firmer as water evaporates. Some cheeses, like raclette , melt smoothly; many tend to become stringy or suffer from

2100-430: The composition of dietary patterns toward higher unsaturated to saturated fat ratios that are associated with better cardiovascular health". In 2017, the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand published an umbrella review which found an "overall neutral effect of dairy on cardiovascular risk for the general population". Their position paper stated that "the evidence overall suggests dairy products can be included in

2160-521: The consumption of dairy products. For example, some scholars of Jainism advocate not consuming any dairy products because dairy is perceived to involve violence against cows. Orthodox Judaism requires that meat and dairy products not be served at the same meal, served or cooked in the same utensils, or stored together, as prescribed in Deuteronomy 14:21. Veganism is the avoidance of all animal products, including dairy products, most often due to

2220-494: The curds into a single solid body. A newborn cheese is usually salty yet bland in flavor and, for harder varieties, rubbery in texture. These qualities are sometimes enjoyed— cheese curds are eaten on their own—but normally cheeses are left to rest under controlled conditions. This aging period (also called ripening, or, from the French, affinage ) lasts from a few days to several years. As a cheese ages, microbes and enzymes transform texture and intensify flavor. This transformation

2280-547: The discovery of cheese. Homer 's Odyssey (8th century BCE) describes the monstrous Cyclops making and storing sheep's and goats' milk cheese (translation by Samuel Butler ): We soon reached his cave, but he was out shepherding, so we went inside and took stock of all that we could see. His cheese-racks were loaded with cheeses, and he had more lambs and kids than his pens could hold... When he had so done he sat down and milked his ewes and goats, all in due course, and then let each of them have her own young. He curdled half

2340-790: The effect of making cheese in an animal stomach gave more solid and better-textured curds may have led to the deliberate addition of rennet. Early archeological evidence of Egyptian cheese has been found in Egyptian tomb murals, dating to about 2000 BCE. A 2018 scientific paper stated that the world's oldest cheese, dating to approximately 1200 BCE (3200 years before present), was found in ancient Egyptian tombs. In 2024, even older preserved remnants of cheese were identified on mummies in Xiaohe Cemetery in present-day Xinjiang . The earliest cheeses were likely quite sour and salty, similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese or feta ,

2400-539: The end of a meal before or following dessert, or replacing the last course. The British tradition is to have cheese after dessert, accompanied by sweet wines like Port . In France, cheese is consumed before dessert, with robust red wine. A cheeseboard typically has contrasting cheeses with accompaniments, such as crackers, biscuits, grapes, nuts, celery or chutney . A cheeseboard typically contains four to six cheeses, for example: mature Cheddar or Comté (hard: cow's milk cheeses); Brie or Camembert (soft: cow's milk);

2460-497: The environment or from recycling an earlier batch's whey; the pure cultures meant a more standardized cheese could be produced. Factory-made cheese overtook traditional cheesemaking in the World War II era, and factories have been the source of most cheese in America and Europe ever since. By 2012, cheese was one of the most shoplifted items from supermarkets worldwide. In 2021, world production of cheese from whole cow milk

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2520-898: The environment where the cheese ages. These cheeses include soft ripened cheeses such as Brie and Camembert , blue cheeses such as Roquefort , Stilton , Gorgonzola , and rind-washed cheeses such as Limburger . There are many types of cheese, with around 500 different varieties recognized by the International Dairy Federation, more than 400 identified by Walter and Hargrove, more than 500 by Burkhalter, and more than 1,000 by Sandine and Elliker. The varieties may be grouped or classified into types according to criteria such as length of ageing, texture, methods of making, fat content, animal milk, country or region of origin, etc.—with these criteria either being used singly or in combination, but with no single method being universally used. The method most commonly and traditionally used

2580-621: The ethics regarding how dairy products are produced. The ethical reasons for avoiding meat and dairy products include how dairy is produced, how the animals are handled, and the environmental effect of dairy production. According to a report of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization in 2010 the dairy sector accounted for 4 percent of global human-made greenhouse gas emissions. Growing awareness of dairy products' environmental impact, specifically greenhouse gas emissions, has led to many people reducing or avoiding dairy. In

2640-403: The fact that oils leach out during the first melting and are gone, leaving the non-meltable solids behind. As its temperature continues to rise, cheese will brown and eventually burn. Browned, partially burned cheese has a particular distinct flavor of its own and is frequently used in cooking (e.g., sprinkling atop items before baking them). A cheeseboard (or cheese course) may be served at

2700-1472: The fat level, and possible addition of the bacteria Streptococcus lactis and Leuconostoc citrovorum . Milk can be broken down into several different categories based on type of product produced, including cream, butter, cheese, infant formula, and yogurt. Milk varies in fat content. Skim milk is milk with zero fat, while whole milk products contain fat. Milk is an ingredient in many confectioneries. Milk can be added to chocolate to produce milk chocolate . Butter , mostly milk fat, produced by churning cream Fermented milk products include: Yogurt , milk fermented by thermophilic bacteria , mainly Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus sometimes with additional bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus Cheese , produced by coagulating milk, separating curds from whey , and letting it ripen, generally with bacteria , and sometimes also with certain molds . Rates of dairy consumption vary widely worldwide. High-consumption countries consume more than 150 kilograms (330 lb) per capita per year. These countries are: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Costa Rica, most European countries, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, North America and Pakistan. Medium-consumption countries consume 30 kilograms (66 lb) to 150 kg per capita per year. These countries are: India, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, North and Southern Africa, most of

2760-536: The fungus Mucor miehei , but others have been extracted from Cynara thistles. For a few cheeses, the milk is curdled by adding acids such as vinegar or lemon juice . Cheese is valued for its portability, long shelf life , and high content of fat, protein, calcium , and phosphorus . Cheese is more compact and has a longer shelf life than milk. Hard cheeses , such as Parmesan , last longer than soft cheeses, such as Brie or goat's milk cheese . The long storage life of some cheeses, especially when encased in

2820-695: The general population. For people with elevated cholesterol and those with existing coronary heart disease, reduced fat products are recommended." The position statement also noted that the "evidence for milk, yoghurt and cheese does not extend to butter, cream, ice-cream and dairy-based desserts; these products should be avoided in a heart healthy eating pattern". Recent reviews of randomized controlled trials have found that dairy intake from cheese, milk and yogurt does not have detrimental effects on markers of cardiometabolic health. Consumption of dairy products such as low-fat and whole milk have been associated with an increased acne risk, however, as of 2022 there

2880-529: The highest consumers of cheese in 2014, averaging 25 kg (55 lb) per person per annum. A required step in cheesemaking is to separate the milk into solid curds and liquid whey . Usually this is done by acidifying ( souring ) the milk and adding rennet . The acidification can be accomplished directly by the addition of an acid, such as vinegar, in a few cases ( paneer , queso fresco ). More commonly starter bacteria are employed instead which convert milk sugars into lactic acid . The same bacteria (and

2940-550: The liquid whey and pressed into finished cheese. Some cheeses have aromatic molds on the rind, the outer layer, or throughout. Over a thousand types of cheese exist, produced in various countries. Their styles, textures and flavors depend on the origin of the milk (including the animal's diet), whether they have been pasteurised , the butterfat content, the bacteria and mold , the processing, and how long they have been aged . Herbs, spices, or wood smoke may be used as flavoring agents . The yellow-to-red color of many cheeses

3000-544: The milk and set it aside in wicker strainers. Columella 's De Re Rustica (c. 65 CE) details a cheesemaking process involving rennet coagulation, pressing of the curd, salting, and aging. According to Pliny the Elder , it had become a sophisticated enterprise by the time the Roman Empire came into being. Pliny the Elder also mentions in his writings Caseus Helveticus , a hard Sbrinz -like cheese produced by

3060-507: The moon is made of a green cheese " ( Greene may refer here not to the color, as many now think, but to being new or unaged). Variations on this sentiment were long repeated and NASA exploited this myth for an April Fools' Day spoof announcement in 2006. Until its modern spread along with European culture, cheese was nearly unheard of in east Asian cultures and in the pre-Columbian Americas and had only limited use in sub-Mediterranean Africa, mainly being widespread and popular only in Europe,

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3120-414: The outside with dry salt or brine washes. Most cheeses have the salt mixed directly into the curds. Other techniques influence a cheese's texture and flavor. Some examples are: Most cheeses achieve their final shape when the curds are pressed into a mold or form. The harder the cheese, the more pressure is applied. The pressure drives out moisture—the molds are designed to allow water to escape—and unifies

3180-573: The reconstructed West-Germanic form *kāsī , which in turn is an early borrowing from Latin. The Online Etymological Dictionary states that "cheese" derives from: Old English cyse (West Saxon), cese (Anglian) ... from West Germanic *kasjus (source also of Old Saxon kasi , Old High German chasi , German Käse , Middle Dutch case , Dutch kaas ), from Latin caseus [for] "cheese" (source of Italian cacio , Spanish queso , Irish caise , Welsh caws ). The Online Etymological Dictionary states that

3240-485: The taste of the finished cheese, affecting both the bacterial culture and the milk chemistry. Cheeses that are heated to the higher temperatures are usually made with thermophilic starter bacteria that survive this step—either Lactobacilli or Streptococci . Salt has roles in cheese besides adding a salty flavor. It preserves cheese from spoiling, draws moisture from the curd, and firms cheese's texture in an interaction with its proteins . Some cheeses are salted from

3300-493: The use of bacteria such as lactobacillus , including the making of foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut . Many fermented foods are mass-produced using industrial fermentation processes. The science of fermentation is known as zymology . Many pickled or soured foods are fermented as part of the pickling or souring process, but many are simply processed with brine, vinegar, or another acid such as lemon juice. Most cheeses are fermented as part of their production. This

3360-479: The word is of: unknown origin; perhaps from a PIE root *kwat- "to ferment, become sour" (source also of Prakrit chasi "buttermilk;" Old Church Slavonic kvasu "leaven; fermented drink ," kyselu "sour," - kyseti "to turn sour;" Czech kysati "to turn sour, rot;" Sanskrit kvathati "boils, seethes;" Gothic hwaþjan "foam"). When the Romans began to make hard cheeses for their legionaries ' supplies,

3420-444: The world such as yogurt , cheese , milk and butter . A facility that produces dairy products is a dairy . Dairy products are consumed worldwide to varying degrees. Some people avoid some or all dairy products because of lactose intolerance , veganism , environmental concerns , other health reasons or beliefs. Milk is produced after optional homogenization or pasteurization , in several grades after standardization of

3480-516: Was 22.2 million tonnes , with the United States accounting for 28% of the total, followed by Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands as secondary producers (table). As of 2021, the carbon footprint of a kilogram of cheese ranged from 6 to 12 kg of CO 2 eq , depending on the amount of milk used; accordingly, it is generally lower than beef or lamb, but higher than other foods. France , Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Germany were

3540-568: Was noted for being made mostly from sheep's milk, and some cheeses produced nearby were stated to weigh as much as a thousand pounds each. Goats' milk cheese was a recent taste in Rome, improved over the "medicinal taste" of Gaul 's similar cheeses by smoking . Of cheeses from overseas, Pliny preferred those of Bithynia in Asia Minor. c. 1000, Anglo-Saxons in England named a village by

3600-431: Was traditionally produced via extraction from the inner mucosa of the fourth stomach chamber of slaughtered young, unweaned calves, most rennet used today in cheesemaking is produced recombinantly . The majority of the applied chymosin is retained in the whey and, at most, may be present in cheese in trace quantities. In ripe cheese, the type and provenance of chymosin used in production cannot be determined. At this point,

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