Technology behind cheese making

Cheese is believed to have been discovered about 8000 years ago in the area of modern-day Iraq when milk was stored in the stomach of a ruminant animal by nomads, and agitated and heated during daily travel, thus clotting the milk and separating out the curds from the whey. The oldest archaeological evidence of cheesemaking is from 7000–year old fragments of pottery dotted with tiny holes found in central Poland.

The science of cheese

To make cheese, milk is fermented and concentrated by removal of water through the coagulation of the milk.

Key steps in cheese making

• Fermentation occurs through lactic acid bacteria partly from milk and mainly from the added bacteria cultures.
• Acidification by the bacteria curdles the milk.
• To help the curdling and coagulation, rennet or a similar enzyme is added.
• The separation of water is encouraged by cutting the coagulum, stirring the resulting curd, warming and pressing.
• Throughout these manufacturing steps, fermentation of lactose continues which is transformed into lactic acid.