Cheese is a milk product of which 450 different varieties are produced in Switzerland. The different types of cheese differ in terms of:
Cow’s milk is generally used for cheesemaking. The proportion of cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk is very low in Switzerland In other countries, buffalo’s, camel’s or yak’s milk is also used in cheesemaking.
Either raw milk or pasteurised milk may be used, depending on the variety of cheese and the cheesemaking process. “Silo free” raw milk is used for hard cheese (i.e. no silage feed in the winter). Pasteurised or raw milk may be used to produce semi-hard cheese. Soft and cream cheeses are generally prepared using pasteurised milk.
The milk used may originate from conventional, integrated or organic production. It is usually stated on the packaging if integrated agriculture or organic products have been used.
Fat is found in cheese in the form of very fine balls of fat. It may partly melt out if the cheese is not stored appropriately. International standards specify the fat content of cheese as a percentage of the dry matter (F.D.M.). This ratio of fat to dry matter is constant and does not depend on water content, which changes according to the age of the cheese due to evaporation. For instance, if the fat content is specified as 48% F.D.M., the absolute fat content of hard cheese is approximately 31% of milk fat, 36% of water and 33% of protein and minerals.
Cheese is produced with the following degrees of fat content:
Cheese is made either using rennet and/or acid coagulation. Rennet is used to make all extra hard, hard and semi-hard cheese varieties. Cream cheeses like Quark or cottage cheese are made with a combination of rennet and acid coagulation.
To a large extent, the water content is what determines the time it takes for the cheese to mature, its consistency, shelf life and appearance. It also has an indirect influence on the taste.
Cheese can be divided into different categories according to its water content. Cream cheese has the highest water content, followed by soft cheese and semi-hard cheese. Extra hard and hard cheese contain the least water.
Cheese can be ripened in two different ways.
From inside to outside like most hard cheeses (e.g. Emmentaler AOC, Sbrinz AOC etc.)
From outside to inside like red smear cheese (e.g. Appenzeller®) or white mould cheese (e.g. Camembert).
Many types of cheese mature as a result of a combination of both (e.g. semi-hard smear cheese). In the case of blue mould cheese (e.g. Roquefort), both types of aging take place simultaneously.
All varieties of cheese are divided into the categories cream, soft, semi-hard, hard or extra hard, depending on the time it takes for them to mature and on their water content. Whereas cream cheese does not need to mature, soft cheese takes at least 1 to 3 weeks to mature.
Semi-hard cheese takes several months to ripen, hard cheese takes up to a year, and extra hard cheese can even take as long as three years.
Although the smell and taste determine the expressive aroma of a cheese, its complete personality can only be felt on the palate. There is an infinite range of aromas that can exist in different cheeses, ranging from mild, aromatic, ripe and spicy to recent and strong.
Each type of cheese is made up of the following ingredients:
Protein consists of different amino acids. The human body can only make ten essential amino acids by itself; the remaining essential amino acids must be obtained from food. 40% to 50% of a person’s daily requirements should be covered by animal protein (cheese, milk, eggs, meat, fish etc.). Cheese is particularly rich in protein and therefore makes a valuable contribution towards covering the daily requirements.
The only way the body can absorb minerals is by consuming food. Cheese too can provide the body with minerals, especially calcium and phosphorous. Both are important, especially for forming healthy bones and teeth. Calcium is vital for inducing blood clotting, for maintaining normal indirect muscle impulse and for lining capillary walls and cell membranes.
Cheese contains various water soluble B complex vitamins. It is also particularly rich in fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K as well as in provitamin A (carotin), which is what gives cheese and butter its characteristic yellow colour.
