Food and nutrition.pdf

, .-, -:~ ; ..Chapter 23","Cheese".: ;.," ..... I. ,Cheese is a food consisting of proteins and fat from milk; Wlually the,milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. It is produced by coagulation ofthe milk protein casein. Typically, the milk is acidified and,additi?n ofthe enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are then separa.ted :andpressed into final form. Some cheeses also contain molds, either on theouter rind or throughout.,- :, " '," "Hundreds of types of cheese are produced. Their different,styles,textures and flavors depend on the origin of the milk (indu(iing theanimal's diet), whether it ha~ been pasteurized, butterfat content, thespecies of bacteria and mold, and the processing includillg the,length ofaging. Herbs, spices, or wood smoke may be used as flavoring agents.The yellow to red colour of many cheeses is a result of adding. aJ!llatto.Cheeses are eaten both on their own and cooked in various dishes; mostcheeses melt when heated.,",. For a few. cheeses, the milk is curdled Py adding ac;ids ~uch as vinegaror, lemon juice. Most cheeses are acidified to a le~ser degree ,by. ,bacteri.~which turn milk sugars int9 lactic acid, then the ~4ditiol1.Qf ~4dition"Qf rennet,c()mpietes the curdling. Vegetarian alternatives to renn~t are available;most are produced by fermentation of the fungus M1/.cor miehei, but othershave been extracted from various species of the Cynara thistle family.Cheese has served as a hedge against famine[citation needed] and is a goodtravel food. It is valuable for its portability, long life, and high content offat, protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Cheese is more compact and has alonger shelf life than the milk from which it is made. Cheesemakers neara dairy region may benefit from fresher, lower-priced milk, and lowershipping costs. The long storage life of cheese allows selling it whenmarkets are more favorableMaking CheeseCurdlingThe only strictly required step in making any sort of cheese is