With hundreds of types and a wide variety of flavors, textures and styles, cheese is enjoyed all over the world. The different varieties of cheese depend on the origin of the milk and the animal's diet. Made primarily from cow's milk, cheese is also produced from the milk of sheep, goats, buffalo and other mammals. From the famous Cheddar to the rare Crottin de Chavignol, cheese is full of nutrients like fats, proteins, calcium and phosphorus. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The process of making cheese is nothing short of magic. Its history dates back 4000 years, when sheep were first domesticated. There is no evidence as to whether this was Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East. Cheese was most likely made accidentally to preserve milk by curdling and salting it. But regardless of the type of cheese and where it's produced, the basic process involves separating milk into whey and curds. There may be a number of variables in the stages of cheese making that account for the enormous amount of cheese in the world. These are the basic steps in cheese making: Acidification of milk In the case of raw milk, bacteria naturally present in milk convert lactose or milk sugar into lactic acid. For pasteurized milk, acidifying bacteria must be added. The most commonly added bacteria belong to the Lactococcus, Streptococcus or Lactobacillus families. For the famous Swiss cheese, the bacteria used is Propionibacter shermani which gives the cheese its holes. For some cheeses like Paneer, Queso, Fresco, the milk is acidified directly by adding a small amount of vinegar. Curdling involves grouping milk proteins together and forming a network to trap fat and water molecules. Curdling can be done either with acid or with rennet. Rennet is a composition of enzymes present in the stomachs of ruminants such as cows. Traditionally, milk was stored in the calf's stomach, where rennet caused it to curdle. Now, rennet is genetically modified. acids, vinegar, lemon juice or lactic acid are used for this process. Acidic curd cheeses are soft, must be eaten fresh due to their short shelf life, and have little taste. Cottage cheese is a classic example. The majority of cheeses are curdled with rennet. They have complex flavors and mature over time. At this point, the cheese is essentially just a wet gel. For some cheeses, they can simply be salted, drained to separate the whey and are ready for consumption. For the remaining majority, the curd is cut into small pieces. The whey is then drained either naturally or by heating in the case of hard cheeses. The purpose of salting the curd is to dehydrate it, give it a firm texture and also prevent it from spoiling. Fungal molds are also added to make blue cheeses like Roquefort. At this stage there are specific techniques for making different cheeses. For example, stretching and kneading in warm water to make Mozzarella and Provolone, or in the case of Cheddar, the curds are mixed and stacked several times. The curds are now poured into molds and pressure is applied to achieve the final shape of the cheese. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a paper now.