Ch. 1: Raw Materials of Cheese - Glossary Flashcards
Introduce you to the words used to talk about the raw materials of cheese
abomasum
the fourth compartment of the ruminant stomach
acidification
the initial step in the souring of milk. lactose is converted to lactic acid.
affinage
the process of selecting, aging, and maturing cheese
alpage
french term for the alpine fields where animals graze in open air during the summer months
ambient humidity
water dispersed into the air
annatto
a flavourless natural dye made from the seed or extract from the achiote tree (indigenous to Latin and South America)
animal rennet
an enzyme from the stomach lining of an un-weaned ruminant’s abomasum
ash
minerals found in milk, assessed by the amount of ash left from incinerating a milk sample
bacterial counts
test used to assess microbial contamination in milk to indicate quality
beta carotene
a pigment in fruits and vegetables
bovine
an animal subfamily classification that includes cattle, water buffalo , and yaks
brine/brining
- used in the washing process
- a blend of water, salt, and sometimes additional items, such as spirits or cultures.
- used to advance flavor development and impede mold growth
bulk set cultures
frozen concentrated culture set
butterfat
the natural fat of milk
butyric acid
a product of anaerobic fermentation that has an unpleasant smell and taste
calcium chloride (CaCl)
-improves curd making properties of coagulants to optimize yield
-recommended for milk that will not coagulate properly due to over heat treatment or low milk solids
-balances calcium levels in brines
calcium phosphate (CaPh)
-mineral that binds and acts as a “glue” from proteins.
-dissolves in cheesemaking, allowing strands or caseins to reform into curds
calf lipase
-flavoring enzyme that creates a delicate and mild “piquant” flavor and has a pleasant butter scent, slightly spicy in cheese
-often used in Italian cheeses (Parm, Mozz, Feta)
casein
a technical term for proteins found in milk, known as alpha-, beta-, and kappa-casein
Coxiella burnetti
-a bacterium that naturally infects ruminant animals found in birth products, urine, feces, and milk.
-destroyed through pasteurization
CHY-MAX
-a FPC (fermentation produced chymosin) offering high milk-clotting specificity combined with reduced proteolytic activity.
-naturally produced through fermentation
coliform
fecal bacteria used to measure sanitary quality of foods and water
coliform count
test of water contamination that indicates the extent of fecal matter present in it
colostrum
-first milk given off by dairy animals that is most nutritious for babies
-not good for cheesemaking
culture houses
dairy technology companies that make and sell cheese bacteria
cultures
a combination of lactic acid, enzymes, or other microorganisms, bacterial or mold spores, and natural elements that develop flavor in cheese during aging
curd
coagulated milk protein
diacytl
a flavor compound responsible for acidic and buttery flavors in fermented products such as cottage cheese, fromage frais, and quark
direct vat inoculation cultures (DVIs)
freeze-dried powders or liquid frozen concentrate that can be sprinkled into the milk vat
dry period
-time leading up to birth when milking animals stop producing milk
-also known as drying off
escherichia coli (E. coli)
type of bacterium that lives in your intestine and the intestines of animals that can be harmless, or cause illness that may be fatal
enzyme
in cheese, protein or protein-like compounds that break down fats (lipolytic) and proteins (proteolytic)
fermentation-produced chymosin
a bio-engineered product identical to calf chymosin
eyes
the holes formed in cheese by gas producing bacteria
free fatty acid (FFA)
short chain acids which contribute to flavor and texture in cheese
frozen milk
-milk supply option used to extend production
-cheesemakers don’t usually use
-ice crystals can rupture the fat globule and diminish the quality of milk
gas production
release of carbon dioxide during ripening
high temperature, short time (HTST)
-heated to 161F for 15-30 sec
-meant to be less damaging to nutrients in milk
globules
the fat held in spheres in fluid milk that contain the building blocks of butterfat known as triclycerides
grass based diet
a diet consisting of barley, wheat, corn, legume, and grass hay
grass fed
a diet consisting of all or most of the grass or naturally grazed foliage
high heat, shorter time (HHST) pasteurization
- 191F for 1 sec
kid lipase
flavoring enzyme that creates a strong, sharp and piquant flavor, and a persistent, lightly spicy scent
lactase
a digestive enzyme produced in humans which breaks down the milk sugar, lactose
lactic acid bacteria
the by-product of cultures at work, consuming lactose, metabolizing it and producing lactic acid bacteria
lactose
a sugar found in milk that is water soluble and serves as an excellent source of food for lactic acid bacteria, which turn the lactose into lactic acid
lamb lipase
flavoring enzyme that creates a strong and marked traditional flavor typical of pecorino romano, with a good persistence flavor, medium spicy
lipase
any enzyme (as one secreted by the pancreas) that catalyzes the breakdown of fats and lipoproteins usually into fatty acids and glycerol
lipolysis
-the process of breaking down butterfat into free fatty acids, which contribute to flavor and texture, and alcohols
-fatty acids react with alcohols during primary fermentation, producing spicy flavors
listeria monocytigenes
-bacteria found in soil, water, and animals that can tolerate high salt concentrations
-causes listeriosis
mastitis
an inflammatory reaction in udder tissue resulting from a mammary gland infection
mesophilic
growing or thriving best in an environment with moderate temperature
metabolite
a substance produced during digestion (metabolism)
micelle
a spherical group of molecules dispersed in a liquid
microbial rennet
rennet that is obtained from a type of mold, Rhizomucor miehei
microflora
-microorganisms that affect cheese ripening, including bacteria and yeast
-a factor in rind development
milk
a liquid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals to nourish their young for a period beginning immediately after birth
mold
-a growth of minute fungi on vegetable or animal matter commonly as a fuzzy covering
-can be inoculated into the cheese to promote bacteria growth
-ambient mold can grow on the cheese naturally,
mother cultures
-naturally cultivated starters using leftover whey from a previous batch of cheese
-can be cultivated and reused from batch to batch
natural cultures
-raw materials that come from the microbial diversity in raw milk
-essential to the dynamic sensory richness and variety in traditional cheeses
pasteurization
-heat treatment of milk with the intention of destroying harmful microorganisms
-required in all cheeses in the US aged less than 60 days
-kills between 90%-99% of all bacteria found in milk
pathogen
a microorganism that causes disease
pH
references acidity levels
-scale of 1-14 with 7 being neutral
-less than 7, acid. more than 7, base
potassium chloride
a chemical substitution to natural salt
propionic acid
a fatty acid found in milk and used especially as a mold inhibitor and flavoring agent
proteolytic enzyme
any group of enzymes that break the long chain-like molecules of proteins into shorter fragments (peptides) and eventually into amino acids
proteolysis
-an anaerobic fermentation of milk proteins (caseins) to peptides and free amino acids
-also creates other acids, alcohols, ammonia, sulfur compound (amines), and esters
-also releases the water from the casein structure
raw milk
fresh milk that has not been pasteurized
rennet
-a collection of enzymes used to coagulate milk
-refers to an enzyme derived from the abomasum
-contains rennin (chymosin) and pepson
-vegetarian friendly options available (microbial, and vegetable)
rotational grazing
the practice of moving animals among several pastures with one being grazed and resting others
ruminant
-from the latin word meaning “to chew again”
-a mammal that digests plant matter by softening it in the first compartment of the stomach, then regurgitating the food and rechewing it to further break it down
-includes cattle, goats, cheep, buffalo, giraffes, yaks, deer, camels, llamas, and antelope
salmonella
-enterobacteria found in raw or under cooked food and closely relates to the Escherichia genus
-causes infections characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramping
silage
-a mixture of plants and grasses fermented in a silo
-chemically equivalent to the pickling of sauerkraut
-can cause off flavors in milk and cheese
seasonality
the availability of milk due to lactation cycles
smear
a mat or multilayered sheet of bacteria formed on the outside of washed rinds
solids
the non-liquid components of milk (sugar, fat, protein, and minerals)
somatic cell
any of the cells of the body comprising tissues, organs, etc other than germ cells
somatic cell counts
-a main indicator of milk quality
-most are leukocytes (white blood cells)
-can increase in milk as an immune response to a mastitis-causing pathogen
-also epithelial cells
standard plate count
indicates the microbial population, which can affect milk flavor and cause spoilage
staphylococcus aureus
-a bacterium found in the human respiratory tract and on the skin
-a causal agent of mastitis in dairy cows
-can be transferred to food during handling
starter culture
-a preparation of bacteria that, when added to milk, consumes lactose and produces lactic acid
-resulting acidification is one of the preservation methods in cheesemaking
terroir
the influence of land, climate, and other naturally occurring interactions between a product and its place of origin that ultimately impact the product’s final quality
thermization
-a process of pasteurization
-milk heated to 135-145F for 15-20 sec
-gentler for the milk and can leave some bacteria and enzymes unharmed
thermophillic
-a heat loving culture
-used to make cheeses heated to 130F
transhumance
the seasonal movement of livestock from low-lying grazing pastures in the winter to high-elevation mountain pastures in the summer in the pursuit of fresh, green grass and plant life
triglycerides
any of an important class of naturally occurring lipids, esters in which three molecules of fatty acids are linked to glycerol
ultrafiltration
filtration through a medium which allows small molecules (as of water) to pass but holds back larger ones (as of protein)
vat pasteurization
-a method of heating milk to retain natural enzymes and beneficial bacteria inherent in milk
-heated to 145F for 30 minutes then quickly cooled
-more expensive than other pasteurization practices, but preserves flavor and health benefits
ultra-pasteurised (UP)
heat treatment for milk to 280F for 2 seconds to extend shelf life
vegetable rennet
enzymes that derive from plants used to coagulate milk
whey
-the liquid held within the curd that contains water, lactose, and proteins not captured in the initial coagulation
-whey cheeses (ricotta) form a curd primarily under the influence of heat
yeast
-single celled microorganism fungi that ferments carbs into alcohol and CO2
-some species are opportunistic pathogens that cause infection in a compromised immune system
whey protein
a milk protein known as cryoglobulin
yield
the weight of the resulting cheese produced from the milk source as defined by primarily protein, fat, and other solids.
-predicted by cheesemakers to tailor modifications to a given recipe
-cows make more milk. sheep have more solids so more yield from less milk
total mixed ration
a mixture of grains specifically designed to increase solid counts in milk
