Some great information about Swiss Cheese from our Destination Solutions Network Member - Switzerland Tourism
Swiss Cheese:
Q. How does cheese get its flavor?
A. There are hundreds
of types of cheese, with tastes and smells as varied as those in a
colorful flower meadow. Aromatically relevant components within the
milk form the basic aroma, while micro-organisms such as mold, bacteria
and yeast influence the rest. By increasing the fat content, adding
more salt and extending the maturation process, the cheese develops a
more intense aroma.
Q. How does cheese get its holes?
A.
In Emmentaler AOC, for example, propionic acid bacteria is responsible
for the holes. First, the lactobacilli ferment the lactose, among other
things, into lactic acid. This process is normal and happens in every
cheese. Afterwards, the propionic acid bacteria converts the
newly-cultivated lactic acid into propionic acid, acetic acid and
carbon dioxide, which finally forms the holes into the cheese.
Q. What is the difference between Swiss Emmentaler AOC and foreign Emmentaler, a.k.a. “Swiss cheese”?
A.
The Swiss original, trademarked with the indication of its origin AOC
(Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) since December 2006, is produced with
fresh raw milk. The milk is untreated and there are no additives. For
this reason, this milk must come from cows that are not fed silage.
Moreover, Swiss Emmentaler AOC is produced by competent cheese
specialists using a traditional recipe in commercial cheese dairies.
However, foreign “Swiss cheese” with big holes is often industrially
produced from pasteurized milk.
Q. What is the difference between raw milk and pasteurized milk?
A. Originally, all cheese was made from raw milk. However, nowadays many types of cheese are produced using pasteurized milk.
The
raw milk that is used to produce cheeses such as Emmentaler, Gruyere
and Sbrinz is processed without heat treatment. As a consequence, the
inherent enzymes and bacteria of the milk remain active in their
natural environment. During the process of ripening, these enzymes and
bacteria produce a certain flavour that is not present in pasteurized
cheese. Therefore, as raw milk cheese ages, its flavour becomes even
more intense.
Cheese from pasteurized milk consists of milk that
is heated up to around 170° F and cooled down again afterwards. The
natural enzymes and bacteria are thereby inactivated. But in order to
make the cheese age, special bacteria are inserted into the cheese.
Pasteurized cheese is usually consumed at an earlier stage and is often
more mild in taste. Representatives of this kind of cheese would be
Green Tilsiter, mozzarella, and most soft cheeses.
Q. Is raw milk cheese safe for consumers?
A.
Yes, it is. Although some countries question the hygienic safety of
classic Swiss raw milk cheeses such as Appenzeller, Berner Alp- und
Hobelkäse, Emmentaler, L'Etivaz, Gruyere, Raclette Valaisanne, Raw
Tilsiter, Tête de Moine and Sbrinz, scientific surveys don’t support
these fears. Several factors prevent pathogenic agents from
accumulating in the cheese. First of all, the milk is of outstanding
quality and it is processed within just 18 hours after milking. Also,
the cheese dough is heated at a relatively high temperature. The long
aging process, which takes between three and 18 months, is another
factor.
Soft cheese made from raw milk is more challenging.
Since the mass of cheese can barely be heated, the water content is
high and the ripening process is rather short. This means the
elimination of pathogens cannot be 100% guaranteed. Thus, proper
hygiene must be secured through rigid surveillance of the milk quality
as well as production materials.
Sources: Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux ALP, Emmentaler Switzerland and Switzerland Cheese Marketing AG
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