The questions below have been designed to test knowledge and understanding of cheese science and technology. They are based on an E-book that I will eventually incorporate into the site. In the meantime 'browsers' can test their knowledge and understanding of cheese technology by attempting the questions below. A link to most of the answers is also given at the end of the question section. The questions, can also be downloaded in 'Word' or PDF format (this facility has been temporarily removed due to transfer of content to the CMS and will be reinstated later in 2009.)

Cheese science and technology questions.

There are many ways in which traditional cheeses can be classified. Criteria such as country of origin, type of milk used, species of animal used to produce the milk, fat content, moisture content, texture, whether mould ripened or not, cheese making process used, moisture in the non-fat solids have been and continue to be used. These criteria have been used either singly or in combination.

These descriptive approaches are limited in that they provide no theoretical insight into why one cheese is different from another.  In other words, why is Gouda cheese different than Cheshire or what makes Emmental different than Cheddar cheese?

For many years researchers in New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and elsewhere were aware that there were significant differences in the pH and mineral concentrations of the major cheese varieties.

Lawrence et. al. (1984) first suggested that cheeses could be classified on the basis of two criteria, pH and calcium content. This approach is illustrated in fig. 1 for Swiss, Gouda, Cheddar and Cheshire cheeses.

Assessment of cheese quality is essential in order to determine if the cheese conforms to legal standards, meets the requirements of the buyer and ultimately the customer and to grade the cheese for payment. A cheese may meet all legal and safety requirements but have appearance, flavour and or texture defects that make it unsuitable for consumer use.

During maturation, bacteria and enzymes act on the fat, protein and carbohydrate in the cheese to produce the body, texture and flavour characteristic of mature Cheddar and other cheeses. The changes in body and texture that transform the rubbery, elastic mass of curd to a cheese with a firm close texture are the results of protein and fat degradation. The release of volatile components from the curd gives the aroma to cheese and associated flavours.