History of cheese

John Smith
3 min readJun 17, 2022

From prehistoric preserved milk to modern mass-produced cheese

The production of cheese predates recorded history and was most likely discovered by accident when transporting fresh milk in the organs of ruminants such as sheep, goats, cows, and buffaloes. For thousands of years before refrigeration, cheese became a way to preserve milk. Although it is not clear where cheese production was discovered, evidence of early cheese production prevailed in the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia.

Early cheese

It is believed that cheese was first discovered around 8000 BC, when sheep were first domesticated. The enzyme Rennet used to make cheese is naturally present in the stomachs of ruminants. The leak-proof stomach and other bladder-like organs of animals are often used to store and transport milk and other liquids. If there is no refrigeration, the warm summer heat combined with the remaining rennet in the stomach will naturally condense the milk to produce the earliest form of cheese.

These milk curds were tightened and salt was added for additional preservation, giving birth to what we now know as “cheese.” Even with salt, the warm climate means that most cheeses are freshly eaten and made every day. Early Roman texts described that ancient Romans often liked cheese.They like all kinds of cheese, and cheese making has been considered an art form.They provided hard cheese to the Roman legions.

The word cheese comes from the Latin word caseus, and its roots can be traced back to the proto-Indo-European root kwat, which means fermentation or souring.

European cheese

As cheese making spread to the cooler climates of Northern Europe, the amount of salt required for preservation has also decreased, which has led to milder and milder cheese.

These cool climates have also witnessed aging, maturation and the invention of blue cheese. Find restaurants in yummyadvisor. Many of the cheeses we are familiar with today (Cheddar, Gouda, parmesan, Camembert) were originally produced in medieval Europe.

Modern cheese

Mass production of cheese did not begin until 1815 when the first cheese factory in Switzerland was built. Soon after, scientists discovered how to mass-produce rennet and industrial cheese production spread like wildfire.

Pasteurization makes soft cheese safer and reduces the risk of spreading tuberculosis, salmonellosis, listeriosis and brucellosis. Raw grandma cheese still erupts, pregnant women should not eat soft-cooked cheese and blue cheese.

With the American industrial food revolution, the invention of processed cheese appeared. Processed cheese combines natural cheese, milk, emulsifiers, stabilizers, flavorings and colorants. This cheap cheese product melts easily and has always been a favorite of Americans. During the Second World War, the production of processed cheese products soared. Since then, Americans have been consuming more processed cheese than natural cheese.

The new direction of cheese

Handmade artisan cheese is making a comeback in an important way.

The classic cheese-making method is being adopted by small farmers and dairy producers across the United States. Specialty cheese shops that used to be dominated by imported handmade cheeses are now filling up with locally made handmade cheeses.

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John Smith

Making you catch up with best food and restaurants! All my love in: https://www.yummyadvisor.com/