Why does Swiss Cheese have holes?

I've always enjoyed eating cheese. Just getting that out of the way. I've never quite figured out why Swiss Cheese has holes! I mean, I can understand different shapes like round, square, triangular - though I can't quite fathom why swiss has holes, how they get there, etc

cheese

Best Answer

Those are called "Eyes" by cheese makers. The appear when bacteria convert lactic acid into propionic acid and carbon dioxide, or metabolise citrate.

These bacteria occur in dairy products, though they can also be added to the curd to get the characteristic eyes. See for example Propionibacterium freudenreichii on Wikipedia.

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Why is there a hole in Swiss cheese?

Under the specific conditions that Swiss cheese is made, the P. shermanii produce a gas: carbon dioxide. Because Swiss cheese is made at a warm temperature \u2013 around 70 degrees Fahrenheit \u2013 the cheese is soft and malleable. So as the bacteria grow, the gases they emit end up creating round openings.

Is there Swiss cheese without holes?

The holes in the cheese are called the "eyes", and a Swiss cheese that does not have holes is called a "blind" cheese. Most often, Swiss cheeses with larger eyes have a better taste, as the same things that make the eyes bigger also make the taste of the cheese better.

What is Swiss cheese with holes called?

Swiss cheese is a generic name for several related varieties of medium-hard cheese that resemble Emmental cheese, which originated in Emmental, Switzerland. It has a savory, but not very sharp taste. Swiss cheese without eyes is known as 'blind'. Whereas the holes in cheese are called \u201ceyes.\u201d

Are the holes in Swiss cheese from mold?

The resulting curds are pressed in large molds around three feet in diameter and six inches thick. Then, the pressed curds are soaked in brine, which ultimately forms the cheese's rind, wrapped in a film, and stored in a cave at between 72 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit where they will age, or ripen.