Cheese | Swiss-Type Cheeses

Abstract

Swiss-type cheeses were originally manufactured in the Emmen valley (Swiss German: Emmental) in Switzerland. Nowadays, the group of Swiss cheeses comprises cheeses with the desired propionic acid fermentation. There is an internationally recognized Codex standard for Emmental, developed by the Codex Alimentarius, which differentiates Emmental from other cheese varieties. However, descriptions and analytical values presented in this article focus on Swiss Emmental cheese, which is produced from raw milk. Wherever they are of importance, variations from other Swiss-type cheeses are explained. This article comprises an outline of the technology of Emmental cheese production. Great emphasis is laid on the cultures used, as propionic acid fermentation by Propionibacterium freudenreichii is the main agent for the formation of the typical Swiss cheese characteristics. The interactions between propionic and lactic acid fermentations are also of importance and are therefore treated in this article. Other aspects that broadly characterize Emmental cheese, such as eye formation, ripening patterns, and textural and flavor characteristics, as well as defects and hygienic safety, are also included.