The origin of cheese dates back to thousands of years ago, probably between 8 000 and 5 000 years ago, when the first breeders discovered that the milktransported into animal stomachs, turned spontaneously into a cheese, thanks to the action of the rennet. It is a mixture of enzymes, present in the final portion of the ruminant stomach, which favors the milk coagulationseparating the solid part (called Cagliata) from the serum. From this accidental discovery The production of cheese was born, which over the centuries has evolved to become a sophisticated process. Today, in dairy, coagulation takes place with cagli of animal, microbial or vegetable origin, depending on the type of cheese to be produced. The seasoning, then, enhances its flavor and consistency, giving life to an extraordinary variety of cheeses, from fresh to seasoned.
How the cheese was born and when it was discovered
The term cheese indicates a dairy product derived from milk (whole, skimmed or partially skimmed). There accidental discovery cheese is one of the hypotheses More fascinating on its origin, which is believed to have occurred between 8000 and 5000 years ago, when humans began to tame animals such as sheep, goats and cattle for milk production. The shepherds used natural materials to preserve food and drinks, even during travel. Among these, the stomachs of ruminant animals they were particularly suitable for transporting and preserving liquids, thanks to theirs resistence and the ability to retain the content without losses.
According to the legendthe shepherds realized that keeping the milk in these stomachs, after a few hours of travel under the sun, the liquid turned into one solid and soft mass immersed in an aqueous solution. Initially surprised, they discovered that this transformation did not make the milk inedible, but rather made it more dense, tasty and conservable.
The rennet transforms the milk into cheese
But what was this transformation of milk due to? The answer lies in rennet (from the Latin Coagulum), a mixture of enzymes which is naturally found inside the stomach of animals ruminants, Like calfships and cows. The stomach of these mammals is divided into Four compartments specialized: in the last, called abomasothere is the rennet in high concentrations.
The main enzyme of this mixture is the Chimosine, a proteolytic enzyme (literally, capable of Drain proteins). Chimosine, and other proteolytic enzymes in the rennet, attack the houses, main milk proteins, and hydrolyise them, that is, the they break, breaking the ties among the amino acids that make them up. This leads to A coagulation of milk, that is to the aggregation of these protein pieces in insoluble structures which can be separated from the liquid part (the so -called serum) going constitute the curda dense and gelatinous mass, from which the cheese will then be generated.
This process is fundamental for the digestion In infant ruminants, which feed exclusively with milk. The coagulation slows down the passage of milk through the digestive system, allowing a more effective absorption of nutrients: without coagulation, milk would pass too quickly through the stomach and the intestine, reducing the time necessary for the digestion and assimilation of nutrients essential to the growth of puppies.
From Cagliata to cheese
The milk is poured into large coagulation vatwhere it is heated at an adequate temperature and added with the rennet. After a variable time, the coagulation separates the solid part (caged) from the liquid part (serum). At this point the curd comes modelpressed and subjected to several treatments depending on the type of cheese you want to obtain.
For example, after pressing, some cheeses are ready to be consumed immediately, the so -called fresh cheeses (such as crescenza or robiola). Others instead are subjected to seasoning, a process, which can last from a few days up to several years, which allows the developments of aromas, consistency and complexity of flavor thanks to the action of specific bacteria and molds, giving life to seasoned cheeses (such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano).
With the advent of industrialization, the production of cheese has become more efficient and standardized. Today, in large dairies, the process takes place on a large scale with automated machinery that guarantee precision, hygiene and quality control. The animal rennet is mainly used in protected denomination cheeses (DOP) following the production regulations or when there are no adequate alternatives. In other cases, however, cagli of microbial, biotechnological or vegetable origin can be used.
