Which today has become very expensive and not available every day. In fact, this is fermented milk with a certain processing of the clot and aging. More precisely, not even milk, but cottage cheese. However, in order for the clot to have certain qualities, different cheese starters are used. There are a lot of them on the market today. Some are designed for making soft cheese, others are hard, and within each category there will be more varieties that have a number of distinctive features. Today our goal is to look at the basic ways of making cheese.

cheese making idea

She must have visited many. A tasty, popular and expensive product is made from ordinary milk, which is plentiful in summer, and its cost is low. However, it should be borne in mind that in order to get a quality product, you need to be trained and understand the technology, as well as be sure to purchase starters for cheeses. Of course, milk will ferment in a natural way, but the result will not be what you want at all. Get the usual yogurt.

This cannot be allowed. Therefore, pure cheese starters are used, thanks to which the product receives its properties. It is the bacteria that allow the cheese to get exactly the final taste and color that we are used to.

Starters and enzymes for cheese

Many people think that cooking cheese is very simple. He took milk, poured a special composition into it and waited a bit. In fact, this is an art, especially when it comes to hard varieties that take a long time to mature. Enzymes are used in cheese making to ferment milk as quickly as possible. Then the starter is launched into the finished mass. And now they are very different from each other.

Enzymes

Without them, milk will ferment for a long time, and there is a risk that the taste will leave much to be desired. It is generally accepted that abomasum is the ideal home substitute. It must be prepared in advance, dried in a room closed from insects to the state of parchment, and then an enzyme is prepared on its basis. However, no one is doing this today. Moreover, homemade rennet does not compare in its characteristics with those produced by modern industry. But it can be used if nothing else is available. And it will definitely give a better result than pharmacy pepsin.

Overview of offers

There are many different enzymes on the market today that can be used to make cheese for home use or on an industrial scale. Most often, these are rennet cheese starters, which are used today to prepare the vast majority of varieties.

• Enzyme Naturen veal, animal origin. It is distinguished by a very attractive cost, but it also has its drawbacks. If you are using it for the first time, then pay attention to the dosage. The slightest change in dosage can lead to the fact that the noble taste is spoiled by bitterness. In addition, the shelf life of the finished product will be less than that of a similar product prepared using a chemical enzyme.
• Chy-Max chymosin is obtained artificially. It gives an excellent yield of the finished product without bitterness and with a long shelf life. In addition, the shelf life of cheese is greatly increased. No cons were found, however, since the enzyme is obtained artificially, there are doubts about its harmlessness. But no evidence for this has been found.
• "Pepsin" is an expensive drug that is quite difficult to find on sale. An analogue is "Acidin-pepsin", which is also not cheap, it is difficult to dissolve in water, and the process of fermentation with it is greatly delayed.
• Enzymes of plant origin, such as Meito. Synthesizes its fungus. On the one hand, it does not give bitterness, and even vegetarians can eat the finished product. On the other hand, it is quite difficult to find it in free sale.

Making homemade cheese

Unlike production, which is within the strict limits of technological maps and sanitary inspection requirements, at home you will be much freer in your choice. Please note that this is only in case the finished product is intended exclusively for your family, and not for sale. Sourdough for homemade cheese is not required, it is enough to use one of the enzymes listed above. However, if you want to get exquisite varieties that have certain taste qualities, then you should take care of acquiring special bacterial cultures.

Starter cultures for cheeses

So, after you've got a nice curd, it's time to think about using bacteria to turn it into a fine hard cheese. Mixtures of bacterial cultures affect the taste, aroma and texture, and also determine the ripening time of the cheese. Today, there are a large number of companies on the market that offer various crops in small packages (sachets) for home use, as well as for sale on an industrial scale. In order to orient a little in the variety of offers on the market, we distinguish two main types:

• Thermophilic starter for cheese works great at high temperatures (30-40 degrees). However, bacteria are able to survive even at 65 degrees. That is why they are used in the production of Italian draft cheeses. This is "Mozzarella", which has an unforgettable taste and consumer love. This allows the manufacturer to profitably sell the product and make a quick profit. The main strains of thermophilic bacteria are Streptococcus and Lactobacillus. It is these microorganisms that allow us to have gourmet cheeses in the kitchen.
• Mesophilic starter for cheese.

The basis of cheese making

Mesophilic starter for cheese is used most often in production. With its help, soft and fresh cheeses (feta), fresh aged varieties (Camembert, Capricorn), semi-soft (Gouda, Maasdam), as well as the famous hard ones (Cheddar, Parmesan, " Emmetal"). Strains can be divided into two groups:

• Lactococcus cremoris work at a temperature of 25-30 degrees. They can be used alone or in combination with other strains of this class of bacteria. So it turns out "Cheddar", "Gouda", "Emmental".
• Lactococcus diacetylactis produce a lot of carbon dioxide. Therefore, they are most often used for the production of delicate products with a porous structure. It can be feta, cheese, blue cheese.

How to handle sourdough?

Like enzymes, they are all powder, a bit like milk powder. It is produced under sterile conditions and then quickly dried. The buyer receives the product in a sterile package. Once the cheese starters are unpacked, they must be handled with extreme care. You need to store them in the freezer, at a temperature of -8 degrees. Be sure to close the package tightly. In this form, it can retain its properties for two years. Be sure to use a sterile spoon each time to get the next dose of powder.

To introduce a culture of sourdough in the process of making cheese, you need to heat the mass to the required temperature and remove from heat. Now the right amount of starter is poured onto the surface of the milk. After 2-3 minutes, when it is saturated with moisture, you can carefully mix the mass with a large slotted spoon. The movements must be very careful, do not mix too quickly or froth the milk.

It remains to cover the vessel with a lid and leave it in a warm place for the time that is implied by a certain recipe. During this time, the bacteria will multiply and create the primary mass, which will then be molded and aged at a certain temperature.

As you know, cheese is a useful product and familiar to mankind for more than one millennium. It is prepared from the milk of ruminants: mainly cow, goat, sheep, mare. But not everyone knows that special starter cultures for cheeses are also used in cheese making, which, by the way, can also be of different origin. It is clear that the product prepared at home will be both tastier and healthier than store-bought. Especially in the light of recent checks, which showed that the production of many cheeses does not follow the required technology and that additives are added that are completely unnecessary and spoil the natural taste. This is done, as a rule, in order to save on the cost of production, and in order to increase the shelf life of the fermented milk product. So sourdough will obviously come in handy for you if you have already come close to the question of how to make it yourself. That way you'll at least know exactly what it's made of.

Types of homemade cheeses

What can be produced in your kitchen using cheese starters is divided into three types.

1. Hard cheeses. They are made on the basis of sourdough for cheeses and cottage cheese. They are kept under a special press (you can do it yourself or buy it in a store, but it will cost a pretty penny). Exposure occurs for at least a month. The longer the exposure, the better the taste after. The density of the structure of the body of the product is largely dependent on the time and weight of the load of the press. Another nuance: making hard cheese is possible only from
2. Soft cheeses. Cheese starters and cottage cheese are also used here. The difference with solid variants is mainly in the exposure time. And soft cheeses are also made from skimmed milk, and the product can be consumed after a week (at the same time, soft types are not covered with paraffin for long-term storage).
3. Homemade cheeses (like Adyghe, suluguni or feta cheese). They are also made from cottage cheese, which has a fairly high liquid content. The shelf life of such cheeses is short. And they are made mainly from skimmed milk (but you can also from whole milk). Such products are quite simple to manufacture, they do not need to be kept under pressure.

What is needed to make

• It is desirable to take whole milk (mostly cow's milk in modern conditions). The main thing is to choose quality. Clarify that antibiotics are not used when feeding the animal (at least for a week, as they slow down the oxidation process). It is best if you have a private economy and your own horned ones, or you have the opportunity to constantly buy raw materials from friends, leaders. It should be remembered that from 10 liters of milk you can get only one kilogram of hard cheese, or 1.5 kg of soft cheese, or suluguni.
• From the equipment - it can be built cheaply and with your own hands, so as not to buy expensive imported options - you will need: (can be made from ordinary cans), a press with a piston (at home it is made from boards and a clamp), a liquid thermometer, a knife, a colander, gauze, paraffin (if we are preparing hard cheese).

Cheese starter at home

And, of course, sourdough is essential for cheese. It must be used so that it stimulates as quickly and as well as possible the formation of the amount of acid that would be sufficient for the correct process. In home cheesemaking, buttermilk, yogurts, and powder starters, and natural milk, obtained naturally, and yeast are used. Keep in mind that the character that a cheese starter has (more precisely, its origin) directly affects its taste and aroma. So you have to choose options, correlating your own tastes and preferences with classical technologies.

Cheese. Leaven. The recipe is the easiest

We leave half a liter of fresh natural whole milk to sour at room (or slightly higher) temperature. Usually a day is enough at an optimum temperature of 30 degrees. We use this starter, adding it to the main raw material, in the production of homemade cheeses that do not require the use of a press.

Another option

Sourdough for homemade cheese can also be prepared with yeast. Add 1/8 stick of yeast to warm milk. We leave this mixture to wander for a day in a warm place. Then we pour out half of the milk and add fresh. We do this throughout the week. During this time, the sourdough will mature and be ready to use. We add it to the main raw material.

Abomasum

This product has long been known in cheese making as a starter for homemade cheese. And in the cheese industry it is used very actively for the production of most cheeses. What is this substance? Even the ancient Greeks, according to scientific data, using the stomachs of ungulates as containers for liquids, most likely accidentally discovered the phenomenon of its effect on dairy products. Or maybe this technology was known before? In ruminants, this is the 4th section of the multichambered stomach (glandular stomach). In calves (or lambs), for example, who feed on mother's milk, a special rennet is actively produced there, which is involved in digestion - rennin. It breaks down peptides. This one is the first one isolated chemically, in the laboratory. By the way, the Dane Christian Hansen, who discovered it by salt extraction in 1874, subsequently founded a company that is still the largest manufacturer of the enzyme. The main source is the stomachs of dairy calves (age - no more than 10 days), dried and ground in a special way. Rennet is the main substance used in cheese making.

Process essence

With the introduction of rennet into milk under certain temperature conditions, the process of rapid coagulation of milk begins - curdling. At home, using abomasum is quite easy, so there is no need to be afraid of this. We just take a tablet or extract (in the form in which it is usually sold) and dissolve in milk at room temperature (or a little higher). The effect is visible within an hour. By the way, the use of rennet is not at all necessary in the production of homemade cheeses of a soft category. It is enough to use starters from naturally sour milk. The only inconvenience is that the curdling process will take much longer. Usually - a little more than a day. During this time, the clot - the curd beginning - and the whey manage to separate. But still, some people prefer to use abomasum at home to improve the taste and speed up the maturation of the cheese.

For Vegetarians

Many questions among vegetarians are caused by the use of an animal enzyme in the production of cheese. Therefore, in recent times (for example, in Europe), substitutes for rennet have been used for cheese making. Back in the 60s of the last century, the corresponding strains of fungi were isolated, which are involved in the synthesis of the enzyme. And since the early 90s, genetic biotechnology and rennin produced by bacteria have been used. According to unverified data, more than half of the cheese products in Europe are now produced with such substitutes. But some firms still adhere to more traditional technologies in cooking and use animal rennet.

At the pharmacy

By the way, such a starter for cheese is also suitable for home cooking of a delicious fermented milk product. The pharmacy sells pepsin. The only drawback is some high cost of the pharmacy enzyme and its deficiency. But if you have the opportunity to get this medicine, feel free to use it for the production of homemade cheeses.

Cheese is a food product made from milk. A product made at home tastes much nicer, tastier and cheaper than bought in a store. It contains no preservatives at all. To make cheese at home, you need a lot of milk, at least 12 liters. If you need a large amount of cheese, you will have to collect milk for a week. You can store it in the refrigerator.

• How to start a cheese making business at home?
• Milk
• Leaven
• Rennet extract
• How much profit does a mini-factory for the production of homemade cheese bring?
• The amount of starting capital for opening a mini-factory for the production of cheese
• Which cheese making equipment to choose?
• Documents for opening a company
• Tax regime
• Technology for the production of hard cheeses at home

How to start a cheese making business at home?

Types of cheeses produced at home are of three types. Which ones and their difference from each other can be seen in the provided table.

To make cheese, you will need the following:

1. sourdough or rennet;
2. equipment.

Milk

Milk for production can be goat or cow. Also, it is desirable that it be whole, then the cheese will turn out to be more fatty. But you can use for cooking and partially skimmed milk. The main thing is that it be of high quality, and it depends on the health of the animal. When buying, it is worth clarifying whether antibiotics were given to the animal in the next three days. If yes, then it is better not to buy milk for the reason that the oxidation process in the cheese will be suppressed.

Boiled or raw milk is taken out of the refrigerator before cooking and left in a warm place until it turns sour. You can determine the degree of oxidation by tasting it. The longer the milk is stored, the more the amount of acid increases.

If you need to mix your morning and evening milk, it's best to do it this way:

• cool morning milk in the refrigerator to 12-15 degrees;
• mix it with evening.

This method will help to avoid a large formation of acid.

To mix the milk of one milking, you need to cool it to 18 degrees four hours after milking. Know that from 10 liters of milk you get:

1. 1 kilogram of hard cheese;
2. 1.5 soft;
3. 2 kg home.

Want to get into cheese making but can't figure out the wide variety of enzymes? In this article, we will find out why enzymes are needed at all, what depends on them, and also talk in detail about their types.

Function of enzymes

The milk-clotting enzymes used to make cheese are needed to coagulate, or coagulate, milk. They break down the protein into fragments, combine them into microclots, from which the cheese mass is then obtained.

The quality of the formed milk clot determines its elasticity, ability to cut, the degree of capture of proteins, fats and minerals. Ultimately, this determines the cheese yield, moisture content, and flavor of the product. Thus, at the stage of milk coagulation, the quality of the product is laid.

Enzymes can be divided into three groups:

1. Animals.
2. Vegetable.
3. Artificial.

Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Enzymes of animal origin

Rennet extract

To start, a little history. Even in ancient times, travelers and warriors transported milk in wineskins - bags made from the stomachs of animals. After some time, instead of milk, the nomads found a cloudy liquid and a clot. It turned out that such transformations occurred due to rennet.

The Danish scientist Christian Hansen was first able to isolate it from the dried stomach of a calf in 1874. Rennet is produced by the fourth section of the stomach - abomasum, for which it got its name. Traditionally, it is considered the best for making cheese - it is used to create "Dutch", "Swiss", "Kostroma", "Cheddar" and many other cheeses.

Rennet contains two main coagulants, chymosin and pepsin. Their ratio varies depending on the age of the animals and their diet. For example, the gastric juice of dairy calves contains up to 95% chymosin, and a preparation isolated from the abomasums of animals grown on roughage can contain up to 100% pepsin. For the cheese-making industry, enzyme preparations are used with an established ratio of chymosin and pepsin, as a rule, it is 96% and 4%, respectively.

Some cheesemakers believe that large amounts of pepsin can cause bitterness in hard and semi-hard cheeses because it does not contribute to aging. Therefore, preparations that contain 70% or more of pepsin are recommended for cottage cheese and soft and pickled cheeses, such as feta cheese, suluguni, mozzarella.

The advantage of rennet is naturalness. And the disadvantage is the short shelf life of the enzyme and the finished product due to animal origin. In addition, storage conditions must be observed strictly, otherwise the drug may lose its properties.

Pork or chicken pepsin

Pork and chicken pepsins are also used to replace beef pepsin. However, they are inferior to him in their instability and sensitivity to the acidity of milk. For example, a porcine enzyme loses 50% of its activity after 20 minutes exposure to milk at pH 6.4. At an acidity level of pH 7.0, it is inactivated almost instantly, while the beef enzyme retains more than a third of its activity under such conditions.

Lipase

Lipase is also an enzyme preparation. It is obtained by extracting the active ingredient from the tongue glands of calves, kids and lambs.

Lipase gives the cheese a delicate but noticeable taste, spicy and piquant aroma. Lipase also shortens the ripening time of the cheese.

Lipase may be already added to the rennet formula or sold separately. In the latter case, it is added before the introduction of rennet. It is used for the production of any cheese, except for varieties with mold.

Enzymes of plant origin

Because the ethics of producing animal rennet can be questionable, it is often substituted with plant-based products.

If we again turn to history, we will see that since ancient times, people have been using enzymes obtained from plants. For example, according to Homer's Iliad, the ancient Greeks used fig and artichoke juice to curdle milk. This method is still used in the Mediterranean countries. In Russia, thistles, nettles, milk thistle, and mallow were used for these purposes.

Microbial pepsins

Substances produced by yeast, mold and fungi species also contribute to the coagulation of milk. For example, enzymes derived from the microscopic fungi Mucor pusilus and Mycor miehei are widely used.

The most popular microbial renin (pepsin) is the Japanese-made Meito. It is used to prepare both hard and soft and pickled cheeses, such as brynza, suluguni, Adyghe, mozzarella and other varieties from cow or goat milk.

Other noteworthy are endophiapepsin, produced from Endolhia parasitica, and aspergillopepsin I, obtained from Aspergillus niger, but they are rare on the market.

All these enzymes contain only pepsins and are completely natural, safe and vegetarian coagulants. Among the advantages, economical consumption and high coagulation activity can be noted.

Enzymes of artificial origin

In addition to animal and plant enzymes, enzymes grown in laboratories are also used. However, don't be put off by the words "artificial" and "laboratory" - from a chemical and biological point of view, enzymes grown in a test tube are no different from natural ones. They are completely safe and suitable for vegetarians.

This group of enzymes includes, for example, recombined chymosin. It is obtained by introducing the animal chymosin gene into the genome of the simplest microorganism (Kluyveromyces lactis, Escherichia and the already mentioned Aspergilleus niger). Thus, microorganisms begin to produce chymosin, identical to calf.

It is excellent for replacing animal rennet and is suitable for the production of hard cheeses requiring aging.

The advantage of using such enzymes is that they do not require special storage conditions, they are stored for a long time without loss of properties (about a year). However, there are also disadvantages - some of them must first be dissolved in water for a long time, and the milk coagulation time is more than 2 hours.

In conclusion, we note that all rennet coagulants have different activities in various acidic environments. The temperature of cheese preparation also plays an important role. Therefore, for each recipe, the rennet preparation must be selected individually.

Share your experience with us: tell us what enzymes you use for cheeses, show us photos and share recipes.

ENZYMES FOR CHEESE PRODUCTION

Cheese-making enzymes are substances that curdle milk.

The enzyme is an indispensable component for making hard cheese.

And in the manufacture of soft cheeses, it contributes to significant savings in time and labor costs.

The phrase "rennet" comes from the word "abomasum", or "abomasum" - a salted and dried piece of the stomach of young mammals.

Pepsin in its purest form is an enzyme secreted in the stomachs of mammals that curdles milk for better absorption.

It is also called "rennet", from the word "abomasum" (abomasum) - salted and dried stomach of a lamb or calf.

Previously, cheese was made using pieces of salted and dried rennet, which were put into milk to curdle it. It should be noted that in some places they still do this - for example, in the mountain villages of the Caucasus.

But in terms of their amino acid composition, all available enzymes are approximately the same, and “rennet cheese” is now called cheese made using any milk-clotting enzymes.

"Milk-clotting enzymes can be of a different nature. Isolated from the entrails of animals, from plants, obtained artificially.

The enzyme breaks down the milk protein into fragments and allows these fragments to unite around calcium ions into microclots, which, connecting with each other, give a common clot or cheese mass ... "(s. justsocat).

Pepsins, rennins, chymosins are used as enzymes for cheese. In everyday life they are usually called simply "pepsin".

Pepsins are:

1. Animal origin: pork, veal, chicken, etc.

2. Chemical

3. Vegetable.

All of them have their pros and cons, but in their action they are approximately identical, since the amino acid composition of all enzymes is similar.

What can be used as an enzyme in homemade cheese making.

Pharmacy PEPSIN

Pharmacy pepsin has only two drawbacks:

1. Its deficiency. In free sale in pharmacies, it is very rare, and if it does, it is now usually dispensed by prescription.

2. At cost, pharmacy pepsin is several times more expensive than specialized enzymes. But it's fine for testing.

ACIDIN-PEPSIN

Flaws.

1. Acidin-pepsin is very poorly soluble in water, and for successful curdling of milk, it must first be stirred for a very long and tedious time in a glass of water (after 10 minutes of thorough stirring).

2. The milk curdling time is more than 2 hours, which is much longer than that of specialized enzymes. As a result, the complexity of cheese production increases when it is used.

3. Some cheese makers warn against the use of acidin-pepsin due to the fact that it contains hydrochloric acid, and besides, it is a drug.

4. Also a significant cost.

5. Short shelf life and capriciousness to storage conditions. However, this drawback is not significant, since one package of acidin-pepsin is still not enough for a long time.

ENZYMES OF ANIMAL ORIGIN

They are beef, pork, chicken and others.

The advantages include a lower cost compared to the above pepsins.

Flaws:

1. Still, no matter how you process them, particles of animal origin remain in animal enzymes, which, as you understand, cannot but affect the shelf life and composition of both the enzyme and the final product.

2. According to the available reviews of cheese makers, with an overdose of the enzyme, the cheese begins to taste bitter.

3. Relatively short shelf life and relative capriciousness to storage conditions.

ARTIFICIAL PEPSINS

Deprived of all the shortcomings of the above enzymes.

The safety of these drugs remains questionable, especially for those who use them in home cheese making.

But due to their insignificant concentration in the final product, this is sometimes neglected.

ENZYMES OF PLANT ORIGIN

The most widespread microbial rennin "meito". Manufactured by MEITO SANGYO CO.,LTD. in Japan.

Its advantages include its low cost (from 1.5 rubles per 1 kg of cheese), which is apparently due to the fact that the production of this enzyme does not require expensive slaughter of young animals and their processing (which is especially liked by the "green" movement).

long shelf life and the absence of animal and chemical components, which has a positive effect on the taste of cheese.

This enzyme is of plant origin, but at the same time, in terms of its amino acid composition and effect on milk, it is comparable to calf enzyme. Meito has sufficient activity (at least 300,000 units), low consumption (only 1 gram per 100 liters of milk), unpretentiousness and a long shelf life.

Flaws.

One flaw found:

If you add the enzyme to milk whose temperature is below 35 C, you must increase the amount of enzyme. For example, at a temperature of 30 C, it needs one and a half times more, otherwise the milk curdling time increases.

And it is better to dilute it more when introducing the enzyme, then it is better distributed in milk.

There are two main types of bacterial cultures. Mesophilic and thermophilic.

For the primary "fermentation" of milk, either one or the other, or both types together are used. Depending on what kind of cheese we want to make. By the way, the enzyme works much better in an acidic environment, and during growth, bacteria actively eat lactose and secrete lactic acid. Here is the acidic environment for the enzyme.

As a thermophilic culture, for example, good yogurt can be used. "Good" in terms of the fact that there the bacteria are really alive, and not pasteurized to death. Yogurt, ferment and cheese will have their original taste. The thermophilic culture is especially relevant for mozzarella, which we more commonly call "Suluguni". This, of course, is not the same cheese, but the technologies are very similar.

Small digression:

In principle, only milk and a milk-clotting enzyme are enough to make high-quality cheese. Under the action of the enzyme, the milk curdles, a cheese mass is obtained, and lactic acid bacteria, which are present by default in any milk, begin to work in this cheese mass, which ensure the maturation of the cheese. And for a classic cheese recipe, this is quite enough. Most types of cheese that are sold in the distribution network are made in this way.

Do not cover the milk with a lid, wrap the jar or pan on top with gauze or other loose cloth so that dust does not get in, but so that the bacteria can breathe.

Cheese sometimes requires nothing more than milk. These are soft cheeses, such as "Adyghe" or, less familiar to us, Indian "Paneer".

But more refined and harder cheeses are made using enzymes. Milk-clotting enzymes can be of various nature. Isolated from the entrails of animals, from plants, obtained artificially. But, the enzyme only splits the milk protein into fragments and allows these fragments to unite around calcium ions into microclots, which, when combined with each other, give a common clot or cheese mass. Those. the enzyme forms the cheese "physically".

But to give the cheese a taste, sourdough is needed. Starter cultures contain a variety of bacteria that give cheese, through a series of different biochemical and chemical reactions, its characteristic taste, smell and sometimes texture.

So what are starter cultures for?

The fact is that cheese can be made more tasty and fragrant if you use not ordinary, but specialized lactic acid bacteria. And for this, a third ingredient is added to milk and enzyme: sourdough.

Kefir and yogurt in the production of cheese (we are not talking about fermented baked milk yet) act as starter cultures. In addition to these two, well, and a few more specific ones (mazzoni, ayran, etc.), no special starter cultures have yet been invented.

All factory (laboratory) starters used in cheese making can only be called differently, but consist of known bacterial cultures, which are propagated and then sold to dairies. Another thing is that in addition to bacterial cultures, bifidobacteria can be included in the composition of starter cultures and, accordingly, in the composition of fermented milk drinks.

So: for a home cheese maker, it is not at all necessary to write out bacterial cultures (sourdoughs) for expensive ones for one simple reason: they are all available in ordinary dairy stores and have one remarkable property: they multiply with joy and great speed at our place in ordinary milk.

They, these starters, are in any supermarket, you just need to be able to choose them.

HOW TO MAKE STARTER FOR CHEESE AT HOME

Kefir starter.

1. We buy fresh (this is a necessary condition!) kefir, 0.5 liters is enough.

2. Pour pasteurized milk into a glass jar cleanly washed with baking soda, scalded with boiling water and dried. If your milk is unpasteurized, then it must be pasteurized. It is better to do this in the same bowl in which its further fermentation will take place.

You can pasteurize in this way: pour water into the pan, put a folded rag on the bottom of the pan, and put a glass jar of milk tightly closed with a lid on it. We heat the entire structure to a water temperature of 70-80 C., and maintain this temperature for an hour or two. Then we wait for the milk to cool to room temperature (20-24 C).

3. We put the jar in a place in a room where the temperature is more or less stable throughout the day (20-24 C), and pour pre-prepared kefir into the jar in an amount of 5-10% of the volume of milk. Mix with a clean, previously scalded with boiling water spoon, and cover loosely with a lid.

4. In a day, our milk will turn into kefir.

Attention!

1. When buying kefir, look at the date of manufacture: The less kefir was on the store shelf, the more active the kefir stick.

5. When cooking, observe sterility! You can’t talk over an open container of milk, since even a tiny part of saliva, which can get into the product when talking, causes milk to be inseminated by staphylococcus aureus.

A stick of staphylococcus or other harmful microbe can also appear with insufficient sterilization of dishes and accessories or poor pasteurization of milk. If this happened, and kefir became "snotty", it is better to process it into cottage cheese.

Second way:

Kefir fungus can be used to make kefir. This method has its pros and cons: the plus is that kefir is fresher and therefore more active. The downside is that in order to maintain the kefir fungus in working condition, you need to renew milk daily, i.e. this method is beneficial if the cheese is made often and regularly, or the house will drink clean about a liter of kefir every day.

As noted in the previous topic on kefir, only two ingredients are needed to make cheese: milk and an enzyme to curdle it, and many cheeses are made that way. But since we want to make the cheese as tasty and aromatic as possible, we can use not ordinary lactic acid bacteria (which appear in any milk by default), but specialized ones. And for this, a third ingredient is added to milk and enzyme: sourdough.

And yoghurt starter for cheese, as well as kefir, can be easily made at home, and the effect of it will not differ in any way from the effect of factory (laboratory) starter.

Choice of yogurt for sourdough

First you need to select the desired yogurt in the store, which will be used as a starter for our yogurt. And our cooked yogurt will be the starter for the cheese.

The choice of yogurt is a very important step, since its activity and performance depend on its freshness and quality, and its taste and aroma depend on the type of lactic acid bacteria.

We choose white yogurt, without dyes and preservatives, preferably without fruit additives, and again look at the date on the package.

It is better to take local yogurt. But in my opinion, one of the best brands will be Actimel, Activia, Rastishka, Danone brands (preferably local and fresh).

New brands are constantly emerging from manufacturers, and new names may appear instead of Activia and Rastishka. By and large, they certainly do not differ much from the old ones in composition, this is more of a marketing ploy, but in this case it is not so important.

If there is yogurt with bifidobacteria - even better. Fat content and consistency do not play a role - it is suitable for both drinking and eating. Yoghurt will need to be bought in the amount of 5-10% of your milk. Those. for 2-3 liters of milk (for example) - 200-300 ml. yogurt.

Making homemade yogurt as a starter for cheese:

1. In a jar of milk, pasteurized in a water bath for about an hour at a temperature of 70-80 degrees, and then cooled to 37-38 degrees, pour 5-10% store-bought yogurt, and mix thoroughly with a spoon previously scalded with boiling water for sterility.

2. If there is a yogurt maker, it’s very good, but you can do without it, in this case you have to work harder - we wrap the jar with the future yogurt with a clean, dry towel, then with paper, then again with a towel (or better with a woolen scarf or sweater). The goal is to create a thermos to keep warm. We put the whole structure in a warm place higher, if in winter - then on a stool near the radiator.

3. After 8-10 hours, we take out the product, and if the milk has thickened, put it in the refrigerator for even more thickening and slowing down the activity of bacteria. If the milk has not thickened (that is, the yogurt is not ready yet) - wrap it up again and leave it for the same time, if the store-bought yogurt was quite active - everything will definitely work out.

The product is ready! You should get high-quality, active and fresh yogurt. During the week of storage in the refrigerator, yogurt remains active, then the activity of bacteria begins to fall and acidity simultaneously accumulates. This yogurt can be drunk or added to milk as a starter for cheese to give the cheese the desired taste and aroma. It can be added as a starter during the week (while the yogurt is active) in the amount of 1/10 of the volume of milk.