
The mystery of what causes the holes in Swiss cheese has been solved - bookofjoe
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/28/swiss-scientists-hole-in-cheese-emmenthal-hay-particles-milk-bacteria
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donarb
Article is from 2015.

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bookofjoe
Abstract:
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S09586...](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0958694615000631)

Text of abstract: The production of Swiss-type cheeses with a typical number,
size, and distribution of eyes is a difficult task, especially when bactofuged
or microfiltrated milk is utilised. In this study, the potential of
microparticles (plant origin) to influence eye formation in cheese, was
assessed. Eight experimental Emmental cheeses were produced with one replicate
from microfiltrated milk with addition of 0.0625–4.000 mg of powdered hay to
the milk (90 L) and ripened for 130 days. Eye formation was quantified by
means of X-ray computed tomography (between 30 and 130 days). The contents of
fat, water, citric acid, lactic acid, and volatile carboxylic acids were
determined at 130 days. The results demonstrate that microparticles of plant
origin act as eye nuclei that control the number (P < 0.001) and size of the
eyes in cheese in a dose-dependent manner. The findings also provide new
insights into the formation of eye defects.

