Why does Swiss cheese have holes?

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asked Nov 20, 2023 in Other-Food Drink by DebraJustice (2,140 points)
Why does Swiss cheese have holes?

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answered Jun 26, 2024 by Salmorejo (44,560 points)
Swiss cheese has holes as the holes in Swiss Cheese are caused by a special bacterial culture called Propionibacteria, or Props, that gets added to the cheese.

The holes in Swiss Cheese are known as and called eyes.

The carbon dioxide that is given off by the bacteria used to make Swiss cheese creates the air bubbles in the process, resulting in those holes that we refer to in the industry as “eyes.”

The size of the eyes on Swiss Cheese does not have any effect on the taste of the Swiss cheese and can be controlled through temperature, storage time and acidity.

Swiss Cheese is a term used for any variety of cheese that resembles Emmental cheese, a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in the area around Emmental, Switzerland.

It is classified as a Swiss-type or Alpine cheese.

The term Swiss Cheese is generic; it does not imply that the cheese is actually made in Switzerland.

The alpine meadows, where cows graze on lush grasses and wildflowers, impart a unique flavor to the milk for Swiss Cheese.

This alpine influence on milk quality becomes a fundamental building block in the creation of Swiss cheese.

Compared to Mozzarella, Swiss cheese has a milder, nutty flavor.

Swiss cheese is also easier to melt and doesn't have the stringy, gritty texture of Mozzarella.

The milder, more pliable cheese makes it an excellent substitute for Mozzarella in many dishes.

Swiss cheese is made from cow's milk, is lightly flavored, sweet and nutty.

Swiss cheese is known for being glossy, light or pale yellow and having large holes in it which is a result of carbon dioxide releases during the process of maturation.

Swiss Cheese does not need to be refrigerated although it's best to refrigerate it to keep it from getting moldy as fast.

Refrigeration only keeps the Swiss cheese from getting moldy as fast.

The Swiss cheese may “sweat” or get hard around the edges if you leave it out for too long, but it won't hurt you to eat.

The taste of the Swiss cheese may change a bit after longer periods, so if that's the case you may want to think about melting it for use.

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