COTTAGE CHEESE

Cottage Cheese Processing, Facts and Nutritive Value

Cottage Cheese Processing, Facts and Nutritive Value

Introduction The cottage is a cheese curd product and it has a mild flavor. The curd is not pressed but it is drained therefore, it contains some moisture and a small amount of whey. The curd is usually washed so that its acidity can be reduced and it can become sweeter in taste. The cottage cheese is produced from different types of milk and the milk has different levels of fat.

This type of cheese is called as cottage cheese because the cheese was produced initially in the cottages from the milk which is left after the production of butter. The cottage cheese can be eaten with fruits, salads, toasts or as a whole. Its texture is lumpy and creamy (Szczesniak, 2002, pp.215-225).

History

The cottage cheese was made first in central and Eastern Europe. It was very popular in the colonial America. The other names of the cheese are pot cheese and farmer cheese. Initially it was made in the pot with the help of raw milk. This type of the cheese has a very long history and it was made with the help of the family cow in the past times. At first it was made by the old milk in which the bacteria have started performing their activity. That milk was kept in a warm environment like near the fire or in oven. After some days, the natural bacteria have produced acid so that the curd can be formed. This curd was then cut into pieces and then it was cooked and washed. The end product was a dry curd a tangy flavor (Hallab et al. 2007, pp.69-73).

Properties Cottage cheese has various properties and it is an ideal product for the preservation of the important nutrients of the milk so that they can be available during while year. The cottage cheese is very rich in protein and minerals like phosphorous, amino acid and calcium. The cottage cheese can be an important component in the diet of the people of every age. It is a resourceful food product which has a very broad range of texture and it also has many uses and flavors. It is used in the preparation of different types of food like soups, sauces, crackers and casseroles. The other types of cheese are also used in pizzas and burgers. Cream cheese is also used in the making of spreads and cakes (Krupa et al., 2011). Cottage cheese is made from the fresh curd cheese and it is drained. The process of draining in the production of cheese is helpful in the retaining of whey due to which its protein concentration is increased and its color remains white. The cottage cheese do not gets old and it can be washed for its different flavor (Brighenti et al. 2008, pp.4501-4517). It is reported by the standards of the cultured dairy products that the creamy cottage cheese should be clean, fresh and ...