Lani Rose San Mateo is a student of the Philippine Science High School. Mateo is known for her contributions towards the use of mold extracts in order to speed up coagulation and clotting. This, in turn, can improve the taste of milk that is processed into cheese.
There are three main processes involved in making cheese. These are curdling, curd processing and ripening. Curdling is required to separate the milk into curds and whey. This is a process that is most commonly carried out by adding rennet to the milk and acidifying it. Starter bacterium are added to the milk to begin the conversion of milk sugars into lactic acid. The bacteria that is inserted into the milk will affect the type of cheese that is produced.
For example, propionibackter shermani is added to milk to make Swiss cheese, as the carbon dioxide gas bubbles that are produced create holes in the cheese. Mateo's research into mold extracts would help the curd coagulate at this stage. The curd processing then requires the curd to be cut into small pieces and for the water to be drained from the individual cubes. Harder cheese will heated at this stage to separate even more whey. This is the stage where the cheese's flavor and texture can be altered. This can either by carried out by salting, cheddaring, washing and stretching. Each of these different processes will cause the cheese to form different types. Once the cheese is the correct flavor and texture, the curd will be pressed into a mold and pressure will be added to ensure that no whey remains and the shape will be kept. Finally the cheese is left to ripen. Different conditions, time periods and processes will all be applied to create different types of cheeses. The aging period can vary from a few days to a few years.
There are three main processes involved in making cheese. These are curdling, curd processing and ripening. Curdling is required to separate the milk into curds and whey. This is a process that is most commonly carried out by adding rennet to the milk and acidifying it. Starter bacterium are added to the milk to begin the conversion of milk sugars into lactic acid. The bacteria that is inserted into the milk will affect the type of cheese that is produced.
For example, propionibackter shermani is added to milk to make Swiss cheese, as the carbon dioxide gas bubbles that are produced create holes in the cheese. Mateo's research into mold extracts would help the curd coagulate at this stage. The curd processing then requires the curd to be cut into small pieces and for the water to be drained from the individual cubes. Harder cheese will heated at this stage to separate even more whey. This is the stage where the cheese's flavor and texture can be altered. This can either by carried out by salting, cheddaring, washing and stretching. Each of these different processes will cause the cheese to form different types. Once the cheese is the correct flavor and texture, the curd will be pressed into a mold and pressure will be added to ensure that no whey remains and the shape will be kept. Finally the cheese is left to ripen. Different conditions, time periods and processes will all be applied to create different types of cheeses. The aging period can vary from a few days to a few years.
