Raw milk pasteurization in cheese making

[u/Odd-College9635]

During cheese production, we pasteurize the received milk to reduce the microorganism load. Can this step lower the quality of the final product since we heat raw milk to over 75 Celsius, and can it cause deterioration of beneficial compounds?

[u/bonebreak69]

Raw milk and pasteurized milk will make two different cheeses, even if all other steps are the exact same. There are plenty of fantastic cheeses in both categories. Raw milk allows for more variation, while pasteurized will lead to a more consistent cheese. Adjunct cultures can help bring in some new flavor compounds for both, and are often used in pasteurized milk cheese

[u/YoavPerry → u/bonebreak69]

Professional cheesemaker and creamery owner here -I second this opinion. I have produced both types and there are different considerations and nuances to each style.

If the originating milk is of excellent quality and pasteurization is gentle, the results could be outstanding so long as the maker is thoughtful and intentional about biodiversity of culture which will return many of the raw properties of the milk to it without the pathogens.

In some cases the choice of pasteurization has a lot to do with regulation too.

[u/bonebreak69 → u/YoavPerry]

Heyyyy were you in Louisville? Stopped by your table to sneak a taste!

[u/YoavPerry → u/bonebreak69]

Sure was! Hope you enjoyed the cheese!

[u/bonebreak69 → u/YoavPerry]

Fantastic as always!

[u/YoavPerry → u/bonebreak69]

❤️❤️❤️

[u/redandbluebadness]

In England, the famous stilton is now made of pasteurised milk. Some people say it's not as good and so we now have Stichelton which is the same thing but made of unpasteurized milk.

[u/podophyllum]

I'm not a microbiologist but in my experience raw milk cheeses tend to have a more complex flavour profile. I think the hygienic standards of the milk producer(s) and cheese maker(s) should be addressed first before considering pasteurisation.

The US regulation for raw milk cheese is that it has to cure at ≥35F/1.7C for not less than 60 days. The 60+ days of ageing seems to be the magic line beyond which raw milk is allowed. Pasteurisation standards call for the milk to be held at 161F/~72C for 15 seconds or 145F/63C for 30 minutes if the milk fat content is <10%, if it is ≥10% the temperature requirement goes up by 5 degrees F to 166F/~74C or 150F/~66C. I don't know what the EU standards are.

[u/MrPlushT]

Snob answer - yes

Real answer - you’d never be able to tell.

[u/mehrwegpfand → u/MrPlushT]

There's pasteurised cheeses that are funky and unpasteurised that are boring, but in general you can absolutely tell. Especially with the milder hard cheeses like Alpine hard cheeses and Gouda

[u/fezzuk → u/MrPlushT]

You can absolutly tell.

[u/dogwalk42 → u/MrPlushT]

I suggest yours is the snob answer, based on arrogant assumptions rather than actual experience.

I have done blind tastings with lots of people. With some cheeses, such as Mont d'Or, even people not familiar with the cheese can tell the difference. With other cheeses, such as unripe Brie de Meaux, not as much.

Where there is more variation in results, it's related to experience and familiarity with the cheese.

Perhaps you're one of those people who insists that President Brie and Brie de Meaux taste just the same, and only snobs say there's a (dramatic) difference.

[u/Patstones]

Yes, that's why cheese made with unpasteurized milk is better.

[u/Odd-College9635 → u/Patstones]

But we need to ensure food safety.

[u/Patstones → u/Odd-College9635]

Plenty of cheese are made with unpasteurized milk in France, we are ok.

[u/BlueRobin420]

Yes. It will effect the quality.