Question

Arrange the given steps of cheese formation (ripened cheese) in the correct order and choose the option which represents the correct sequence.

• A. 2 →1 →3 →4
• B. 1 →2 →3 →4
• C. 2 →3 →1 →4
• D. 4 →3 →2 →1

Answer 1

The correct option is A 2 →1 →3 →4

Cheese is obtained from fermented milk. The basic steps of cheese making can be listed as follows:

(i) Pasteurisation of the milk to kill pathogenic microbes. Pasteurisation involves heating the milk at a high temperature followed by rapid chilling.

(ii) The pasteurised milk is then inoculated with Lactobacillus sp.bacteria. These bacteria ferment the milk sugar lactose to form lactic acid. The production of acid lowers the pH of milk which causes the milk protein casein to denature (unfold). The denatured proteins aggregate/coagulate to precipitate as curd. Rennet enzyme is also added after inoculating with Lactobacillus sp. to aid the curdling process.

Rennet helps to hydrolyse casein to help it coagulate into a gel-like structure.

(iii) After curdling, the watery part that separates out from the curd is known as whey. The whey is drained out to remove moisture from the curd.

(iv) The curd is then allowed to ripen in the presence of specific microbes, depending on the type of cheese being produced. Ripening provides the cheese with its characteristic flavour, taste or appearance.

Hence, option a is correct.