Lesson 1Brine salting vs dry salting: concentrations, times, and salt uptake considerationsCompare brine and dry salting for semi-hard cheese. Cover brine strength, temperature, duration, salt application, uptake, rind build, and effects on taste, texture, safety.
Brine concentration, pH, and temperatureBrining time, cheese size, and uptakeDry salting rates and application methodsSalt gradients and rind developmentSalt effects on flavor and safetyLesson 2Rennet selection and coagulation conditions: clotting temperatures, times, and acidity targetsDetail rennet choices and setting conditions. Compare animal, microbial, fermentation rennets, and effects of heat, time, pH, calcium on curd firmness and yield.
Types of rennet and proteolytic profilesSetting temperature and clotting timepH and calcium effects on gel firmnessCoagulant dosage and milk compositionMeasuring gel strength and cut readinessLesson 3Packaging and maturation logistics: vacuum, modified atmosphere, and block wrapping to extend shelf lifeExamine packing and maturing logistics for semi-hard cheese. Compare vacuum, gas pack, block wrap, and how design, storage heat, handling affect ripening and shelf life.
Vacuum packaging materials and sealingModified atmosphere gas mixes and useBlock wrapping films and barrier needsCold storage temperature and stackingDistribution, rotation, and traceabilityLesson 4Microbial safety and starter adjuncts for flavor development in semi-hard cheesesFocus on microbial safety and extra cultures for flavour in semi-hard cheese. Cover starter pick, adjuncts, pathogen control, hygiene, process support for safe fermentation.
Mesophilic and thermophilic starter choicesAdjunct cultures for flavor and texturePathogen risks and control strategiesGood hygiene and sanitation practicesMonitoring acidification and culture healthLesson 5Cheddaring, curd milling, and pressing: equipment choices, pressures, and timing for semi-hard textureExplain cheddaring, milling, pressing for semi-hard texture. Cover machine choice, curd stacking, pressure steps, timing for moisture, openness, strength control.
Cheddaring objectives and curd transformationEquipment for cheddaring tables and beltsCurd milling patterns and particle sizePress design, pressure curves, and durationMoisture, texture, and eye formation controlLesson 6Waste whey management options appropriate for medium dairy plants (animal feed, processing, membrane concentration)Review whey handling for medium plants: liquid use, animal feed, evaporation, membrane concentration, lactose-protein recovery, pollution compliance.
Whey collection, storage, and qualityLiquid whey and permeate as animal feedEvaporation and membrane concentrationWhey protein and lactose recoveryEffluent treatment and regulationsLesson 7Semi-hard cheese process flow: coagulation, cutting, whey drainage, cheddaring/cheese-body formation, milling/pressing, salting, and ripeningPresent full semi-hard cheese flow from milk prep to ripening. Link setting, cutting, whey drain, curd form, pressing, salting, maturing to quality and efficiency.
Milk preparation and standardization stepsEnzyme coagulation and gel firmness targetsCutting patterns and curd particle sizeWhey drainage and curd mat formationPressing, salting, and ripening sequenceLesson 8Ripening fundamentals: temperature and humidity control, time ranges, and basic surface managementCover ripening conditions for semi-hard cheese: heat, humidity, time. Explain rind growth, turning, surface cleaning for balanced flavour, texture, safety.
Ripening room temperature profilesRelative humidity targets and controlRipening time ranges by cheese styleRind, smear, and mold development basicsTurning, brushing, and surface cleaningLesson 9Curd handling: cutting size, cooking temperatures, stirring times, and whey separation techniquesExplain post-cut curd work: cube size, cooking heat, stirring, whey drain. Link to moisture, firmness, fat loss in semi-hard cheese making.
Cut size and fines generation controlCooking temperature ramps and holdingStirring intensity and duration effectsDraining methods and whey clarityCurd shrinkage and moisture targets
