Food & Drink · 1
In traditional Swiss cheesemaking, what gas do bacteria release during aging to create the cheese's characteristic holes?
Answer
Carbon dioxide
Bacteria such as Propionibacterium freudenreichii produce carbon dioxide as a metabolic byproduct during aging, and pockets of this gas form the holes, or 'eyes,' seen in traditional Swiss cheeses like Emmental.
💡 Did you know?
Swiss cheese holes form from bacteria releasing carbon dioxide gas during aging, yet most Swiss cheese sold globally contains fewer holes due to industrial production methods.
Other options people guess
- Nitrogen
- Methane
- Oxygen
Topics
- cheese
- switzerland
- fermentation
- europe
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