10 Facts about Cheese

1. The first cheese was made over 4000 years ago by nomadic peoples. It is believed that someone tried to store or transport fresh milk in a water bag made from an animal stomach. Later, when the milk was needed, the first cheese was discovered (the rennet in the lining of the bag would have caused the milk to separate into curds and whey).

2. Cheesei is a concentrated form of milk. It takes 10 litres of milk to make one kilogram of Cheddari.

3. Cheese can be made from whole, 2% lowfat, 1% lowfat or fat-free milk, or combinations of these milks. About one-third of all milk produced each year in the United States is used to make cheese.

4. There are more than 200 varieties of cheese produced in the United States; more than 1,400 varieties are catalogued in the World Cheese Exchange Database.

5. Natural cheeses are often categorized according to their moisture or degree of softness or hardness. Soft cheeses include Brie, Camembert, ricotta and cottage cheese. Semisoft cheeses include blue, brick, feta, Havarti, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Muenster and provolone. Hard cheeses include Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gouda and Swiss. Very hard cheese varieties include Parmesani and Romano.

6. A small matchbox sized piece of Cheddar (30 grams) contains about 30% of the recommended daily calcium intake for adults; it also contains valuable quantities of protein, vitamins and other minerals, 10.5 grams of fat and only 125 calories.

7. Process cheeses contain more moisture than natural cheeses. Pasteurized process cheeses include American cheese, cheese spreads and cheese foods. Cold-pack cheese is a blend of natural cheeses processed without heat. Flavoring and seasonings are often added.

8. All Cheese Rind is Edible: Even the wax and foil (!) ones. Cheese makers spend time crafting the rinds to add to the flavor. Not all of the rinds taste great, but they’re edible.

9. Eating a piece of cheese after sugary snacks and after meals can help remineralise tooth enamel and protect against tooth decay.

10. Collecting cheese labels is called "tyrosemiophilia".