two_hearted
Well-Known Member
I am one of those unlucky SOBs that suffers from lactose intolerance. I love cheese. I understand that the cheese making and aging process leaves only trace amounts of lactose in cheeses, but I love mozzarella!
I searched the HBT forums and turned up no information so I went outside and found some info. I thought I would share it for any other L.I. people wanting to make some cheese with lactose-free milk
"Since cheese is a cultured product and the bacteria need to feed on sugar (lactose), the absence of lactose would short circuit the entire process...
There are some direct acid products where the cheese coagulates from adding acid directly to the milk rather than the bacteria producing it. Our 30 min. Mozzarella kit is one of these ... "
".....Here is the good news about lactose in cheese....
Most of the lactose found in cheese is removed with the whey during the manufacturing process.
Most ripened cheeses, such as Cheddar and Swiss, contain about 95% less lactose than whole milk.
Aged cheeses contain almost no lactose - only 0.4-1 gram of lactose per ounce.
Processed cheeses contain about 0.5-4 grams per ounce.
When shopping for cheese, look at the Nutrition Facts panel on the labels. If the amount of sugars listed is 0 grams, it does not contain lactose. You can always call the manufacturer if you are still unsure. In addition to its low lactose content, cheese is nutrient dense. The milk curds, which form cheese, retain almost all of the milk's protein, and important vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, riboflavin, and vitamin A."
"With a lactose-free milk, that is not ultra-pasteurized, you will be able to make our 30 Minute Mozzarella and Ricotta. However, you will not be able to make the other cheeses. The process of cheese making is based on the bacterial cultures converting the lactose in milk to lactic acid. This process drives the conversion of liquid milk to curds, which eventually becomes cheese. This conversion also causes the moisture to be released. Without lactose in milk there is no food to support the bacterial cultures."
- Cheesemaking.com
I think the downsides here are going to be price ($4-$5 per .5 gallon) and taste. I don't drink regular milk and only use lactose free in cereal. SWMBO say's it tastes a little weird.
I'm going to try this tonight and I will share my results.
I searched the HBT forums and turned up no information so I went outside and found some info. I thought I would share it for any other L.I. people wanting to make some cheese with lactose-free milk
"Since cheese is a cultured product and the bacteria need to feed on sugar (lactose), the absence of lactose would short circuit the entire process...
There are some direct acid products where the cheese coagulates from adding acid directly to the milk rather than the bacteria producing it. Our 30 min. Mozzarella kit is one of these ... "
".....Here is the good news about lactose in cheese....
Most of the lactose found in cheese is removed with the whey during the manufacturing process.
Most ripened cheeses, such as Cheddar and Swiss, contain about 95% less lactose than whole milk.
Aged cheeses contain almost no lactose - only 0.4-1 gram of lactose per ounce.
Processed cheeses contain about 0.5-4 grams per ounce.
When shopping for cheese, look at the Nutrition Facts panel on the labels. If the amount of sugars listed is 0 grams, it does not contain lactose. You can always call the manufacturer if you are still unsure. In addition to its low lactose content, cheese is nutrient dense. The milk curds, which form cheese, retain almost all of the milk's protein, and important vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, riboflavin, and vitamin A."
"With a lactose-free milk, that is not ultra-pasteurized, you will be able to make our 30 Minute Mozzarella and Ricotta. However, you will not be able to make the other cheeses. The process of cheese making is based on the bacterial cultures converting the lactose in milk to lactic acid. This process drives the conversion of liquid milk to curds, which eventually becomes cheese. This conversion also causes the moisture to be released. Without lactose in milk there is no food to support the bacterial cultures."
- Cheesemaking.com
I think the downsides here are going to be price ($4-$5 per .5 gallon) and taste. I don't drink regular milk and only use lactose free in cereal. SWMBO say's it tastes a little weird.
I'm going to try this tonight and I will share my results.