Cheesemaking originated as a crude form of food preservation.
The preservation of cheese is a result of the combined action of:
• Dehydration. The stability of foods is inversely related to moisture content. Cheese is a medium-moisture food, containing about 30 to 50 % moisture.
• Acid. During the manufacture and ripening of cheese, starter bacteria ferment lactose to lactic acid. The pH of Cheddar cheese is about 5.0 to 5.2
• Production of antimicrobial factors
• Anaerobic condition
• Addition of NaCl