Some people say they prefer raw milk cheeses to pasteurized cheeses. What is the difference?
When making pasteurized cheeses, the milk is heated at 164ˆF for 17 seconds, eliminating any harmful bacteria. Pasteurization, however, also removes much of the beneficial bacteria that is conducive to flavor development. Raw milk cheeses traditionally come from Europe, where the milk undergoes little or no heat treatment. In the United States most cheeses referred to as “raw milk cheeses” are made with milk that is “thermalized,” a process, which heats the milk at 157ˆF for 17 seconds. “Thermalizing” the milk kills fewer bacteria in the milk, which allows for a higher flavor development in the cheese. By FDA standards, this cheese is required to sit for 60 days before it can be sold, to ensure that all harmful bacteria is dead.
