Surface Mold, Unwanted - Discussion > Geotrichum candidum Discussion

[morfeo]

Every time I make a cheese I ask myself:
how the people just to make cheese without all the sanitizing process.
I have seen videos in you tube of people doing cheese in very rustic installations and I don't know how they eat that cheese.
Should we be that worry about sanitizing everything knowing that cheese is being around for hundred of years without any kind of sanitizing products.
I know that probably my question is kind of (stupid) but have you ever considered this?

[linuxboy]

Yes, it's been around for many years, and for many years it's had inconsistent quality. Rustic installations do not necessarily mean unsanitary. A common method, for example, is to make thermophilic cheese, which kills bad bacteria. Using ultra fresh milk also helps. And finally, for very acidified cheeses like camembert, the acid helps to protect it. Salt also helps.

[Boofer]

The milk environment and how it's handled before it's made into cheese is important. Here's a book I would highly recommend for anyone interested in why milk is pasteurized today and the benefits of raw milk.

The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid

-Boofer-

[OudeKaas]

Interesting to see the popularity of StarSan . . . I guess it shouldn't surprise me given the overlap between homebrewers and cheese hobbyists. Personally, I am a big fan of OneStep sanitizer - also a no-rinse product, and I always found the foaming action of StarSan a pain rather than a benefit.

I rinsed carboys and bottles for many years with bleach and it was such a hassle and worry about leaving some behind. It was incredibly liberating to move to a no-rinse product! And FWIW I got into cheesemaking after purchasing some stuff from Austin Homebrew as an afterthought . . . .