Cheese - What are these crunchy white specks in my cheese? - FAQ (2024)

FAQs

Cheese - What are these crunchy white specks in my cheese? - FAQ? ›

During the aging process, bacteria break down the lactose in the cheese into lactic acid. That lactic acid combines with the calcium present in the aging cheese to form crystals. These tend to appear on the surface of cheese, where moisture can collect.

No need to worry - these tiny white specks are actually a good thing. They're most likely calcium lactate crystals, also known as “cheese crystals.” They are completely safe to eat, and usually signify that a cheese is flavorful and well-aged.

The technical terms for these in cheddar cheese is calcium lactate crystals. They're a natural and intentional part of the aging process, although the cheese doesn't necessarily have to be aged for a long time for them to form.

In cheeses like Cheddars, those crunchy bits are more commonly calcium lactate. This is where lactic acid and calcium combine to form calcium lactate crystals.

Calcium lactate is common in aged cheese. It is basically a natural calcium buildup that occurs over time during the aging process, and it sometimes will become visible on the surface of the cheese. Don't worry – it is completely natural and safe to eat!

A lot of people confuse the white powdery look of calcium lactate on the surface of cheese with mold—an easy mistake to make. Calcium lactate will lay flat on your piece of cheese, whereas mold will be raised, growing on top of it.

The white bits are casually referred to as "cheese crystals" or "flavor crystals." Scientists and cheesemakers call them calcium lactate crystals and tyrosine crystals, referring to two different types of crystals.

Calcium lactate is generally found in aged cheddar, parmesan and gouda cheese. The crystals can form both inside and on the outside of the cheese, and can be a sign that moisture has collected inside packaging. Smaller white tyrosine crystals commonly form in aged romano, parmesan and gruyere cheeses.

Ripening Dubliner Cheese to achieve that unique taste can take up to two years, and during that time the lactic acid combines with calcium and the result are those white calcium crystals. They add a gritty texture and enhance the rounded flavour of Dubliner.

The proteins in Parmesan cheese are composed of amino acids, including tyrosine. Over time, the tyrosine molecules bind together, forming small, crunchy crystals that give the cheese a unique texture. The crystals in Parmesan cheese can range in size from small, sand-like granules to larger, crunchy pieces.

Why is my cheddar cheese gritty? ›

Calcium, phosphate, and magnesium are all found in milk and cheese (and water to some degree). Carbonate and ammonium are fancy words for carbon dioxide and ammonia gas, which are naturally created by the surface microbes as these cheeses are aging. You add all these together, you're left with a gritty rind!

Some cheeses are improperly aged and in addition, contain emulsifiers or coagulants that break down when heated causing a gritty texture. I would urge cooks to use top-quality cheeses, PURE CHEESES and NOT “CHEESE FOODS” that glut supermarkets.

All you have to do is cool the broken sauce, add a tablespoon of lemon juice, and whisk vigorously. This trick works best if you haven't already added acid to the sauce.

Cheese crystals are whitish, semi-solid to solid, slightly crunchy to gritty crystalline spots, granules, and aggregates that can form on the surface and inside of cheese. Cheese crystals are characteristic of many long-aged hard cheeses.

They have a powdery look and feel to them and don't occur in distinct specks. They occur predominately on the surface of cheese, but can be found throughout the interior as well.

Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese, ricotta or Brie can be refrigerated one week but they don't freeze well. Hard cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan can be stored in the refrigerator six months before opening the package and three to four weeks after opening. It can also be frozen six months.

Calcium, phosphate, and magnesium are all found in milk and cheese (and water to some degree). Carbonate and ammonium are fancy words for carbon dioxide and ammonia gas, which are naturally created by the surface microbes as these cheeses are aging. You add all these together, you're left with a gritty rind!

As lactic acid levels rise in the cheese they can begin to bind with calcium ions forming calcium lactate. As the calcium lactate levels rise they will eventually reach a point where they crystallize and become visible to us as the crystals. These crystals can form on the surface of cheeses where moisture can collect.

Mold generally can't penetrate far into hard and semisoft cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Parmesan and Swiss. So you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. Cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) around and below the moldy spot.

Unless the cheese is coated with an inedible substance like wax, rinds are totally safe to eat – but that doesn't mean everyone likes them. Personally, I'm a devoted member of the rind eaters club. I love the peppery notes of a bloomy rind on a lightly aged goat cheese and cave-y funk of an earthy stilton.