These 45 Drool-Worthy Cheese Facts Will Leave You Craving More

More cheese trivia: According to a report, 4% of the world’s cheese gets shoplifted. The biggest cheese heist took place in 2012 and was dubbed the “Great Canadian Cheese Heist.” Thieves stole around 6 million pounds (2.7 million kg) of cheese valued at $18 million.

One of the most interesting facts about cheese is that it can be used to generate electricity. The whey created during the making of Beaufort cheese is mixed with bacteria. The fermentation process produces biogas, which is used to power steam turbines and create electricity.

Some interesting cheese facts from history suggest that Edam cheese was very popular for sea journeys as it was easy to carry and never spoiled. It’s a semi-hard cheese covered in a red wax that prevents mold. It’s known to age really well and can last a long time if stored properly.

According to the FDA, true “cheese” should have at least more than 50% cheese. Most American cheese is a mix of whey, milk proteins, emulsifiers, and salts. Legally, it cannot be called cheese. They are known as “cheese products,” or “cheese food.”

This means they could eat 2-3 different types of cheese almost every day of the year. Talk about having a gouda time!

A small experiment with 31 participants found that cheese enhances the wine-tasting experience. Volunteers said that it diminished the overpowering citric aroma and helped them notice other flavors more.

Cheese promotes saliva, especially varieties such as Swiss, mozzarella, and cheddar. This helps clear up sugars and acids from the mouth.

Cheesemakers in Italy can use their Parmesan wheels as collateral to acquire cheap loans at 3–5% interest from the Italian Credem Bank. Looks like the cheese does stand “a loan”!

Wensleydale was the favorite cheese of Wallace, an inventor in the stop-motion animation series. It sparked an interest among the audience and helped revive sales of the English cheese.

The cheese-making process breaks down lactose into lactic acid. Hard, aged cheese varieties such as Parmesan and cheddar have very little lactose.

Some molds such as Penicillium camemberti are used for the production of soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. They are used in trace quantities and are safe to eat.

The protein in cheese, called casein, breaks down into casomorphins. These compounds produce a mild opiate-like effect, which can make regular cheese consumption addictive.

The history of cheese and its origins are unclear. According to legend, it was made by accident by merchants who were carrying their supply of milk in pouches made from a sheep’s stomach. The rennet in the stomach lining curdled the milk and produced the first-ever cheese.

Most of the milk is removed as whey, and the remaining curds are used to make cheese.

You’ll be able to taste the flavors better at room temperature. This is because cheese contains fat, and the fat molecules contract in cold temperatures. Once it comes up to room temperature, the fat molecules expand again and release flavorful aromas.

If you want your cheese to last long, then don’t suffocate it. Avoid wrapping it in plastic. Instead, use porous packaging material such as cheese paper or parchment paper.

In the history of cheese, the holes or “eyes” were considered a sign of imperfection. Cheesemakers would press down during production to avoid the holes. Today it’s a trademark of Swiss cheese.

An interesting study of 200 volunteers found that consuming Stilton blue cheese half an hour before bed produced vivid and bizarre dreams. Subjects said they saw talking soft toys and lifts that moved sideways!

A family farm in Bjurholm, Sweden, has three moose (elk). Milking the animals takes two hours and has to be done in complete silence. Cheese made from moose milk sells for $500 per pound.

It’s known to smell like wet socks.

Yes, it’s edible! It’s a protective layer of mold and bacteria that keeps the center creamy. It’s completely safe to eat.

Casu marzu, a famous pecorino cheese in Sardinia, Italy, has been nominated as “the most dangerous cheese in the world” by the Guinness World Records. The production involves allowing cheese fly eggs to be laid in pecorino cheese. These hatch into larvae, consume the cheese and ferment it in the process. They make the cheese soft and creamy. The cheese is sold with the larvae still alive and active within it.

These crystals are formed when the lactic acid in cheese reacts with calcium ions. They are mostly found in aged cheddar and Parmesan and are safe to eat.

Pule cheese is one of the most expensive cheeses in the world as it’s a very limited product. This is because Serbian donkeys have an extremely low milk yield, which makes this cheese rare.

A spectrometry analysis was done on broken jars in the tomb of Ptahmes in Egypt. The jars contained a “solidified whitish mass,” which was confirmed to be a few milligrams of cheese.

Irish Porter cheese is made by adding Guinness stout beer into the cheese-making process. It’s flavorful, creamy, and has the distinct aroma of the beer.

It produced mainly Emmental cheese.

It’s just friction and won’t harm your teeth! Fresh curds will squeak more because of their high moisture content.

The distinct taste of Västerbottensost only comes from the Burträsk village in northern Sweden. No other dairy producers have been able to replicate the flavor. No one knows why. Some theories suggest the unique flavor comes from the local spruce shelves where it matures. There’s another theory about a meteorite that struck the village eons ago, making its soil rich in calcium.

Blue cheese has the same bacteria that produce a strong odor in unwashed feet. If you’re seeking a whiff of adventure, then blue cheese is for you!

Cheddar cheese is usually white or pale yellow. Cheesemakers add a pigment that gives it an orange color. There’s no difference in taste between white and orange cheese.

Back in 17th century England, a lot of cheeses used to have a natural yellowish-orange pigment. Some devious cheesemakers started skimming off the cream to sell separately. However, it was the cream that contained the pigment, and the leftover was low-fat white milk. To pass it off as a high-quality product, cheesemakers started adding orange pigment.

Contrary to popular belief, cream cheese was first produced by dairy farmers in New York.

Aristaeus, the son of Apollo and Cyrene, was considered a minor god in Greek mythology. He is seen as the protector and creator of many crafts, such as cheese-making and beekeeping. According to mythology, he passed down this knowledge to early humans.

Chhurpi is made in Nepal from yak milk. It’s a great source of protein and fats in the harsh winter months. It’s considered one of the hardest cheeses in the world. You’ll need to chew quite a bit to get it to soften.

It was created from a single block of aged cheddar. The sculpture features an alligator in a chef’s hat cooking a turkey.

The president left it in the White House to age. Two years later in 1837, he hosted an open house for the public to share the cheese. The “Big Cheese” event became Jackson’s legacy.

In an experiment, scientists took microbial strains from toes, armpits, belly buttons, and mouths. They added milk, lactobacillus, and compounds to the culture to make different varieties of cheese. That takes “grow your own food” to the next level!

The judges left the first and second spots empty.

The discovery made from two Neolithic villages on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast indicates the earliest evidence of cheese-making in the Mediterranean.

Another Guinness Record involving cheese: nearly 1,000 people in Australia came together to attend the largest cheese-tasting event ever.

Cheeses named after cities or towns are capitalized. For example, Gouda, Parmesan, and Brie are capitalized, but mozzarella is written in lowercase.

Love buying pre-grated cheese from the supermarket? You are not going to get enough flavor from it, especially if you store it for a long time. Grated cheese has a large surface area, which means it’s exposed to more oxidation. This can change its flavor and aroma.

Some more cheese fun facts: Wisconsin is the largest cheese producer in America. It makes over 600 different varieties. It is also the only state that offers a master cheesemaker program – on par with the rigorous standards of European programs.

This Guinness World Record was achieved by Mami Endo in Japan.