The diagram illustrates the process of cheese production from raw milk to the finished, ripened product.
Overall, cheese making involves several main stages, beginning with milk treatment and coagulation, followed by curd processing, and ending with pressing and ripening. Some stages vary slightly depending on whether fresh or ripened cheese is produced.
At the first stage, raw milk is usually pasteurized, although in traditional methods this step may be skipped. The milk then undergoes standardization and filtration before fermenting microorganisms are added. After this, rennet, which is an enzyme, is introduced to cause coagulation. As a result, the milk separates into curds and whey.
Next, the curds are cut, stirred, and cooked to remove more whey. The remaining whey is drained off, and the curds may be used directly to make fresh cheese such as cottage or cream cheese. For other types, the curds are milled and salted before being poured into molds.
In the final stages, the cheese is pressed to remove additional whey and then left to ripen for a period of time. After ripening, the cheese is ready for consumption.