Have you ever wondered why Swiss cheese has holes? The answer may surprise you– it’s all a part of a centuries-old joke. While Swiss cheese is often called “holey cheese” due to its iconic holes, the origins of the Swiss cheese holes mystery actually date back to the 16th century.
Legend has it that a Swiss farmer was leaving for the market to sell his cheese and decided to punctuate it with holes to give it a unique look. He wondered if other farmers in the market would also make holes in their cheese and so, he decided to put even bigger holes in his.
Upon arriving at the market, the farmer discovered that his clever idea was copied by the competitors – ALL of their cheeses now had holes in them! When he asked them why, they replied, “If you can’t beat them, join them!”
And so, the cheese that would come to be known as Swiss cheese, with its large, wonky-shaped holes, was created. But why do Swiss cheeses have so many holes?
To understand why Swiss cheese has 360 Swiss cheese “eyes” per kilo, you have to take a look at the cheese-making process. In the traditional cheese-making process, the cheese is produced using a type of bacteria, commonly known as Propionibacterium freudenreichii, or “Prop”. The Prop bacteria produces a by-product called carbon dioxide, and these gas bubbles that remain trapped in the cheese are dried by the cheese’s own lactic acid, thus forming the iconic Swiss cheese eyes.
However, in some cases, these bacteria may work too quickly, forming too many eyes in the cheese, leading to a product with too many holes. To avoid this, many cheesemakers opt for a process involving a longer period of maturation. Additionally, some cheesemakers may opt for a process whereby the bacteria is injected directly into the holes in the cheese, thus creating a more uniform distribution of holes throughout the cheese. Either way, the finished product will be the iconic Swiss cheese with its distinctive “eyes”.
The classic joke about why Swiss cheese has holes is certainly amusing, but there is a science to it as well. So the next time you’re asked the age-old question, you just might impress your dinner party guests with all the knowledge you’ve acquired here today about the mysterious holes in Swiss cheese.
Of course, the origins of the Swiss cheese holes mystery will likely remain a mystery. However, thanks to the hard work of cheesemakers and the wonder of science, we can still enjoy Swiss cheese, “eyes” and all!