The Scientific Reason Swiss Cheese Has Its Holes

The Scientific Reason Swiss Cheese Has Holes The theory linking carbon dioxide to the holes does have a scientific basis, but it's not entirely accurate. in 1917, american scientist william clark hypothesized that the bacteria present in milk used for swiss cheese production released carbon dioxide, and this gas formation was responsible for creating the characteristic holes — also known as "eyes" — in the cheese. Now, the afp reports that scientists have debunked a popular theory and discovered the real secret behind swiss cheese’s holes — hay particles in milk. though urban legend has it that mice eat.

The Scientific Reason Swiss Cheese Has Its Holes As the cheese ferments, this bacteria creates carbon dioxide, which turns into bubbles. when these bubbles pop, they form holes. in the cheese world, these holes are known as “eyes.”. the size of the eyes are determined by the temperature, storage, time, and acidity levels in the cheese. so the longer the cheese is fermented, the bigger the. So we asked the expert: why does swiss cheese have holes? it comes down to how it’s made—specifically, the bacteria that is used in the production of swiss cheese. “cheesemakers add a. They concluded that due to recent improvements in milking methods, flecks of hay are less likely to seep into milk buckets, causing a decrease in holes in swiss cheese over the past 15 years. The temperature and duration of cheese aging play crucial roles in the formation of holes. the ideal temperature for the growth of propionibacterium freudenreichii is between 20 25°c (68 77°f). at lower temperatures, the bacteria grow more slowly, resulting in fewer and smaller holes. the aging time also affects the size and number of holes.