The Effect of Different Types of Cheeses on the Speed That Specific Type of Cheese Starts to Mold
Sabrina Montanye
Liberty Union High School
January 18, 2012
Mr. Kevin King
Introduction
This experiment will indicate the effect of different types of cheeses on the speed that specific type starts to mold. The hypothesis is if the cheese is a different type then the speed of mold growing might be different? This experiment will be helpful in the cheesemonger and dairy scientist business.
History
There is a lot of history behind cheese molding. Two very good scientists who have studied topics involving cheese are Professor Ylva Ardő, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Craig Oberg, Weber State University. Those scientists didn’t study the same thing though. Every scientist studies something different, a lot of experiments can be the same in some ways, but in different ways also.
Professor Ylva Ardő studied at The University of Copenhagen. Her experiment as performed as the following: She used Lactobacillus helveticus to ripen culture in cheese that is made with mesophilic starter. (DAIRY SCIENTIST WINS, ND). The other scientist, Craig Oberg, Weber State University, figured out when mold on cheese is good and when it is bad. He did this by putting bacteria on cheese that can grow without oxygen.
Significance
Research has changed over the years by a significant amount. Also, the exact experiment that people have studied is different from person to person. Something new is figured out about cheese, let alone every topic. Some people could be studying the mold, or even the taste. Some people may do the same topic, but just make improvements on the next experiment. For example a scientist from the 1900’s could have done mold on cheese just by letting it sit out and not doing anything to the cheese and a modern day scientist may use something to start the molding.
Studying cheese and its mold is important in the purchasing of cheese. This is because if you like to buy cheese, but you don’t eat it that often you will know which cheese will mold the fastest. This will also help if you lose electricity because you will know what type of cheese will last longest without a fridge.
Conducting this experiment was decided to be done because of seeing an experiment about bread molding which lead to doing cheese instead. I wanted to do something with mold which lead to deciding on cheese. Some thoughts that came to mind were that cheese molds at a pretty fast steady rate. When forming this experiment, things that are hoped to learn is which cheese molds at the fastest rate and the most mold. The amount of mold will be measured in centimeters.
The topic of molding cheese will effect life because when you are grown and have to make choices of your own, and you go to the grocery store you will be able to tell which cheese is the one to take the longest to mold. Knowing which cheese grows the mold fastest will be a money-saving experience because if you know not to buy the fast-molding cheese will save money.
In this experiment the hypothesis is “if the cheese is a different type then the speed of
mold growing might be different? “ I think every cheese will be molding at a different
rate because of the way the different cheeses are created. The different types of cheeses may start to mold on the same day, but the amount of mold will be the thing to look at.
Facts
When doing an experiment on cheese mold there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Mold usually cannot access far into hard and semisoft cheeses. Not all molds are a major risk, but if you don’t know what type of cheese you have and it has mold growing, it is best if you do not eat the cheese ("Food Mold Facts," 1999-2011). Even though cheese molds, certain cheeses are made with mold that is safe to eat. If you breath in mold spores it can cause breathing problems ("Moldy Cheese: Is It Unsafe," 1998-2011). Also, some moldy cheese is safe to eat if you cut off the mold (Oberg, n.d.). There are two important words for this experiment, cheesemonger, a person dealing in cheese, butter, etc. and mold, a growth of minute fungi forming on vegetable or animal matter, commonly as a downy or fur coating and associated with decay and dampness (Dictionary.com, 2011)
Previous research might affect my experiment because it could give me help. This is because I could get ideas from them like, where they kept the cheese, what they put the cheese in, and things along those lines.
This experiment is different because everybody that has researched and did a project like mine might be a little bit different. Their types of cheeses could be different; the websites used could be different and the results might turn out totally different. No two experiments and research will be exactly the same.
This experiment is similar to research done before because people have done an experiment and research like mine. The types of cheeses might be the same for others, and they could’ve used some of the same websites as me.
Methods and Materials
In this experiment items needed are seven different types of cheese, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Colby Jack, Swiss, American, Pepper Jack, and Provolone, Ziploc bags, a sharpie, a camera and a knife. The hypothesis is “If the cheese is a different type then the speed of mold growing might be different,” the manipulated variable is the different types of cheese, the responding variable is the speed of mold, the levels are The types of cheese: Swiss, Colby Jack, American, Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Provolone, Monterey Jack, the number of trials is 10, the constants are Cheese type, bags located in, room located in, temperature, mold spores on the cheese, and amount of cheese, and there isn’t a control.
Results
Conclusion
The purpose of this experiment was to find out the molding rates of seven different types of cheeses. In performing the experiment the purpose was to discover which cheese has the slowest rate of molding and which had the fastest rate of molding. The major findings were that all the cheese if at all had any mold they start to mold around the seven to nine day mark. Monterey Jack had the fastest rate of mold. The data supported the hypothesis, if the cheese is a different type then the speed of mold growing might be different, every cheese grew mold at different rate.
References
DAIRY SCIENTIST WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD. (n.d.). Retrieved 2008, from http://techtrans.dk/en/newsroom/single/article/dairy-scientist-wins-international-award/
Dictionary.com. (2011). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/
Food mold facts. (1999-2011). eHow. Retrieved from eHow website: http://www.ehow.com/about_5475909_food-mold.html
Moldy cheese: Is it unsafe to eat? (1998-2011). Mayo clinic. Retrieved from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01024
Oberg, C. (n.d.). When is mold on cheese good and when is it bad? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.uen.org/tv/cheese/scientist.php