Tag: Alkaline cheese

The average milk pH is around 6.7, but the process of converting it into cheese significantly alters this acidity. When it comes to finding what cheese has the highest pH, the answer typically points to surface-ripened, soft cheeses such as Limburger, Brie, and Camembert, with some reaching or even exceeding a neutral pH of 7.0.

While most dairy products are naturally acidic, some cheeses undergo a remarkable transformation during their aging process. For example, some mold-ripened cheeses start off acidic but develop a higher, more neutral pH over time due to the metabolic activity of their mold cultures. This raises the question: Are there any cheeses that are alkaline? The answer lies in understanding the complex chemistry of cheesemaking and ripening.

With a typical pH range for fresh milk between 6.4 and 6.8, the vast majority of cheeses are not alkaline. The process of cheesemaking, which involves bacterial fermentation, intentionally lowers the pH to create an acidic environment. This raises the question: is there any cheese that is alkaline, or at least less acidic than others?