The raw material for cheese is milk, the quality of which has a great influence on the
quality of the final cheese product. It is important to use milk of the
highest quality as well as sanitary equipment for the manufacture of
cheese products. The major milk quality tests include:
1. Organoleptic evaluation of odor and taste;
2. Bacterial plate counts;
3. Inhibitory substances tests;
4. Fermentation and curd tests.
The type cheese produced determines whether cream and
milk are both used. Cheddar cheese, for example, uses whole milk, while only skim milk is
used for the production of cottage cheese.