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Elite Edition

Why do some cheeses have holes?

Author

Owen Barnes

Published Mar 30, 2026

Why do some cheeses have holes?

Instead, a Swiss laboratory says they are created by flecks of hay. Agroscope, a government agricultural institute, said “microscopically small hay particles” would fall in to buckets collecting milk, and develop into bigger holes as the cheese matures. The cheese industry calls holes in cheese “eyes”.

Does Gouda cheese have holes?

Cheeses like traditional Havarti, Tilsit, and Esrom usually have many tiny gas-formed holes, but we usually don’t call those eyes (probably because they aren’t round). Examples of cheeses with eyes, Swiss (left) and Gouda (right). Some cheeses, like Colby, have small jagged openings in their body.

Why doesn’t my Swiss cheese have holes?

Here’s why. BERLIN – The mystery of Swiss cheese and its disappearing holes has been solved: The milk’s too clean. A Swiss agricultural institute discovered that tiny pieces of hay dust are responsible for the famous holes in cheeses like Emmentaler or Appenzeller.

Is it safe to eat cheese with holes?

Mold generally can’t penetrate far into hard and semisoft cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Parmesan and Swiss. So you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. Cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) around and below the moldy spot.

Is Swiss the only cheese with holes?

While there are many cheeses that are native to Switzerland, most Americans use “Swiss” as a generic catch-all for the Swiss-style speckled with holes. Those holes in your cheese indicate a specific type of Swiss. This cheese’s proper name is Emmentaler because it originated in the Emmental region of Switzerland.

Is Gouda cheese expensive?

When made from goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, or even camel’s milk, the resulting product will be more expensive because of their relative rarity and because of the lesser amount of milk actually produced by these animals. …

Is Gouda cheese good for weight loss?

Gouda cheese is not only delicious, but it is also good for you. One single ounce of gouda cheese contains 198 milligrams of calcium, 20 percent of the daily recommended amount for a 2000 calorie a day diet. The calcium content in gouda cheese helps build, maintain, and strengthen bones.

What is Swiss cheese without holes called?

Propionibacterium uses the lactic acid that is made by other bacteria, and it gives off a gas called carbon dioxide. This slowly forms bubbles that become the holes. The holes in the cheese are called the “eyes”, and a Swiss cheese that does not have holes is called a “blind” cheese.

Why does Swiss cheese have holes in it?

The bacteria, more specifically Propionibacterium shermanii which releases carbon dioxide when it consumes the lactic acid and forms bubbles. The bubbles don’t just disappear, they form little air pockets, resulting in the holes of the Swiss cheese.

What kind of cheese is made in Switzerland?

For example, while we call it “Swiss” cheese in the U.S., Swiss cheese made in Switzerland is called Emmental. Other varieties, such as Baby Swiss and Jarlsburg, are types of Emmental, with different amounts of moisture, fat and other bacterial cultures that may have been added along with the Props. Here are some other fun facts about Swiss:

Where do the different types of cheese come from?

Different types of Gruyère, Jura Alpage and Etivaz cheeses at a food market in Lausanne, Switzerland. This is a list of cheeses by place of origin. Cheese is a milk -based food that is produced in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms. Hundreds of types of cheese from various countries are produced.

Why do some cheeses have bubbles in them?

For Swiss and Emmenthal cheeses, the bubbles come from the activity of Propionibacterium, a bacteria that produces CO2 as a waste product as it consumes elements in the cheese as it cures and ages. The bubble of CO2 are the bubbles in the final cheese. Other cheeses might have other bacteria, but they’re doing the same thing.

What kind of cheese has large holes in it?

Rather, Swiss cheese is an entire category of cheeses including varieties like Emmental and Appenzeller. The original Swiss that most others are compared to is Emmental, a cheese from abroad that Americans really should try. Swiss cheeses are all of medium-hard texture and have one thing in common: They’re riddled with holes.

Why do some cheese have holes in it?

Agroscope, a Swiss agricultural institute, believes that tiny specks of hay are responsible for the holes in Swiss cheese. When cheese is made in barns using buckets, there is a likelihood of hay particulates making it into the buckets of collected milk, which then cause holes to form in the cheese as it ages.

What are some types of cheese with holes?

Swiss cheese is the most well known for this, with some types having holes as large as walnuts. A number of cheeses are marketed under the name of ” Swiss ” cheese. The true version is Swiss Emmental or Emmentaler , produced in a particular part of Switzerland.

What does ‘more holes than Swiss cheese’ mean?

more holes than Swiss cheese. mainly AMERICAN. If an argument, theory or plan has more holes than Swiss cheese, it has very many faults and problems. The current laws have more holes than Swiss cheese. Jackson claimed the system had more holes in it than Swiss cheese. Note: Swiss cheese is used in various other ways to describe an argument or theory like this.