curdling

Milk for cheese making must be of the highest quality. Because the natural microflora present in milk frequently include undesirable types called psychrophiles, good farm sanitation and pasteurization or partial heat treatment are important to the cheese-making process. In addition, the milk must be…

…is the process known as curdling, or coagulation.

…of solution—a process known as curdling, or coagulation. Coagulated casein assumes a solid or gel-like structure (the curd), which traps most of the fat, bacteria, calcium, phosphate, and other particulates. The remaining liquid—the whey—contains water, proteins resistant to acidic and enzymatic denaturation (e.g., antibodies), carbohydrates (lactose), and minerals.

…casein complexes are disrupted, causing curdling of the milk. Curdling results in the separation of milk proteins into two distinct phases, a solid phase (the curds) and a liquid phase (the whey).