10 Dec 2018
While cheese is not a staple in Indonesian kitchens, dairy produce has gained popularity as Indonesians’ palate has become more accustomed to western cuisine. The country’s burgeoning middle class also drives demand for cheese, as they’ve started seeking variety in their diet.
It’s now common to find Indonesian traditional food, such as the ubiquitous spicy nasi goreng (fried rice) topped with mozzarella cheese or Bakso (meat ball soup) filled with chunks of cheddar cheese. According to a market data provider Statista, Indonesia’s cheese market revenue reached to US$21 million in 2018 and the market is expected to grow by 9.1 percent in the next three years.
For the dairy farmers in Pacet highland in East Java’s Mojokerto regency, the growing Indonesians’ appetite for cheese could be the solution to their production and marketing challenges and could help them increase the economic value of their produce.
Hundreds of dairy farmers in Pacet sell fresh milk to Koperasi Dana Mulya (KDM), the only milk dairy cooperative in the region.
However, KDM is struggling to maintain the quality of fresh milk as they lack proper facilities to store the produce.
University lecturer at Universitas Trunojoyo in Madura, Indra Cahyadi, says, “Because of the short shelf-life, the milk supplied by the cooperative’s members are often rejected by its trading partners. They are concerned the milk will go bad.”
In 2007 Indra received a Master of Business degree in Enterprise Resource Planning Systems from Victoria University under an Australia Awards scholarship, and later completed his PhD at Victoria University in 2013.
“Consequently, the dairy farmers have no choice but to sell their milk below the market price.” Indra and his team have been helping KDM find ways of reducing production risks and boosting the value of fresh milk.
From several milk-based products, Indra’s team proposed mozzarella cheese-making training for the dairy farmers. Indra says the team chose cheese because it has more advantages compared than other dairy products.
“Fresh milk has a shelf-life of five hours at room temperature, while cheese can last two to six months in a refrigerator.”
Cheese can also fetch much higher prices than milk. Farmers can earn between IDR 85,000 to IDR 100,000 (AUD8.5 to AUD10) from selling a kilogram of mozzarella cheese, compared to IDR 5,500 per liter from fresh milk.
The calcium-rich cheese can also boost Indonesia’s low calcium intake. Indonesia’s calcium intake averages less than 300 mg per person per day, which is well below the recommended intake of 1,000-1,200 mg per person per day.
“Mozzarella is tasty and can be cooked into various dishes. It’s good for increasing calcium intake in children and adults who don’t like milk.”
Its solid form also makes cheese easier to be packed, stacked and delivered to customers.
Earlier this year, Indra was successfully granted Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS), a seed funding from the Australian Government to deliver training to dairy farmers within the KDM in Pacet to increase the economic value of milk into cheese.
The training includes how to vacuum package cheese for a longer shelf-life and delivery. Indra and his team will also provide marketing training, both for direct selling and online marketing.
Once the trainees master their cheese-making skills and start producing mozzarella cheese in a steady volume, the project aims to sell the product through online platforms in the country, such as Lazada,Tokopedia, Shopee, and Bukalapak.
“We are actively mentoring and counseling on the production of mozzarella cheese, so that the production unit can start operation and accepting orders.”
Are you an Australian alumnus who is keen to create your own impact and apply your studies to the real world? Send your proposals for the Alumni Grant Scheme 2019 before 21 January 2019.
For more information and application form:https://www.australiaawardsindonesia.org/content/169/15/alumni-grant-scheme?sub=true
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FAQs
What is the role of milk in cheese making? ›
Acidifying (souring) milk helps to separate the curds and whey and control the growth of undesirable bacteria in cheese. Usually special 'starter' bacteria are added to milk to start the cheesemaking process. These bacteria convert the lactose (milk sugar) to lactic acid and lower the milk's pH.
What is the impact of milk composition on cheddar cheese manufacture? ›Milk with a high protein concentration, particularly casein content, gives a high yield of cheese, has good processability and produces good quality cheese. The higher the ratio of casein to whey proteins the more suitable is the milk for cheddar cheese.
What are the principles of cheese production? ›The basic principle involved in making all natural cheese is to coagulate or curdle the milk so that it forms into protein and fats (known collectively as curds) and whey (that consists mainly of water). As anyone knows who has left milk out of the refrigerator for a period, milk will curdle quite naturally.
How does milk composition affect cheese yield? ›Increasing milk fat content resulted in cheese with significantly higher contents of fat, moisture in the nonfat substance, and salt-in-moisture and lower contents of moisture, protein, and ash.
What are the most important components of milk for cheese making? ›Proteins in milk consist of whey protein and casein, or milk proteins. The most important factor of this duo is the caseins, which will bind together to play a main role in the solidification of the milk during the cheesemaking process.
What affects cheese prices? ›The price of cheese is determined by a wide variety of factors, including many influences that are outside of the control of manufacturers and distributors. Energy costs to produce and refrigerate the cheese, worldwide demand, and the cost of feed for the cows are just a few factors considered in the pricing of cheese.
What are the factors affecting milk composition in dairy industry? ›Many factors influence the composition of milk, the major components of which are water, fat, protein, lactose and minerals. Nutrition or dietary influences readily alter fat concentration and milk protein concentration.
What makes cheese more stable than milk? ›Rennet sets the cheese into a strong and rubbery gel compared to the fragile curds produced by acidic coagulation alone. It also allows curdling at a lower acidity—important because flavor-making bacteria are inhibited in high-acidity environments.
What are the 3 main components of cheese? ›There are three main components for making cheese: the milk, a coagulant, and bacterial cultures. Cheese is made mostly of milk, whether from cows, sheep, goats, buffalo or a blend of these milks. A coagulant is a substance added to milk to help solids form out of the liquid portion.
Which is one of the most important steps in the cheese-making process? ›Step 10: Aging
Aging or ripening is the most important step in the cheese-making process. You store the cheese in controlled conditions so they can develop appearance, texture and flavor. Aging may take a few days to several years depending on the type of cheese you are making.
What factors influence the production of cheese? ›
Parameters such as initial milk composition, temperature, moisture level, pH, the size of curd particles at cutting, stirring rates, and levels of salt addition all influence the cheese-making process and the quality of the resulting cheese.
How do you increase the yield of cheese? ›Standardizing cheesemilk. Another way to increase yield, as well as keep yield consistent throughout the year, is to add more milk solids to the cheese milk. Historically, cheesemakers just standardized to a specific fat content or to a fat-to-protein ratio.
What are five different factors that affect milk yield? ›- Genetic. Milk composition varies considerably among breeds of dairy cattle: Jersey and Guernsey breeds give milk of higher fat and protein content than Shorthorns and Friesians. ...
- Interval between milkings. ...
- Stage of lactation. ...
- Age. ...
- Feeding regime. ...
- Disease. ...
- Completeness of milking.
Milk and coagulant are the main components of cheese, but cheese can also include sources of flavoring, such as salt, brine, herbs, spices and even wine. Some cheeses may be made with identical ingredients, but the end product will differ based on different aging processes.
What is the best milk to make cheese? ›Jess: Most cheeses, with a few specific exceptions, are made with whole milk. This can mean pasteurized milk from the grocery store, or raw milk fresh off the farm. The only milk that should not be used for cheesemaking is ULTRAPASTEURIZED milk.
What is the most important ingredient in milk? ›Nutrients in milk
Milk and milk products have a good balance of protein , fat and carbohydrate and are a very important source of essential nutrients, including: calcium. riboflavin. phosphorous.
It's a good source of nutrients
Cheese is a great source of calcium, fat, and protein. It also contains high amounts of vitamins A and B12, along with zinc, phosphorus, and riboflavin. According to U.S. Dairy, the overall nutritional profile of conventional, organic, and grass-fed dairy products is similar.
The craft of making cheese allows us to preserve and store the nutritional value of milk for months or years. Of the 9 essential nutrients available in fresh milk, 6 of those are preserved through the process of cheesemaking – protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, niacin, and vitamin A.
Why is raw milk better for cheese? ›Health Benefits
Cheese made from raw milk has a deeper flavor and a higher nutritional value than pasteurized cheeses. Healthy raw milk adds good bacteria to your digestive system and brings its own package of digestive enzymes with it that help to digest sugars, fats, and proteins.
In 1949, the Agricultural Act allowed a government agency to buy up dairy products to stabilize prices. Unlike corn or wheat, however, milk needed to be converted into more shelf-stable forms, specifically butter, dehydrated skim milk powder, and cheese.
Does making cheese save money? ›
It's extremely cost-effective
On average, the cost of making cheese at home is about a quarter that of buying it in a supermarket. Remember, when you make your own you only pay for the ingredients; when you buy it in a packet you're also paying for packaging, store mark-up, freight and marketing.
Adding to the list of epic stores, the U.S. boasts a 1.4 billion-pound cheese surplus as of 2019, reports NPR. In total, that's about 900,000 cubic yards of cheese. The reason for this massive amount of excess dairy is simple — America produces more milk than it consumes.
What are the main factors that affect the price of milk? ›Milk prices at the farm level are determined fundamentally by wholesale commodity prices for cheese, butter, nonfat dry milk, and dry whey in combination with federal milk marketing orders and interaction with the federal dairy price support program.
What are 5 factors that affect milk production in cows? ›Genetic background, climate, diseases, feeding, year and season of calving have been reported to affect milk production, lactation length and dry period [2, 3].
What is a major factor for better milk production? ›Successful lactation depends on several factors, such as proper positioning of the infant at the breast, precautions to avoid sore nipples, frequent feedings, avoidance of formula feeding, and timing of feedings to coincide with the infant's desire to suck.
How much cheese does 1 gallon of milk make? ›Cheese Yield From One Gallon
The yield of cheese from one gallon of milk is approximately one pound for the hard cheese and two pounds for the soft cheese. The amount of butterfat in the milk will affect this.
MOZZARELLA – THE WORLD's MOST POPULAR CHEESE.
What is the best cheese for dairy issues? ›Hard, aged cheeses like Swiss, parmesan, and cheddars are lower in lactose. Other low-lactose cheese options include cottage cheese or feta cheese made from goat or sheep's milk.
What are the three C's of handling cheese? ›The “three Cs” of cheese handling are clean, cold, and covered.
What are the four 4 basic ingredients for cheese production? ›Milk, salt, starter culture, and rennet are the four basic ingredients of cheese, but it is the cheesemaking process and how the ingredients are brought together that determine the finished cheese type, says Foor.
What is the most difficult part in cheese making process? ›
While there is no one type of difficult cheese to make, the hardest cheeses to make are romano, gorgonzola, burrata, parmesan, provolone, etc. The reason being is because they require a longer aging period to ensure they reach their desired texture and require a specific type of culture.
What are the 6 stages in cheese making? ›There are six simple steps in cheesemaking: acidification, coagulation, separating curds and whey, salting, shaping, and ripening. While the method for making different cheeses vary, the following six steps outline the basic process of turning milk into cheese.
What 3 things affect the way cheese develops? ›Effect of Three Factors in Cheese Production (pH, Salt, and Heat) on Mycobacterium avium subsp.
How does cheese affect economy? ›Cheese: Adds $55.4 billion in direct economic impact and supports 57,700 dairy industry jobs.
Who is the largest cheese manufacturer in the US? ›With a dairy product revenue of $21.3 billion, the largest cheese company in the U.S. Dairy Farmers of America Inc. is a national milk marketing cooperative in the United States and consists of more than 13,000 dairy farmers, representing approximately 7,500 dairy farms in 47 U.S. states.
What determines the quality of cheese? ›Milk composition affects cheese yield and quality. Casein is the protein utilized to make cheese. Most of the whey proteins will be lost into the liquid whey stream during cheese making. Caseins are found as αs1-, αs2-, β- and κ-casein, differing in amino acid composition, phosphorylation, and glycosylation.
Is milk needed to make cheese? ›In this article you will learn about the ingredients used to make cheese at home. Most types of cheese only need two or three ingredients, milk, cultures and rennet. These simple ingredients will ripen the milk, form curds and whey and add flavor to the finished cheese.
Is milk an input in the production of cheese? ›Milk is an input in the production of cheese, and cheese and bagels are complements.
What is the best milk for cheese making? ›Whole milk is the best choice for making cheese because it's high in fat and protein. It's a good option for making soft cheeses, such as cream cheese and cottage cheese. It contains about 3.5% fat, which is what gives it a creamy texture when cooked.
What are the 4 main types of milk used in cheese making? ›Pretty much any milk can be used to make cheese but there are four types of milk that are most commonly used: cow, sheep, goat, and buffalo.
What is the byproduct of cheese making? ›
Skim milk, buttermilk, and whey are the major byproducts generated from the production of butter and cheese. Components of these byproducts include casein, whey, lactose, and milk fat globule membrane (MFGM).
What is cheese production called? ›January 2019. Cheesemaking (or caseiculture) is the craft of making cheese. The production of cheese, like many other food preservation processes, allows the nutritional and economic value of a food material, in this case milk, to be preserved in concentrated form.
Where does the lactose go when making cheese? ›These bacteria are known as lactic acid bacteria; they ferment lactose into lactic acid. This process is not only crucial for cheese flavor and texture, but it also means that the lactose disappears during fermentation before anyone has a chance to consume the cheese.