Cheese Ripening

Cheese ripening, also called cheese maturation or affinage, is a process in cheesemaking responsible for the distinct flavor of cheese; through the modification of ripening agents it determines features such as taste, texture and body that define different varieties of cheese. The process is characterized by a series of complex physical, chemical and microbiological changes carried out by agents including bacteria and enzymes from the milk, lactic culture, rennet, lipases, added moulds or yeasts, and environmental contaminants. Most cheese is ripened, with the exception of fresh cheese.