Is Feta Cheese Goat Cheese

Feta is a flavorful creamy cheese curd, which is a special Greek cuisine. It is most famous when people use it in the Mediterranean diet.

There are many people, who also happen to enjoy feta cheese as an essential part of their diet.

Still, are you wondering what type of milk feta cheese is? This is an essential question to ask before including feta cheese in the diet.

In this article, we will have a closer look at feta cheese.

We will also explain the types of milk used to make feta cheese as well as to conduct its comparison with the goat cheese.

How People Make Feta Cheese?

Traditionally, people make feta cheese using sheep’s milk. It consists of 100% sheep’s milk. There is also some feta cheese, which contains 30% milk.

In the European Union laws, feta cheese is listed under the Protected Designation of Origin.

It indicates what type of product is feta. So, the laws of the EU state that feta consists of 70 sheep milk and 30% of goat milk.

But you should keep in mind that the same protection does not apply to the non-EU feta cheese.

Any feta cheese, which is made and produced outside the EU, may not contain 70% sheep milk and 30% of goat’s milk.

In the USA or other countries around the world, Feta Cheese may be made of solely cow’s milk or a combination of the milk.

The Process of Making Feta Cheese

The Process of Making the Feta Cheese

Feta Cheese mainly contains lactic acid bacteria. This bacterium brings the souring element to the milk.

It may also initiate the fermentation process. Rennet enzymes are the most important element, which add a unique type of curd to the milk.

It is the curd, which also consists of whey. It also has a liquid protein, which is a byproduct of cheese production.

Once the feta cheese comes into the shape of the curd, it is separated from the whey. Then, chefs cut the curd into pieces.

This is how; they give the shape of the cut cheese to the feta cheese pieces. Within 24 hours, they remove the cut blocks from the moulds.

Then, they add salt to them and keep them in either metal or wooden containers for the ageing process.

After a few days, chefs transfer the blocks of the feta cheese into the containers. The containers have a salty liquid.

Feta cheese remains in these blocks for 02 months. Some people also keep the feta cheese for an extended period of time in these blocks.

Bottom Line: Is Feta Cheese Goat Cheese?

In the EU, feta cheese consists of 70% sheep milk and 30% goat milk. In other countries, the ratio of milk may be different.

So, it is not clear in other countries whether feta cheese is goat cheese. In the EU, feta cheese only has 30% of the goat milk. So, it is not entirely goat cheese.

Leave a Comment