Quality milk is the most important ingredient in cheesemaking. In recent decades, however, various types of dairy ingredients have become popular additions to the cheesemaking process.
Dairy ingredients provide manufacturers with an opportunity to increase yield, thus improving profitability and productivity. Dairy ingredients also help to standardize the protein-to-fat content of the cheese milk and help combat seasonal fluctuations in milk composition. Not all dairy ingredients are equal, however, as the cost, impact on cheese quality and related regulations differ greatly between them.