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Swiss Cheese

Swiss Cheese
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Swiss cheese is a generic name for several related varieties of North American cheese which resemble Emmental cheese, a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in the area around Emmental, in Switzerland. Some types of Swiss cheese have a distinctive appearance, as the blocks of the cheese are riddled with holes known as "eyes". Swiss cheese without eyes is known as "blind"

Three types of bacteria are used in the production of Emmental cheese: Streptococcus salivarius subspecies thermophilus, Lactobacillus, and Propionibacterium. In a late stage of cheese production, the propionibacteria consume the lactic acid excreted by the other bacteria and release acetate, propionic acid, and carbon dioxide gas. The carbon dioxide slowly forms the bubbles that develop the "eyes". 

The acetate and propionic acid give Swiss its nutty and sweet flavor. Historically, the holes were seen as a sign of imperfection and cheese makers originally tried to avoid them by pressing during production. In modern times, the holes have become an identifier of the cheese.

In general, the larger the eyes in a Swiss cheese, the more pronounced its flavor because a longer fermentation period gives the bacteria more time to act. This poses a problem, however, because cheese with large eyes does not slice well and comes apart in mechanical slicers. As a result, industry regulators have limited the eye size by which Swiss cheese receives the Grade A stamp.

Baby Swiss and Lacy Swiss are two varieties of American Swiss cheeses. Both have small holes and a mild flavor. Baby Swiss is made from whole milk, and Lacy Swiss is made from low fat milk. Baby Swiss was developed in the mid-1960s outside of Charm, Ohio, by the Guggisberg Cheese Company, owned by Alfred Guggisberg.

Nutrition Data for Cheese, swiss (01040)

Proximates
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, diced1 cup, melted1 cup, shredded1 oz1 cubic inch1 slice (1 oz)
Water37.12 g48.9984 g90.5728 g40.0896 g10.52352 g5.568 g10.3936 g
Energy380 kcal501.6 kcal927.2 kcal410.4 kcal107.73 kcal57 kcal106.4 kcal
Protein26.93 g35.5476 g65.7092 g29.0844 g7.634655 g4.0395 g7.5404 g
Total lipid (fat)27.8 g36.696 g67.832 g30.024 g7.8813 g4.17 g7.784 g
Carbohydrate, by difference5.38 g7.1016 g13.1272 g5.8104 g1.52523 g0.807 g1.5064 g
Fiber, total dietary0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
Sugars, total1.32 g1.7424 g3.2208 g1.4256 g0.37422 g0.198 g0.3696 g
Minerals
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, diced1 cup, melted1 cup, shredded1 oz1 cubic inch1 slice (1 oz)
Calcium, Ca791 mg1044.12 mg1930.04 mg854.28 mg224.2485 mg118.65 mg221.48 mg
Iron, Fe0.2 mg0.264 mg0.488 mg0.216 mg0.0567 mg0.03 mg0.056 mg
Magnesium, Mg38 mg50.16 mg92.72 mg41.04 mg10.773 mg5.7 mg10.64 mg
Phosphorus, P567 mg748.44 mg1383.48 mg612.36 mg160.7445 mg85.05 mg158.76 mg
Potassium, K77 mg101.64 mg187.88 mg83.16 mg21.8295 mg11.55 mg21.56 mg
Sodium, Na70 mg92.4 mg170.8 mg75.6 mg19.845 mg10.5 mg19.6 mg
Zinc, Zn4.36 mg5.7552 mg10.6384 mg4.7088 mg1.23606 mg0.654 mg1.2208 mg
Vitamins
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, diced1 cup, melted1 cup, shredded1 oz1 cubic inch1 slice (1 oz)
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
Thiamin0.063 mg0.08316 mg0.15372 mg0.06804 mg0.0178605 mg0.00945 mg0.01764 mg
Riboflavin0.296 mg0.39072 mg0.72224 mg0.31968 mg0.083916 mg0.0444 mg0.08288 mg
Niacin0.092 mg0.12144 mg0.22448 mg0.09936 mg0.026082 mg0.0138 mg0.02576 mg
Vitamin B-60.083 mg0.10956 mg0.20252 mg0.08964 mg0.0235305 mg0.01245 mg0.02324 mg
Folate, DFE6 µg7.92 µg14.64 µg6.48 µg1.701 µg0.9 µg1.68 µg
Vitamin B-123.34 µg4.4088 µg8.1496 µg3.6072 µg0.94689 µg0.501 µg0.9352 µg
Vitamin A, RAE220 µg290.4 µg536.8 µg237.6 µg62.37 µg33 µg61.6 µg
Vitamin A, IU830 IU1095.6 IU2025.2 IU896.4 IU235.305 IU124.5 IU232.4 IU
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)0.38 mg0.5016 mg0.9272 mg0.4104 mg0.10773 mg0.057 mg0.1064 mg
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)0.5 µg0.66 µg1.22 µg0.54 µg0.14175 µg0.075 µg0.14 µg
Vitamin D20 IU26.4 IU48.8 IU21.6 IU5.67 IU3 IU5.6 IU
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)2.5 µg3.3 µg6.1 µg2.7 µg0.70875 µg0.375 µg0.7 µg
Lipids
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, diced1 cup, melted1 cup, shredded1 oz1 cubic inch1 slice (1 oz)
Fatty acids, total saturated17.779 g23.46828 g43.38076 g19.20132 g5.0403465 g2.66685 g4.97812 g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated7.274 g9.60168 g17.74856 g7.85592 g2.062179 g1.0911 g2.03672 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated0.972 g1.28304 g2.37168 g1.04976 g0.275562 g0.1458 g0.27216 g
Cholesterol92 mg121.44 mg224.48 mg99.36 mg26.082 mg13.8 mg25.76 mg
Others
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, diced1 cup, melted1 cup, shredded1 oz1 cubic inch1 slice (1 oz)
Caffeine0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2013. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page
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