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)
ProximatesNutrient | Nutrient value per 100 gm | 1 cup, diced | 1 cup, melted | 1 cup, shredded | 1 oz | 1 cubic inch | 1 slice (1 oz) |
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Water | 37.12 g | 48.9984 g | 90.5728 g | 40.0896 g | 10.52352 g | 5.568 g | 10.3936 g |
Energy | 380 kcal | 501.6 kcal | 927.2 kcal | 410.4 kcal | 107.73 kcal | 57 kcal | 106.4 kcal |
Protein | 26.93 g | 35.5476 g | 65.7092 g | 29.0844 g | 7.634655 g | 4.0395 g | 7.5404 g |
Total lipid (fat) | 27.8 g | 36.696 g | 67.832 g | 30.024 g | 7.8813 g | 4.17 g | 7.784 g |
Carbohydrate, by difference | 5.38 g | 7.1016 g | 13.1272 g | 5.8104 g | 1.52523 g | 0.807 g | 1.5064 g |
Fiber, total dietary | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
Sugars, total | 1.32 g | 1.7424 g | 3.2208 g | 1.4256 g | 0.37422 g | 0.198 g | 0.3696 g |
MineralsNutrient | Nutrient value per 100 gm | 1 cup, diced | 1 cup, melted | 1 cup, shredded | 1 oz | 1 cubic inch | 1 slice (1 oz) |
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Calcium, Ca | 791 mg | 1044.12 mg | 1930.04 mg | 854.28 mg | 224.2485 mg | 118.65 mg | 221.48 mg |
Iron, Fe | 0.2 mg | 0.264 mg | 0.488 mg | 0.216 mg | 0.0567 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.056 mg |
Magnesium, Mg | 38 mg | 50.16 mg | 92.72 mg | 41.04 mg | 10.773 mg | 5.7 mg | 10.64 mg |
Phosphorus, P | 567 mg | 748.44 mg | 1383.48 mg | 612.36 mg | 160.7445 mg | 85.05 mg | 158.76 mg |
Potassium, K | 77 mg | 101.64 mg | 187.88 mg | 83.16 mg | 21.8295 mg | 11.55 mg | 21.56 mg |
Sodium, Na | 70 mg | 92.4 mg | 170.8 mg | 75.6 mg | 19.845 mg | 10.5 mg | 19.6 mg |
Zinc, Zn | 4.36 mg | 5.7552 mg | 10.6384 mg | 4.7088 mg | 1.23606 mg | 0.654 mg | 1.2208 mg |
VitaminsNutrient | Nutrient value per 100 gm | 1 cup, diced | 1 cup, melted | 1 cup, shredded | 1 oz | 1 cubic inch | 1 slice (1 oz) |
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Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
Thiamin | 0.063 mg | 0.08316 mg | 0.15372 mg | 0.06804 mg | 0.0178605 mg | 0.00945 mg | 0.01764 mg |
Riboflavin | 0.296 mg | 0.39072 mg | 0.72224 mg | 0.31968 mg | 0.083916 mg | 0.0444 mg | 0.08288 mg |
Niacin | 0.092 mg | 0.12144 mg | 0.22448 mg | 0.09936 mg | 0.026082 mg | 0.0138 mg | 0.02576 mg |
Vitamin B-6 | 0.083 mg | 0.10956 mg | 0.20252 mg | 0.08964 mg | 0.0235305 mg | 0.01245 mg | 0.02324 mg |
Folate, DFE | 6 µg | 7.92 µg | 14.64 µg | 6.48 µg | 1.701 µg | 0.9 µg | 1.68 µg |
Vitamin B-12 | 3.34 µg | 4.4088 µg | 8.1496 µg | 3.6072 µg | 0.94689 µg | 0.501 µg | 0.9352 µg |
Vitamin A, RAE | 220 µg | 290.4 µg | 536.8 µg | 237.6 µg | 62.37 µg | 33 µg | 61.6 µg |
Vitamin A, IU | 830 IU | 1095.6 IU | 2025.2 IU | 896.4 IU | 235.305 IU | 124.5 IU | 232.4 IU |
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.38 mg | 0.5016 mg | 0.9272 mg | 0.4104 mg | 0.10773 mg | 0.057 mg | 0.1064 mg |
Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.5 µg | 0.66 µg | 1.22 µg | 0.54 µg | 0.14175 µg | 0.075 µg | 0.14 µg |
Vitamin D | 20 IU | 26.4 IU | 48.8 IU | 21.6 IU | 5.67 IU | 3 IU | 5.6 IU |
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 2.5 µg | 3.3 µg | 6.1 µg | 2.7 µg | 0.70875 µg | 0.375 µg | 0.7 µg |
OthersNutrient | Nutrient value per 100 gm | 1 cup, diced | 1 cup, melted | 1 cup, shredded | 1 oz | 1 cubic inch | 1 slice (1 oz) |
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Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2013. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page