What do milk, cheese and yoghurt give us, how are they made, and how do they behave in cooking?
Milk, cheese and yoghurt as a commodity group: their nutritional value, types and how they are produced (pasteurisation, cheese-making, fermentation), their working characteristics, and how they are stored safely.
A focused answer on milk, cheese and yoghurt as a commodity group for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering their nutritional value, types, how they are produced (pasteurisation, cheese-making, fermentation), their working characteristics, and safe storage.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to know milk, cheese and yoghurt (the dairy group) as a commodity: their nutritional value, the main types, how they are produced and preserved, how they behave in cooking, and how they are stored safely.
Nutritional value
This makes them especially valuable for growing children and teenagers (building peak bone mass), and the calcium is important across life to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Lower-fat versions (semi-skimmed, skimmed, low-fat yoghurt) keep the calcium and protein with less saturated fat.
Types and production
Milk is sold as whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed (by fat content). Cheese is made by adding a starter culture (bacteria) and rennet to milk: the rennet makes the milk protein casein coagulate, so it separates into solid curds and liquid whey; the curds are cut, drained, salted, pressed and ripened. Yoghurt is made by fermenting milk with bacteria, which turn lactose into lactic acid; the acid thickens the milk and gives a sharp taste.
Working characteristics
In cooking, milk and cheese have useful properties but must be handled carefully:
- Cheese melts and browns when heated and adds flavour, but if heated too hot or too long the protein overcoagulates and the fat separates, so it goes stringy, oily or grainy and a sauce can split.
- Milk scalds and forms a skin when heated (the protein coagulates at the surface), and it can curdle if mixed with acid.
- Cream whips to trap air (aeration) because the fat globules hold the air, used for desserts.
- Yoghurt and milk add moisture, flavour and tenderness to baking and sauces.
Storage
Milk, cheese and yoghurt are high-risk foods: they are moist and high in protein, so bacteria grow readily. They are stored in the fridge below 5 Celsius, kept covered, and used by their use-by date. Hard cheese keeps longer than soft cheese. Opened milk should be used within a few days, and dairy should not be left in the danger zone (5 to 63 Celsius).
Try this
Q1. State two nutrients that milk, cheese and yoghurt provide and one reason they are important for teenagers. [3 marks]
- Cue. Calcium and HBV protein (also vitamins A, D, B2); important for building strong bones and teeth during growth.
Q2. Name the enzyme/ingredient added to milk to make it curdle into curds and whey for cheese. [1 mark]
- Cue. Rennet (with a starter culture).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20196 marksExplain the nutritional value of milk, cheese and yoghurt in the diet, and discuss why these foods are especially important for children and teenagers.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark extended-response question. Mark it for nutritional value plus an applied link to a named group.
Milk, cheese and yoghurt (dairy products) are a major source of calcium and protein, and milk also provides vitamins A, D and B2 (riboflavin) and the sugar lactose. The protein is high biological value (it contains all the essential amino acids).
They are especially important for children and teenagers because they are growing: calcium and vitamin D are needed to build strong bones and teeth, and reaching a high peak bone mass in youth lowers the risk of osteoporosis later. The HBV protein supports growth and repair of body tissues.
Top-band answers (5 to 6 marks) name calcium, HBV protein and the fat-soluble vitamins, and clearly link them to building bones during growth.
Eduqas 20214 marksDescribe how cheese is made from milk, and explain why cheese can cause problems if heated for too long when making a sauce.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark structured question.
Cheese is made by adding a starter culture (bacteria) and rennet to milk, which curdles it: the rennet makes the milk protein (casein) coagulate so it separates into solid curds and liquid whey. The curds are cut, drained, salted, pressed and ripened to make cheese.
In a sauce, if cheese is heated too hot or for too long the protein overcoagulates and the fat separates out, so the cheese becomes stringy, oily or grainy and the sauce splits. Markers reward the role of rennet/starter and curds and whey, plus that overheating overcoagulates the protein and splits the fat.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification (C560) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)