WSU19
December 5, 2022 10:30 PM Subscribe
So that "Cougar Gold" cheese that comes in a can and lasts forever because of the WSU19 bacteria that means the can won't explode? WSU says they won't share the culture. I don't understand. Can't anyone just buy a can of the cheese and... use it to culture more canned cheese, and rinse/repeat indefinitely?
"Cougar Gold is created with two cultures, a lactic starter and WSU 19". These pure stocks are added at different times and their fermentation processes will complement each other, so that the proportions of microbes in the finished product a) don't match the inoculated state b) won't give the lactic starter its head-start.
posted by BobTheScientist at 12:17 AM on December 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by BobTheScientist at 12:17 AM on December 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
Sounds like WSU19 is now just added for flavor.
"John Haugen, assistant creamery manager, says WSU 19 is no longer necessary to prevent explosions. The lactic starter WSU uses now will create a cheese that can ripen in a can. But, without WSU 19, it would be just another cheddar."
posted by jindc at 11:52 AM on December 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
"John Haugen, assistant creamery manager, says WSU 19 is no longer necessary to prevent explosions. The lactic starter WSU uses now will create a cheese that can ripen in a can. But, without WSU 19, it would be just another cheddar."
posted by jindc at 11:52 AM on December 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I was pretty sure they were completely sterile inside before being opened.
On one hand, that seemed like a reasonable thing to assume. On the other hand, it also seems like something I wouldn't expect to know from opening a can of cheese unless I had a microscope available. So I emailed the creamery to ask.
If I understood right, the culture is mostly dead by 10 months. But there's enzymes in the cheese from the cultures that keep on aging the cheese for decades.
posted by aniola at 12:49 AM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
On one hand, that seemed like a reasonable thing to assume. On the other hand, it also seems like something I wouldn't expect to know from opening a can of cheese unless I had a microscope available. So I emailed the creamery to ask.
If I understood right, the culture is mostly dead by 10 months. But there's enzymes in the cheese from the cultures that keep on aging the cheese for decades.
posted by aniola at 12:49 AM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Good work, aniola !
I’ve been wondering about that for years and I’m happy to finally have a good answer, but it didn’t occur to me to actually ask WSU.
posted by jamjam at 1:03 AM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I’ve been wondering about that for years and I’m happy to finally have a good answer, but it didn’t occur to me to actually ask WSU.
posted by jamjam at 1:03 AM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Perhaps relatedly, a couple of weeks ago I found an unopened pint bottle of Grace Harbor Farms whole cow's milk live culture kefir which has been sitting inside a large metal can on the top shelf of my refrigerator since at least Feb 2021 (the best before date).
I sort of knew it was in there (I thought there were two, but there was only one) but every time I thought about getting rid of it I knew I would be disgusted with myself for letting such good food go to waste and didn’t do anything.
I got it out and held it up to the light because when I’ve let bottles of that kefir go bad before, all the solids settle out and leave a clear band on top, but it still seemed perfectly homogenous. I opened it and braced myself for the wave of rancidity, but it smelled fine.
So I ate a teaspoonful, and it was thick as yogurt and tasted a lot sharper than it usually does, but still quite good. I waited a couple of days to see what that might do to my insides, but everything was OK, and I ate the rest over a couple of sittings.
I’ve been meaning to send them a note about my experience with their excellent kefir.
posted by jamjam at 1:37 AM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I sort of knew it was in there (I thought there were two, but there was only one) but every time I thought about getting rid of it I knew I would be disgusted with myself for letting such good food go to waste and didn’t do anything.
I got it out and held it up to the light because when I’ve let bottles of that kefir go bad before, all the solids settle out and leave a clear band on top, but it still seemed perfectly homogenous. I opened it and braced myself for the wave of rancidity, but it smelled fine.
So I ate a teaspoonful, and it was thick as yogurt and tasted a lot sharper than it usually does, but still quite good. I waited a couple of days to see what that might do to my insides, but everything was OK, and I ate the rest over a couple of sittings.
I’ve been meaning to send them a note about my experience with their excellent kefir.
posted by jamjam at 1:37 AM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jamjam at 11:56 PM on December 5, 2022