This undated file photo shows two slices of the famed Swiss Emmental cheese. The mystery of the disappearing holes in the famous Swiss cheese has been solved: the milk is too clean. A Swiss agricultural institute discovered that tiny pieces of hey dust are responsible for the famous holes in cheeses like Emmentaler or Appenzeller as they said in a statement Thursday, May 28, 2015. Credit: Christoph Ruckstuhl/Keystone via AP, File

Mystery of disappearing holes in Swiss cheese solved

BERLIN – The mystery of Swiss cheese and its disappearing holes has been solved: The milk's too clean.

A Swiss agricultural institute discovered that tiny specks of hay are responsible for the famous holes in cheeses like Emmentaler or Appenzeller. As milk matures into cheese these "microscopically small hay particles" help create the holes in the traditional Swiss cheese varieties.

The government-funded Agroscope institute said in a statement Thursday that the transition from age-old milking methods in barns to fully-automated, industrial milking systems had caused holes to decline during the last 15 years.

In a series of tests, scientists added different amounts of hay dust to the milk and discovered it allowed them to regulate the number of holes.

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Howard Alexander

Howard Alexander

Assistant Editor Howard Alexander comes to iNFOnews.ca from the broadcasting side of the media business.

Howard has been a reporter, news anchor, talk show host and news director, first in Saskatchewan and then the Okanagan.

He moved his family to Vernon in the 90s and is proud to call the Okanagan home.

If you have an event to share contact Howard at 250-309-5343or email halexander@infonews.ca.

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