With a fat and protein content significantly higher than that of cow’s milk, whale milk cheese would have a creamier texture.
Cheese is typically made from milk, but is commonly limited to certain species like cows, goats, sheep, and buffalo. According to Dr. James Reynolds from Loughborough University in the UK, theoretically, cheese can be produced from the milk of any mammal. The main obstacles preventing the production of cheese from whale milk largely relate to ethical, safety, and practicality concerns, as capturing a 150,000 kg whale for milk is often seen as inhumane, unwise, and not a profitable venture.
A baby sperm whale (part of the whale family) nursing (left) and a step in the cheese-making process from whale milk (right). (Photo: Maurizio Milanesio/Mike Korostelev).
“Whale milk—if you could somehow obtain it—could be made into cheese. However, research on the milk of blue whales and fin whales published in Nature in 1953 showed that the fat and protein content in whale milk is much higher than that of cow’s milk. The fat content is approximately 40%, and the protein content is 10-12%, whereas Jersey cow milk has fat and protein contents of 4% and 3.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, lactose levels are reported to be lower,” Reynolds noted.
“With such a high fat content in the milk sample, whale cheese would have a smooth, creamy texture,” Reynolds added. Additionally, whale cheese might also have a slight fishy taste. A few people who have tried boiled penguin eggs have confirmed that the diet at sea greatly influences flavor.
So, if whale milk were collected, how could it be turned into cheese? “According to a study from the U.S., milk consists of 87.7% water, 4.7% lactose, 3.6% fat, 3.2% protein, and 0.7% minerals. Lactose and a group of milk proteins known as casein (which accounts for about 80% of total milk protein) play a crucial role in converting milk into cheese,” Reynolds explained.
The majority of the cheese-making process begins by heating the milk to 70 degrees Celsius to pasteurize it and kill pathogens. After that, two essential components are added: starter cultures and a group of enzymes called rennet. The primary enzyme in rennet is chymosin.
Next, this mixture is fermented. As the bacteria grow and divide, the lactose in the milk becomes their energy source. The lactose metabolism lowers the pH until the mixture is acidic enough for the chymosin enzyme to act, causing the casein proteins to coagulate and the milk to curdle. This process creates a thick curd that can be scooped, cut, and pressed into molds to mature.
“Cheese can be matured over varying periods. Generally, the longer the maturation time, the richer the flavor. At this stage, mushrooms can also be added to the cheese. The mushrooms will develop during the cheese maturation process. Blue cheeses like Roquefort and Stilton have Penicillium roqueforti added to create their characteristic veining and flavor,” Reynolds stated.
Altering any ingredient or changing the execution of a step will result in different characteristics of the cheese. Using different bacteria can also change the flavor of the cheese. For example, Cheddar cheese uses Lactobacillus bacteria and ferments at about 30 degrees Celsius, while many Italian cheeses like Parmesan use heat-loving bacteria such as Streptococcus thermophilus, fermenting at temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.
