Emmental or Emmentaler is a cheese originating from Switzerland. In North America, Australia, and New Zealand, it is sometimes referred to as Swiss cheese, although this term can also apply to other cheeses made in Switzerland. Emmental is a yellow, medium-hard cheese, characterized by its large holes. It has a piquant, but not overly sharp taste.
One of the three types of bacteria used to make Swiss cheese is Propionibacter shermani, which is responsible for creating the cheese’s distinctive holes. When added to the cheese mixture and warmed, this bacterium produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that become holes in the final product.
