Mondo Knows Facts
The crunch in aged Parmesan is crystallised amino acids
Long ageing frees tyrosine and calcium lactate into tiny crystals
As a hard cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano matures for a year or more, protein breakdown releases free amino acids including tyrosine, and some calcium lactate forms as well. Both can gather into small crystals that feel gritty on the tongue. The crystals are a sign of long ageing rather than a fault.
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Tags: cheese, parmesan, ageing
The crunch in aged Parmesan is crystallised amino acids: the short answers
- Where does this come from, and can I check it?
- Long ageing frees tyrosine and calcium lactate into tiny crystals. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
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