There are some considerations about making pasteurized vs raw milk cheese, culture starters, and rennets.
1. Store bought pasteurized milk may be different from home pasteurized milk. The pasteurized milk in the store may be pasteurized under much higher temperatures, or under pressure, which may materially alter the milk (de-nature proteins, fats, etc).
2. plant based rennets may not work as well as animal based rennets for long-ripened cheeses. Several authors state that they can impart a bitter flavour over time.
3. using kefir or clabbered milk as starter cultures will provide a much wider range of beneficial bacteria to the cheese (as long as the cheese remains raw) compared to commercial starter cultures that provide 1 - 4 strains.
4. long-ripened, raw cheeses are to be aged over 60 days to be deemed safe for human consumption. (If ripening in a fridge that is cooler than a cheese cave, I extend that timeline even longer). However, the youtuber 123homefree eats his raw, ripened cheeses at various stages, and does not adhere to the 60 day rule. He's a brave, experimenting soul.
5. raw, soft cheeses are delightful
6. yes, hygiene is everything with raw milk, and the health of the animal!!!
