Scientific research is often confusing, with how conclusions are reached often sounding quite strange. However, despite some rather odd scientific experiments over the years, some end up producing quite comical – and impressive – results. For example, one recent study looked to find out what could help make cheese and dairy products age better.
As we all know, dairy products can age quite dramatically and go ‘off’ at surprisingly fast rates. However, this particular study looked to find out if the use of music could help to improve the aging factor of cheese. As odd as that might sound, the results are quite illuminating.
The study used a series of different song genres and played them to the cheese for 24 hours, doing this consecutively for six months. The test subjects were nine different wheels of Emmental cheese. Sound systems were played into each crate, with music as varied as music from Led Zeppelin to tunes from the likes of A Tribe Called Quest – even Mozart was used for one of the five wheels of cheese sampled. Three of the remaining four cheese wheels were given high, medium, and low soundwave frequencies. The remaining cheese wheel was simply left on its lonesome.
The experiment, carried out at the University of the Arts in Berthoud, Switzerland, was quite interesting to read about. The results, though, are even stranger!
How did the cheese age?
When the experiment came to an end in March 2019, the cheese was looked at and tasted by various people. The tastiest cheese? The wheel which was listening to the hip hop track “Jazz (We’ve Got)” appeared to show the highest quality of taste and maturity. Most found that it was significantly different in taste and texture from the other cheese wheels.
Indeed, the study found that the cheese was directly impacted by the music that it had been listening to. Food scientists are now keen to try out similar ideas and approaches to other forms of food. Who knows? We might end up finding ourselves watching musical orchestras designed with the intent of maturing cheese!
Either way, as odd as the results might sound, this is a highly intriguing and engaging experiment that has garnered some interesting ideas. The only question that remains now, then, is how? How does this actually happen?
We might find out one day – right now, though, it appears that cheese and hip hop are surprisingly suitable bedfellows!