Making raw-milk products involves much more than simply not heating the milk. Raw milk contains a highly diverse microbiome. In order to ensure food safety and enjoyment, holistic production systems that encompass the entire value chain from pasture to plate are essential. In this way, the desirable bacteria are able to develop their full effect and the undesirable bacteria die off. The decades-long – sometimes even centuries-long – experience that has been collected, nurtured and passed on is of inestimable value.
At the Centre of Excellence for Raw-Milk Products, Hans-Peter Bachmann, a project leader at Agroscope, attempts to document, understand and scientifically classify this experience. His parents run a village cheese dairy, so the topic is one that has been with him and fascinated him his whole life. After studying Food Sciences, he wrote a dissertation on the food safety of raw-milk cheeses.
His sense of curiosity and 30 years’ experience in cheese research will lead him on a journey of discovery throughout Switzerland. Every two months or so he will visit experts who either manufacture raw-milk products themselves or who otherwise champion them. His travel reports will aim to document things that particularly take his fancy, and the new knowledge he gleans along the way.
Our seventh journey takes us to the Erlebnishof Agrovision Burgrain AG educational farm in Alberswil in the canton of Lucerne, where visitors can experience the entire value chain for organic foods at close hand. Promoting rural and artisan occupations is an important part of the ethos here.
Our sixth journey takes us to the See-Gaster district in the canton of St. Gallen to the experiential dairy in Goldingen, where Alois (‘Wisi’) Pfister proves daily that sustainability and superb dairy and meat products are by no means mutually exclusive.
Our fifth voyage of discovery leads us to St-Imier in the Bernese Jura, where Agnès Spielhofer-Beroud’s infectious enthusiasm, strong conviction and impressive skill are carving out a promising future for her father Michel’s cheesemaking tradition.
Our fourth journey takes us to Girenbad in the Zurich Oberland, to the cheese dairy of Christa Egli, who cossets her customers and stuns the experts with her creations.
Our third trip takes us to Les Bioux in the Vallée de Joux, to the Poncet family’s alpine cheese dairy La Duchatte. Here, they demonstrate that is also possible to make outstanding soft cheeses from raw milk.
Our second trip takes us Oberegg, to Hans and Johannes Eberle’s cheese dairy. Their respect for tradition and passion for innovation is truly inspiring.
Den Mehrwert von Rohmilchprodukten optimieren und sicherstellen, dass mit ihrem Verzehr kein erhöhtes Risiko verbunden ist: Das sind die Ziele dieser Versuchsstation.
