Community

Customer-first company

Notices Dairyzen News Cheese Stories

Cheese Stories

Useful and fun cheese stories

  • The History and Origins of Cheese
  • 2025-03-11

Origins of Cheese

The most widely accepted theory suggests that cheese was discovered by Central Asian nomads who transported milk in pouches made from animal hides. Since these pouches were made from the stomach lining, they contained rennet, an enzyme that likely caused the milk to coagulate, leading to the first form of cheese.


History of Cheese

Cheese-making is estimated to date back to around 6000 BCE. However, the foundation of modern cheese-making techniques was established during the Roman era.

As the Roman Empire expanded, cheese spread throughout Europe, bringing cheese-making expertise to the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Adriatic regions.

During the Middle Ages, cheese-making techniques were preserved by monks. While cheese consumption declined during the Renaissance, it surged again in the 19th century. At this time, small-scale farm production transitioned into large-scale industrial production. The advancement of milk pasteurization further contributed to mass cheese production.


Cheese in Korea

Cheese is believed to have been introduced to Korea around 200 years ago along with Western influences.

The first recorded cheese production in Korea was in 1966, when Belgian missionary Father Ji Jeong-hwan began making cheese in Imsil, Jeollabuk-do.

Today, various dairy companies and farms produce a wide range of cheeses, with both production and consumption steadily increasing.


007.jpg