Helen Czerski

My column about the physics (rheology, really) of cheese, why it's so hard to slice and why cheese wire might actually be useful is now online here (paywall): https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-its-so-hard-to-slice-cheese-9c854653

Main lesson: the overwhelming majority of cheese science is entirely driven by the question of how cheese melts, for the specific purpose of improving pizza. The literature itself admits this I hope pizza aficionados everywhere appreciate what Science is doing for them! #cheese #physics #CheeseWire

Why It’s So Hard to Slice Cheese

The more pressure a knife puts on a block of cheese, the more its unique molecular structure pushes back

The Wall Street Journal
Feb 26, 2023 at 9:28amWeb
Show threadDr Susi ArnottFeb 26, 2023
@helenczerski The robot read-aloud gives a casual visitor more than the visual sample but only goes so far... how many will subscribe just for this tantalising article? #cheese #materialscience
Show threadHelen CzerskiFeb 26, 2023
@SusiArnott I used not to put anything I wrote on social media if it was behind a paywall for exactly that reason, and then I was persuaded that I could at least alert the people who did have the appropriate subscription. I'll edit the post to make it clear that there's a paywall. Sorry.....
Show threadSellaTheChemistFeb 26, 2023
@helenczerski @SusiArnott The food industry's idea of "improving" food is typically something of an oxymoron. What they want is something that can be made more consistent and cheaper to make and assemble. Improving on buffalo (or a good cow's) mozzarella is the figment of someone's imagination. #snort
Show threadHelen CzerskiFeb 26, 2023
@sellathechemist @SusiArnott Haha, almost certainly. But wot about the vegans who still want something cheese-like? #WontSomeoneConsiderTheVegans
Show threadDavid Colquhoun on BlueskyFeb 26, 2023
@helenczerski @sellathechemist @SusiArnott
I did try a vegan pizza. I've rarely tasted anything quite as ghastly as the vegan "cheese". There's a lot of work to do before that becomes edible 😭
Show threadMartin WhitworthFeb 26, 2023
@SusiArnott @helenczerski @sellathechemist Consistent and cheap is part of it, but quality matters too or they’d lose sales. Safety and sustainability matter too. I work with clients for who care about these. See what they say about their needs https://www.campdenbri.co.uk/research/industry-needs/industry-needs.php
Industry needs - Campden BRI

Show threadShriram KrishnamurthiMar 5, 2023
@helenczerski @SusiArnott Also, it's useful to people who already have a subscription but might have missed the article. Advertising it with a paywall annotation seems to be a great compromise.
Show threadberndandewegFeb 26, 2023
@helenczerski to explain viscosity and temperature dependence of the mantle, I use this study on different types of honey... Analogs are always useful.
Show threadMartin WhitworthFeb 26, 2023
@helenczerski As a food physicist and fellow former member of PCS fracture group, I’m fascinated, but frustratingly don’t have access. Explains why you posted the map of cheese recently, which was unremarkable for me and typical of papers I read. Have promoted your article on the bird site via @physicsoffood
Show threadjohnweymanFeb 26, 2023
@helenczerski
Show threadShriram KrishnamurthiMar 5, 2023
@helenczerski In addition to the science, this is beautiful writing. (I don't know how long it took to come up with that opening paragraph, but it was worth it.)