Bacteria in the production of cheese?

I am writting an essay on the role that bacteria has in the production of cheese. I have the body on the essay, but what points could I add in the intro and conclusion? Is bacteria essential in making cheese? And could anybody help me form a thesis statement?

Bacteria in the production of cheese?
Cheese can be made without bacteria; the basic requirement is to add something into milk that causes the suspended proteins to aggregate into clumps. These clumps are called 'curds.' The leftover liquid is called 'whey,' and it tastes nasty and I do not believe that Little Miss Muffit ever sat on a tuffet and ate whey . . .





I have made curds by adding the enzyme rennin, which was traditionally extracted from the stomachs of goats but is now commercially synthesized. The flower of a certain thistle plant will also work, as will acidifying the milk using vinegar or lemon juice or some such. None of these processes require bacteria.





Milk can also be suitably curdled by the simple expedient of leaving it in the fridge for a long time and letting the natural bacteria grow and produce lactic acid, which causes the curds to form.





Where bacteria come more into play is in the aging process. Aging is simply allowing certain bacteria and/or fungi grow over time. This is what makes the differences in flavor between a colby (young) cheese and a sharp cheddar (aged) cheese. Different bacteria and fungi produce different flavors. A good example would be the bleu cheese or English stilton. Some of the more famous ones are aged only in one particular cavern somewhere simply because that is the place where their particular species of bacteria or fungus happens to hang out.

camellia