I Just Found Out Why Halloumi Squeaks, And It's Surprisingly Chemical

<div><img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/673484ac1e00003400bcdab1.jpeg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="" data-caption="" data-credit-link-back="" data-credit="via Associated Press" /></div><div class="content-list-component text"><p>Mozzarella melts, feta crumbles and Parmesan puffs up in salty clouds when grated. </p><p>But so far as I know, only one common <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/cheese/">cheese</a> ― halloumi ― squeaks. </p><p>I’d always thought the high-pitched sound I hear when biting into the Cypriot classic was down to its slightly rubbery texture.</p><p>Then again, the noise doesn’t sound when I’m chowing down on similarly bouncy foods like tofu or even string cheese and Edam (although it does happen when I eat green beans).</p><p>So what’s going on, and why isn’t it consistent across the springy cheese multiverse?</p><h3><strong>It’s to do with how proteins in the cheese are maintained</strong></h3><p><a href="https://www.newscientist.com/lastword/mg24833113-900-why-does-halloumi-but-not-other-cheese-squeak-against-your-teeth/#:~:text=This%20is%20because%2C%20unlike%20many,make%20the%20casein%20more%20fragile." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According to New Scientist</a>, it has to do with how the protein casein interacts with the enamel of your teeth. </p><p>Unlike other cheeses, halloumi isn’t made with any starter cultures. </p><p>That gives it a high pH, which helps to keep a protein called casein, which is present in cheese, more intact than usual. </p><p>So while some Edam might feel as rubbery as halloumi, its casein proteins aren’t as dense and bouncy, thanks to its lower pH levels. That means it creates less friction.</p><p&