Why Does Swiss Cheese Have Holes?

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Swiss cheese is made by adding cultures of the bacteria S. thermophilus, Lactobacillus and P. shermani to warm (and, in the case of Swiss Emmentaler, unpasteurized) milk. These bacteria form curds in the milk, which are then pressed into wheel-shaped molds and soaked in a brine bath. The brine forms a thick rind around the cheese and the wheels are placed in ripening caves to mature.