Generally, nutrient changes during ripening or curing do not result in nutrient losses per se. Protein, carbohydrate, and fat are the nutrients mainly affected during ripening. The end products of alterations in these nutrients are responsible for the characteristic odor and flavor of the finished cheese. In certain varieties of cheese, the B complex vitamins may increase due to the synthesis of the vitamins, mainly on the outer layers of the cheese. However, on a moisture-corrected basis, little difference in the vitamin content may occur.
Cheese is an important source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, as indicated below.
Because of its nutrient content, cheese is considered to be a nutrient-dense food, providing a high concentration of nutrients relative to its energy content. The nutrient content of select cheeses can be found in Table 13 . For information on the nutrient content of many other cheeses, refer to USDA's Nutrient Database or the Nutrition Facts panel on product labels. Among dairy foods, cheese is the largest contributor to the amount of protein available in the food supply. Further, the proportion of protein from cheese has increased more than five-fold since the turn of the century.