Difference Between Feta Cheese and Goat Cheese

Table of Contents

Main Difference

The main difference between Feta Cheese and Goat Cheese is that Feta Cheese is prepared with a mixture of milk from goat and sheep while Goat Cheese is prepared with goat’s milk.

Feta Cheese vs. Goat Cheese

Goat and sheep’s milk are assembled to form feta cheese. The goat cheese is an assembly of goat’s milk. Feta contains more percentage of sheep’s milk, while goat cheese contains more portion of goat’s milk. Feta originated in Greece, but goat cheese has its origin in France. The solid content of feta is greater than that of goat cheese. Feta has a firm texture. The goat cheese has a soft texture. The flavor of feta is sharp or even bitter and goat cheese has a sweet taste. The color of both kinds of cheese is milky, but goat cheese becomes darker as its ages. As the storage time increases, feta flavor goes bad on the flip side; goat cheese becomes chalky. Feta cheese provides fewer calories. The goat cheese provides more calories in the same quantity. Feta contributes protein and fat in a greater amount than that of goat cheese. However, feta provides less saturated fat, and goat cheese contains more saturated fat.

Comparison Chart

Feta Cheese	Goat Cheese
A dairy product made with a mixture of sheep and goat’s milk is called feta cheese.	A dairy product made with goat’s milk is called goat cheese.
Origin
In Greece, in the 17th century	In France, in the 18th century
Composition
30% Goat milk and70% sheep milk	100% goat milk
Taste and Texture
Salty to bitter in taste, chunky in texture	Sweet to salty in taste, delicate in texture
Color
White	White to darker
Aging
Three months	No need to age
Energy
264cal/100g	364cal/100g

What is Feta Cheese?

Greece’s favorite cheese is thought to originate from “Homer’s Odysseys. “In Greece mythology cyclops’ Polyphemus was the first one who prepared feta cheese and known as feta’s ancestor. Evidence of feta cheese brought in Byzantine time, named as “prosphatos (meaning recent or fresh). From the era of 17th to 20th century, feta became the major part of the diet of Greeks. The word “feta” is Greek, meaning “slice” or “morsel.” The word represents the process of its slicing to be stored in the container, latter on serves as slices for eating. According to relevant EU, only those cheese produced by the conventional method in specific areas of its motherland (Greece) processed from sheep’s milk or a mixture of sheep’s and 30% of goat’s milk from the referred area is called feta. For its synthesis, pasteurized milk is used. Curds are formed and stored in special bags. Salt is added and stored in the container. Feta is delicate to the firm in texture. Ripening/maturation process takes three months. This process enhances the flavor of the cheese. Flavor and texture vary according to storage duration for aging. Its moisture content is 56%, fat content is 43%, the pH range is 4.4-4.6. Feta cheese contains “healthy bacteria,” used in the synthesis of antibiotics, that kills listeria (food poisoning bacteria). It is a raw material for probiotics (live microorganisms which boost gut health). It supplies both macro and micronutrients, which promote human health.

Types

Greek Feta
Bulgarian Feta
French Feta

What is Goat Cheese?

France is the first production house of goat cheese. Evidence mention that nomadic hunters were the first ones who made goat cheese. If we go back from 6000 to 2000 BCE, goat cheese synthesis verifies from some areas of Egypt and Switzerland. The innovation of pasteurization technique was like a shower to the barren land. The cheese-making processes became easy. However, in the 20th century, the goat cheese was promoted by French. Currently, it prepares everywhere in the world. Goat cheese as the name depicts, it is a product of goat’s milk. It is named “chevre” in French. There are many controversies about its taste. It is sweet. Sometimes it is saltier than feta. Its taste resembles ice-cream cheese. Its texture and flavor vary with the type of cheese and duration of its storage, the more duration of storage, the more flavor of the cheese. Moisture content, sodium content, pH and fat content change with texture, according to 1991 research article in ELSEVIER science publishers B.V., Amsterdam. The manufacturing process is the same as feta, except goat cheese does not require aging. Goat milk provides carbohydrates, fats, i.e., cholesterol, conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), medium-chain fatty acids, etc. protein, B vitamins, and minerals. Calcium is beneficial for bone resorption. CLA has antioxidant, anti-cancerous, and anti-diabetic properties according to 2017 article in comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety.

Types

Soft unripened
Soft ripened
Firm unripened
Hard ripened

Nutritional Information (Source*USDA)

100g of feta cheese provides 14g protein, 21 g fat, 4g carbohydrates, 89mg cholesterol, 1116mg sodium, 62 mg potassium, 493mg calcium.
100g of goat cheese offers 20g protein, 30g fat, 3g carbohydrates, 79mg cholesterol, 515mg sodium, 158mg potassium, 298mg calcium.

Key Differences

Feta cheese is produced from a blend of sheep and goat’s milk, whereas goat cheese makes with goat’s milk.

Feta finds its origin in Greece on the flip side; goat cheese finds its origin in France.

Feta contains milk from sheep and goat in ratio 70:30, while goat cheese contains 100% goat milk.

Feta cheese is saltier; on the other hand, goat cheese has ice-cream cheese taste.

Feta cheese is soft to in texture conversely goat cheese is delicate in texture.

Feta is white, whereas goat cheese is white to darker.

Feta cheese needs three months for ripening while; goat cheese does not need to mature.

Conclusion

Feta cheese is manufactured by blending sheep, and goat’s milk (70:30) and goat cheese is produced solely from goat’s milk.

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