Emmental — commonly sold in Australia simply as 'Swiss cheese' — is a firm, pale yellow cow's milk cheese from the Emme Valley of Switzerland, instantly recognisable by its characteristic large, smooth-edged holes, formed by carbon dioxide bubbles released during a specific bacterial fermentation stage unique to this cheese style. With a mild, slightly nutty and faintly sweet flavour, Emmental is one of the world's most widely produced and consumed hard cheeses, popular for sandwiches, melting into dishes like fondue and croque monsieur, and standalone eating. Nutritionally, it offers an excellent protein and calcium profile typical of firm aged cheeses, with virtually no carbohydrate. Adjust the slider for your serving size.
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Serving size:30g
114Calories (kcal)
0.4Carbs (g)
8.3Protein (g)
0.0Fibre (g)
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📊 Full nutrition facts — per 100g
Nutrient
Amount
% Daily value
Level
Calories
380 kcal
19%
Carbohydrates
1.3g
<1%
Protein
27.7g
55%
Total fat
28.4g
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Saturated fat
18.9g
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GI
0 — Zero
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Calcium
970mg
97%
Vitamin B12
2.1µg
88%
Phosphorus
643mg
64%
Zinc
4.6mg
38%
Vitamin A
240µg
27%
Sodium
330mg
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Based on Australian NRV. Source: FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database.
📈 Glycaemic index (GI)
0
Glycaemic IndexLow GISwiss/Emmental has a GI of approximately 0 — effectively zero. As a firm, aged cheese with virtually no residual lactose after its extended maturation and characteristic fermentation process, it has no meaningful effect on blood glucose.
0 · Low (<55)Medium (56–69)High (70+) · 100
💊 Key vitamins & minerals
Calcium
970mg/100g
97% RDI per 100g — near-total
Vitamin B12
2.1µg
88% RDI per 100g
Protein
27.7g/100g
8.3g per 30g serve
Phosphorus
643mg
64% RDI per 100g
Zinc
4.6mg
38% RDI per 100g
GI
0 — Zero
No carbohydrate impact
✅ Health benefits
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Exceptionally high calcium — 970mg per 100g, close to the entire daily requirement
Emmental's calcium content is among the very highest of any commonly eaten cheese — a 30g serve provides approximately 291mg, close to 30% of the daily requirement from a single sandwich portion. This makes it one of the most calcium-efficient cheese choices available.
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Very high vitamin B12 — 88% of daily needs per 100g
Emmental provides 2.1µg of B12 per 100g, among the highest concentrations of any cheese in this guide, delivering close to the full daily requirement. A 30g serve alone provides over a quarter of daily B12 needs — a genuinely significant contribution from a modest portion.
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Exceptional protein density — 27.7g per 100g
Emmental's protein content rivals or exceeds Gouda and Manchego, providing all essential amino acids in a highly bioavailable form. A 30g serve delivers over 8g of complete protein — a substantial contribution from a typical sandwich or snack portion.
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Zero glycaemic impact with strong overall nutrient density
With only 1.3g of carbohydrate per 100g and an effective GI of zero, Emmental combines excellent protein, calcium and B12 density with no meaningful blood glucose impact, making it a nutritionally efficient choice across a wide range of dietary approaches including low-carbohydrate and ketogenic eating.
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⚠️ Who should limit or avoid
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Significant saturated fat — 18.9g per 100g
A 30g serve of Emmental provides approximately 5.7g of saturated fat, over a quarter of the daily recommended limit. As with most firm cheeses, portion-controlled consumption alongside an otherwise balanced diet is the sensible approach for people managing cardiovascular risk factors.
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Calorie-dense — worth accounting for in generous sandwich or snacking portions
At 380 kcal per 100g, Emmental is calorie-dense, and because it's commonly used generously (thick sandwich slices, generous fondue portions), actual intake from a meal can add up more than a single 30g reference serve suggests.
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Lactose intolerance — well tolerated by most due to extensive aging
Emmental's specific fermentation process, including the propionic acid bacteria responsible for its characteristic holes, consumes virtually all residual lactose during production and aging — most people with lactose intolerance tolerate Emmental well, similar to other extensively fermented hard cheeses.
✅ For most healthy adults, Emmental (Swiss cheese) is an excellent everyday cheese choice — its calcium and B12 density are among the highest of any cheese in this guide, with zero glycaemic impact and generally good lactose tolerance. Saturated fat and calorie density in generous portions are the main considerations.
⚕️ General nutritional information only — not a substitute for professional medical or dietary advice.
🛒 How to select & buy swiss (emmental)
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Genuine Swiss Emmental vs generic 'Swiss cheese'
Genuine Swiss Emmental (often labelled Emmentaler AOP): protected designation requiring production in specific Swiss regions using traditional methods and raw milk, distinctive complex nutty flavour developed over a minimum aging period. Generic 'Swiss cheese' or 'Swiss-style' cheese: made in many countries including Australia, often milder and less complex in flavour, more affordable and widely available. Both feature the characteristic holes, though genuine Emmental typically has a more pronounced, distinctive flavour.
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Understanding the holes — a genuine quality and fermentation indicator
The large, smooth-edged holes ('eyes') characteristic of Emmental form due to carbon dioxide released by Propionibacterium freudenreichii bacteria during a specific warm fermentation stage unique to this cheese style. Well-formed, evenly distributed holes are traditionally considered a sign of a well-executed fermentation process, while irregular or absent holes can indicate a less carefully controlled production process, though this doesn't necessarily affect food safety or basic eating quality.
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Best uses — melting and slicing
Sandwiches and toasties: excellent melting properties and mild flavour that pairs well with a wide range of fillings. Fondue: traditionally a key component of Swiss cheese fondue, often blended with Gruyère. Cooking: melts smoothly into sauces, gratins and baked dishes without becoming stringy or greasy, making it a versatile all-purpose melting cheese.
🇦🇺 Australian tip: Swiss cheese (Emmental-style) is available at every major Australian supermarket, both as Australian-made product (Coles, Woolworths own-brand, and various Australian dairy processors) and imported genuine Swiss Emmentaler at specialty delicatessens, typically priced $6-14 per 250g depending on origin and authenticity. Given its mild, universally appealing flavour and excellent melting properties, Swiss cheese is a genuine everyday staple across Australian households, commonly stocked pre-sliced for sandwiches alongside block options for cooking and grating.
🧊 Storage tips & shelf life
Refrigerator (block)
4-6 weeks (wrapped properly)
Wrap in baking paper, then plastic or foil
Wrap cut Emmental first in baking paper, allowing it to breathe slightly, then in plastic wrap or foil, storing in the least cold part of the fridge, ideally a dedicated cheese drawer. Its firm, lower-moisture texture generally gives it good keeping qualities once properly wrapped.
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Freezer (grated or sliced)
Up to 6 months
Grate or slice before freezing for the most convenient use
Emmental freezes well, particularly pre-grated or sliced given its firm texture — some crumbliness may increase after thawing, making it well suited to melting and cooking applications. Portion before freezing for convenient direct use from frozen.
Emmental takes its name from the Emme Valley (Emmental) in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, where this style of cheese-making has documented origins stretching back at least to the medieval period, with some historical references to similar cheese production in the region dating as far back as the 13th century, though the specific large-hole style as we know it today developed and standardised over subsequent centuries. The characteristic large holes, or 'eyes', that define Emmental's appearance form during a specific warm fermentation stage in production, when Propionibacterium freudenreichii bacteria consume lactic acid produced earlier in the cheese-making process and release carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct — this gas becomes trapped in pockets within the dense curd, forming the smooth-edged holes as the cheese continues to mature. This specific bacterial fermentation process, requiring careful temperature control to achieve well-formed, evenly distributed holes, represents a genuinely distinctive and technically demanding aspect of traditional Emmental production compared to many other cheese styles.
Emmental became one of the most internationally recognised and widely exported Swiss cheese styles through the 19th and 20th centuries, its instantly recognisable holey appearance making it perhaps the most visually iconic cheese shape in popular culture, frequently used as a generic visual shorthand for 'cheese' in cartoons, advertising and popular media internationally. This widespread recognition drove significant global production of Emmental-style cheese well beyond Switzerland's borders, including substantial domestic production in Australia, where 'Swiss cheese' has become a standard supermarket and deli staple largely disconnected from specific Swiss origin in most Australian consumers' everyday purchasing, similar to how Gouda and cheddar function internationally as widely produced cheese styles rather than strictly geography-limited products. Genuine Swiss Emmentaler AOP remains available through specialty Australian delicatessens and better-stocked supermarkets for consumers specifically seeking the authentic Swiss product.
⚖️ Compare swiss (emmental) to similar dairy foods
Emmental's iconic holes form through a specific bacterial fermentation process that releases carbon dioxide gas trapped inside the cheese
The large, smooth-edged holes characteristic of Emmental are formed by Propionibacterium freudenreichii bacteria, which consume lactic acid produced earlier in fermentation and release carbon dioxide gas as a metabolic byproduct during a specific warm-temperature aging stage unique to this cheese style. This gas becomes trapped within pockets in the dense, elastic curd, gradually expanding to form the characteristic holes as the cheese continues to age — a process requiring careful temperature and timing control, since factors affecting bacterial activity directly influence the size, number and distribution of the resulting holes, making well-formed Emmental holes a genuine marker of skilled production.
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Emmental's holey appearance has become one of the most recognisable visual shorthand symbols for 'cheese' in global popular culture, cartoons and advertising
The distinctive large-holed silhouette of Emmental cheese has become so visually iconic that it's frequently used as a generic representation of 'cheese' in cartoons, children's media, advertising and popular culture worldwide, arguably more so than any other single cheese style's appearance — a cultural phenomenon that has, somewhat ironically, made Emmental's specific visual identity almost more internationally recognisable than genuine knowledge of its Swiss origin, production method or actual flavour profile among many casual consumers.
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Cheese-making in Switzerland's Emme Valley has documented historical roots stretching back to at least the medieval period, predating the modern nation of Switzerland itself
Historical references to cheese production in the Emme Valley region of what is now the canton of Bern date back to at least the medieval period, with some sources suggesting production traditions extending to the 13th century — considerably predating the formal establishment of modern Switzerland as a unified nation state. This deep historical continuity in the region's dairy farming and cheese-making traditions reflects the valley's long-standing suitability for dairy farming, with the specific large-hole Emmental style as internationally recognised today having developed and standardised gradually over the subsequent centuries of this long production history.
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Emmental is a traditional core component of Swiss cheese fondue, typically blended with Gruyère for a balanced flavour and melting profile
Classic Swiss cheese fondue recipes traditionally combine Emmental with Gruyère (another firm Swiss cheese with a different flavour profile) rather than using either cheese alone, leveraging Emmental's excellent smooth melting properties and mild flavour alongside Gruyère's more complex, nuttier character to create a balanced final result. This blending tradition reflects a broader pattern in Swiss cheese-making culture, where different regional cheese styles are often thoughtfully combined in traditional dishes to achieve specific textural and flavour outcomes that neither cheese alone would fully provide.
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'Swiss cheese' has become such a generic descriptive term in Australia that most consumers buying it are unaware of its specific Swiss Emmental origins
Despite Emmental's clear Swiss geographic and cultural origins, the term 'Swiss cheese' has become so genericised in everyday Australian retail and consumer usage that it functions largely as a descriptive category (referring to any pale, firm, holey cow's milk cheese) rather than a specific indicator of authentic Swiss origin or production method for most casual purchasers, similar to how terms like 'cheddar' and 'gouda' have become international style descriptors. Genuine Swiss Emmentaler AOP, with its specific production standards and origin requirements, remains available in Australia primarily through specialty delicatessens for consumers specifically seeking the authentic product rather than the widely available generic Australian-made equivalent.