[brytlea]

I wonder if that’s why some people with lactose intolerance can eat cheese? Is some of the bacteria reintroduced?

[allmendream]

In Cheese the majority of the lactose is digested by during the cheese (or yogurt) making process.

Most lactose intolerant populations still do make and eat cheese (and/or yogurt).

Almost all mammals shut down lactase inducibility sometime after they are weened - but Northern Europeans and some African cattle herding populations have mutations in the regulatory DNA sequence that would accomplish this - so they continue to express lactase (when lactose is present) throughout life.

[PiperShade]

That’s a large part of it. Part of the process is the re-introduction of bacteria that “digest” the milk fats/solids before you eat it.

Some cheeses also have certain molds introduced. Brie, bleu, etc. >PS