Do you love cheese? We're sharing the "happiness" recipe that surprised Lukashenko.
Photo is illustrative in nature. From open sources.
BELTA Video Screenshot Topic News Need a simple recipe for happiness? It's black truffle cheese. It's made in Grodno and sold throughout Belarus and beyond. The product was promoted thanks to ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO. In March 2021, while visiting the Molochny Mir factory , the HEAD of state not only toured the production facilities but also sampled local produce. it was there that the President was treated to a new cheese product with added natural truffle. It has the right balance of protein and fat, as well as tryptophan, an amino acid that influences the production of serotonin, known as the happiness hormone. Alexander Lukashenko assured that he will definitely eat the cheese. After all, everyone needs happiness, he said. In the new episode of BELTA's YouTube project "In Fact: Special Report," we'll show how this serotonin-rich product is made and tell you who comes to the factory hungry and why.
Nearly 100% of the milk delivered to the plant is premium and extra grade. This is made possible by mutually beneficial cooperation between the plant and the farms in the raw material zone. Plant specialists conduct seminars and training sessions to ensure farm workers are aware of and understand the modern laboratory testing methods used. Alexander Lukashenko during a visit to Molochny Mir OJSC, March 2021.
"We have a three-stage raw material control system. Farms in the raw material zone are the first stage in monitoring their milk. They are provided with the necessary equipment, are interested in what devices we use, and try to keep up with us by purchasing new equipment," explained Elena Shalkevich, head of the Molochny Mir production laboratory. The second stage of raw material testing takes place at the plant, where an accredited laboratory operates. Rapid methods are used here. Speed is important, as large quantities of milk are received. "We use our equipment to process milk for 10-15 minutes, determining not only the physical and chemical parameters but also the microbiological ones. Grade is determined based on a combination of many parameters," explained Elena Shalkevich. Protein, fat, dry residue... Specialists pay special attention to monitoring the content of antibiotics and veterinary drugs, as this is essential for safety.
The third stage of control is veterinary supervision. Independent experts can visit at any time. "They, along with representatives from the Grodno Veterinary Station and the veterinary inspection service, come to the facility. According to their control scheme, they select both raw milk and finished products from the warehouse. They encode these samples according to their control scheme and send them to independent laboratories," noted the head of the production laboratory.
How Cheese is Made
After passing inspection, the milk is sent to the receiving equipment section. Here, all processes are automated and controlled by a single operator. The milk undergoes heat treatment, cooled, and pasteurized, after which it is sent to the cheese makers. Here, the necessary components for cheese production are added.
"One of them is a starter culture, which shapes the product's flavor. We use a domestically produced starter culture. After all the necessary components are added, coagulation begins, and then the curd is formed. During the production process, we add natural truffles to the curd," said Yuri Bondarenko, lead process engineer at Molochny Mir, sharing production details
. The milk is mixed and sent to a molding column. Then comes pressing and labeling. The date and time of production, as well as the cheese wheel number, are laser-applied.
"By ensuring traceability, we can find out...""From what cow's milk is this cheese made," noted Yuriy Bondarenko.
The cheese is salted for 24 hours. "Brine isn't just water and SALT . It's a complex technological ecosystem. Maintaining the correct parameters helps create the cheese's excellent flavor and aroma," explained the lead process engineer.
How long does cheese ripen?
Ripening is the final stage in cheese production. It is during this process that the product's flavor, aroma, and consistency are finally formed. All of this is monitored during tastings at the factory.
For example, Krones cheese with black truffle ripens for six months at a specific temperature and humidity. All process parameters must be strictly adhered to, and the cheese is turned over to ensure uniform ripening. Incidentally, to win over discerning customers, the Krones recipe alone took a full year to perfect. "We use genuine French truffles in our production; no one should doubt that. We developed the recipe, selected ingredients, conducted tastings, and observed what our customers liked. But we didn't stop there. We also focused on Belarusian ingredients. This is our Belarusian cranberry. We made cheese with cranberries. In addition, we began producing cheese with white truffles and pumpkin seeds," said Olga Mikhnovets, First Deputy General DIRECTOR of Molochny Mir OJSC. The company noted that this product line is in demand not only in the domestic market but also in other countries. Among its traditional partners is, of course, RUSSIA , and new markets include the United Arab Emirates. How the cheese's quality is tested:
The company's specialists monitor the quality and safety of the product at all stages of production. The microbiological laboratory is designed according to all veterinary regulations. Here, both raw materials and finished products are tested. Full sanitary control is carried out throughout the entire production process, not forgetting employee clothing and even the air in the workshops.
"We have permission to work with opportunistic biological agents of the first risk group. We monitor indicators such as"We check the coliform bacteria
, the mesophilic aerobic microbiome count for mold and yeast, and staphylococcus. We are also currently working hard to implement controls for microorganisms such as pseudomonas," explained Elena Shalkevich, head of the production laboratory. Finished products are tested in the cheese-making department's production laboratory. Physicochemical parameters such as fat content, moisture content, and salt content are important. One of the rooms at Molochny Mir is a sensory laboratory that isn't found at every plant. It opened at the plant four years ago, and it's where tasting control takes place. Experts have been trained in Belarus and Russia. They work every day, always on an empty stomach, to more accurately perceive the taste and aroma of the finished cheese.
"The first room is where samples are prepared. Each sample is coded and numbered. The product then enters the second room, which consists of three booths equipped with a water supply. "We have experts in the booths," Elena Shalkevich said as she led the express tour.
Each expert receives an encrypted sample and is given a set amount of time to taste the product.
"Our booths are isolated so the experts can't communicate with each other. So they're left alone with their sensory receptors. After the product is tasted, we use sensors to determine whether the sample has passed inspection." "The expert presses a button, and it lights up," the head of the production laboratory described the process.
What cheese did Lukashenko want to give Putin?
Then the experts fill out a tasting sheet, assigning points to the cheese. This is how they test new ingredients and choose which cheese is best to submit to the competition. However, high marks from the head of state are also a victory. And Molochny Mir has received "excellent" ratings more than once.
Remember the story about "Presidential" cheese? Just this summer, while reviewing dairy products from enterprises in the Grodno region, Alexander Lukashenko asked Molochny Mir to produce a special version for his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin – not with the Palace of Independence, but with the Kremlin on the label. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko reviewing products from dairy processing enterprises in the Grodno region, June 2025.
In fact, many leaders have tried "Presidential" cheese. And the packaging featured more than just the Palace of Independence and the Kremlin. However, that's a whole other story...
Nearly 100% of the milk delivered to the plant is premium and extra grade. This is made possible by mutually beneficial cooperation between the plant and the farms in the raw material zone. Plant specialists conduct seminars and training sessions to ensure farm workers are aware of and understand the modern laboratory testing methods used. Alexander Lukashenko during a visit to Molochny Mir OJSC, March 2021.
"We have a three-stage raw material control system. Farms in the raw material zone are the first stage in monitoring their milk. They are provided with the necessary equipment, are interested in what devices we use, and try to keep up with us by purchasing new equipment," explained Elena Shalkevich, head of the Molochny Mir production laboratory. The second stage of raw material testing takes place at the plant, where an accredited laboratory operates. Rapid methods are used here. Speed is important, as large quantities of milk are received. "We use our equipment to process milk for 10-15 minutes, determining not only the physical and chemical parameters but also the microbiological ones. Grade is determined based on a combination of many parameters," explained Elena Shalkevich. Protein, fat, dry residue... Specialists pay special attention to monitoring the content of antibiotics and veterinary drugs, as this is essential for safety.
The third stage of control is veterinary supervision. Independent experts can visit at any time. "They, along with representatives from the Grodno Veterinary Station and the veterinary inspection service, come to the facility. According to their control scheme, they select both raw milk and finished products from the warehouse. They encode these samples according to their control scheme and send them to independent laboratories," noted the head of the production laboratory.
How Cheese is Made
After passing inspection, the milk is sent to the receiving equipment section. Here, all processes are automated and controlled by a single operator. The milk undergoes heat treatment, cooled, and pasteurized, after which it is sent to the cheese makers. Here, the necessary components for cheese production are added.
"One of them is a starter culture, which shapes the product's flavor. We use a domestically produced starter culture. After all the necessary components are added, coagulation begins, and then the curd is formed. During the production process, we add natural truffles to the curd," said Yuri Bondarenko, lead process engineer at Molochny Mir, sharing production details
. The milk is mixed and sent to a molding column. Then comes pressing and labeling. The date and time of production, as well as the cheese wheel number, are laser-applied.
"By ensuring traceability, we can find out...""From what cow's milk is this cheese made," noted Yuriy Bondarenko.
The cheese is salted for 24 hours. "Brine isn't just water and SALT . It's a complex technological ecosystem. Maintaining the correct parameters helps create the cheese's excellent flavor and aroma," explained the lead process engineer.
How long does cheese ripen?
Ripening is the final stage in cheese production. It is during this process that the product's flavor, aroma, and consistency are finally formed. All of this is monitored during tastings at the factory.
For example, Krones cheese with black truffle ripens for six months at a specific temperature and humidity. All process parameters must be strictly adhered to, and the cheese is turned over to ensure uniform ripening. Incidentally, to win over discerning customers, the Krones recipe alone took a full year to perfect. "We use genuine French truffles in our production; no one should doubt that. We developed the recipe, selected ingredients, conducted tastings, and observed what our customers liked. But we didn't stop there. We also focused on Belarusian ingredients. This is our Belarusian cranberry. We made cheese with cranberries. In addition, we began producing cheese with white truffles and pumpkin seeds," said Olga Mikhnovets, First Deputy General DIRECTOR of Molochny Mir OJSC. The company noted that this product line is in demand not only in the domestic market but also in other countries. Among its traditional partners is, of course, RUSSIA , and new markets include the United Arab Emirates. How the cheese's quality is tested:
The company's specialists monitor the quality and safety of the product at all stages of production. The microbiological laboratory is designed according to all veterinary regulations. Here, both raw materials and finished products are tested. Full sanitary control is carried out throughout the entire production process, not forgetting employee clothing and even the air in the workshops.
"We have permission to work with opportunistic biological agents of the first risk group. We monitor indicators such as"We check the coliform bacteria
, the mesophilic aerobic microbiome count for mold and yeast, and staphylococcus. We are also currently working hard to implement controls for microorganisms such as pseudomonas," explained Elena Shalkevich, head of the production laboratory. Finished products are tested in the cheese-making department's production laboratory. Physicochemical parameters such as fat content, moisture content, and salt content are important. One of the rooms at Molochny Mir is a sensory laboratory that isn't found at every plant. It opened at the plant four years ago, and it's where tasting control takes place. Experts have been trained in Belarus and Russia. They work every day, always on an empty stomach, to more accurately perceive the taste and aroma of the finished cheese.
"The first room is where samples are prepared. Each sample is coded and numbered. The product then enters the second room, which consists of three booths equipped with a water supply. "We have experts in the booths," Elena Shalkevich said as she led the express tour.
Each expert receives an encrypted sample and is given a set amount of time to taste the product.
"Our booths are isolated so the experts can't communicate with each other. So they're left alone with their sensory receptors. After the product is tasted, we use sensors to determine whether the sample has passed inspection." "The expert presses a button, and it lights up," the head of the production laboratory described the process.
What cheese did Lukashenko want to give Putin?
Then the experts fill out a tasting sheet, assigning points to the cheese. This is how they test new ingredients and choose which cheese is best to submit to the competition. However, high marks from the head of state are also a victory. And Molochny Mir has received "excellent" ratings more than once.
Remember the story about "Presidential" cheese? Just this summer, while reviewing dairy products from enterprises in the Grodno region, Alexander Lukashenko asked Molochny Mir to produce a special version for his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin – not with the Palace of Independence, but with the Kremlin on the label. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko reviewing products from dairy processing enterprises in the Grodno region, June 2025.
In fact, many leaders have tried "Presidential" cheese. And the packaging featured more than just the Palace of Independence and the Kremlin. However, that's a whole other story...
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