It’s a question as old as time itself: how do you make that perfect gooey grilled cheese toastie?
Dissecting our favourite yellow foodstuff from vat to shelf, this video from science bods Reactions shows what effect even the smallest elements can have on the future toastie it finds itself melted into.
In short it’s all about the PH levels. The more lactose converted to lactic acid during production, the lower the PH level, and the lower the PH level, the more it will allow moisture in the cheese, making everything flow together as one big gooey mess.
Meaning that anyone looking for the perfect toastie will need cheese with a PH between 5.3 and 5.5, a bracket which includes Manchego, Gruyere and Gouda. As for those faced with a much less exotic selection when the only shop open is that 24hr mini-market at the end of the road, the experts suggest you opt for mild cheddar.
You could even say it puts the 'PH' into Philly cheese steak...