C20 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



bacteria do not usually develop in the presence of vigorous lactic 

 acid fermentation. The milk is well ripened before adding rennet 

 and the temperature used in heating the curd is raised somewhat 

 more rapidly and two to six degrees higher than usual. The curd 

 is kept warm after removing whey and the escape of gas is favored 

 by frequent turning and re-piling of the curd, thus closing the 

 pin holes. The gas-forming fermentations often produce offensive- 

 smelling gases. When these are present in curd, they may be 

 washed out by drenching the curd with hot water. Wheo a float- 

 ing or spongy curd is not properly treated, the resulting cheese is 

 defective in texture and flavor, and even when these defects are 

 prevented, there is extra loss of fat and of cheese yield. Prevention 

 by cleanliness is the best method of treatment. 



(2.) Over-ripe Milk. — In some cases, especially in hot weather, 

 the milk may have developed too much lactic acid and be on the 

 verge of souring when brought to the factory. When there is so 

 much lactic acid at the start, the changes in the curd take place 

 much more rapidly than usual, or, as the cheese-maker says, the 

 curd "works fast." Under these conditions, the whey does not 

 escape from the curd rapidly enough, that is, the curd has not 

 shrunken enough when it comes time to remove the whey. Under 

 these conditions, the curd is constaiitly and thoroughly stirred after 

 the whey is removed and the whey is thus well worked out before 

 the cheddaring begins. When it is known at the beginning that the 

 milk is over-ripe, the milk should not be heated to the usual tem- 

 perature before adding rennet, and a larger amount of rennet is 

 used. After cutting, the curd is stirred uotil the whey is well 

 separated before applying additional heat. 



60. Sizes of Cheese. 



The sizes in which cheeses are made depend upon the special 

 market in which one's product is sold. The most common size is 

 15 inches in diameter and weighs from 60 to 65 pounds. Cheeses 

 of the same diameter and one-half the weight are known as "flats." 

 Other sizes are 13 and 11 inches in diameter. Cheeses 7 inches in 

 diameter are known as Young Americas, usually weighing 8 to 10 

 pounds. 



