258 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



RELATION OF TEMPERATURE TO SHRINKAGE. 



■ To determine the shrinkage of paratRned cheese at different curing tempera- 

 tures several, seven pound, Young Americas were cured at 60° and duplicates at 

 38°. After twenty days the former had shrunk .14 of a pound each and the latter 

 .1 of a pound. In another trial comparison was made between treated and un- 

 treated cheese with results reported in the next table which gives the shrinkage 

 after 18 days: 



Temperature. . 



Initial weight 

 Pinal -weight ., 



Shrinkage. . . . 



Paraffined. 



65° F. 



7.50 lbs. 

 7.37 lbs. 



0.13 lbs. 



38° F. 



7.22 lbs. 

 7.22 lbs. 



0.00 lbs. 



Unparaffined. 



65° F. 



7.19 lbs. 

 6.87 lbs. 



0.32 lbs. 



38° F. 



7.35 lbs. 

 7.30 lbs. 



0.05 lbs. 



Coating the cheese with paraffin proves an almost complete preventive of mold 

 in curing and storing. Of duplicates, one paraffined and the other not, the 

 latter, after a few days in the curing room, would gradually be covered with mold 

 while the former remained apparently as clean as when first made. 



As to the age of cheese at which the paraffin should be applied there seems a 

 well defined difference between the firm sorts and the soft, quick-curing average 

 Michigan cheese. With the former very satisfactory results were obtained by 

 applying the paraffin soon after taking from the press. With the softer sorts 

 it was more satisfactory to defer the application for several hours or until the 

 surface was entirely dry. 



- Paraffined and unparaffined cheese were examined from time to time and, while 

 in general there M-as little difference to be noted in quality, still there were cases 

 in which the treated lots were superior in both flavor and texture. This was more 

 frequently noted in the firmer kinds. 



Taking all these matters into consideration it is safe to recommend the prac- 

 tice of paraffining cheese to Michigan factories, especially to such of them as strive 

 to make a quick curing cheese. It will hasten the ripening by retaining moisture; 

 will make the ripening more uniform and will save waste in the rind and in 

 shrinkage. It will save fully $175.00 per year in a factory turning out 400 pounds 

 of cheese per day. 



