1112 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



DeteriiiinationH were made of the moisture in curd at the time of dipping and 

 mining and in green and ripe cheese. "Normal curds contain about 50 per cent 

 moisture at dipping, 40 per cent at milling, 34 per cent when taken from the hoops, 

 and when ripened in cold storage at a temperature of 38 to 40° the cheese at the end 

 of 1 month will have lost very little moisture." In one series in which an excess of 

 about 2 per cent of moisture was incorporated the quality of the cheese was slightly 

 lower. 



In 15 experijiients comparisons were made of the use of 2, 3 J, and G oz. of rennet 

 per 1,000 ll)s. of milk, the cheese being ripened in one series in mechanical cold 

 storage at 40° and in another series in ice cold storage at the same temperature. 

 Tiie results showed very little difference in the loss of weight in ripening or in the 

 quality of the cheese. Where it is desirable to hasten the process of ripening it is 

 considered safe to use from 4 to 6 oz. of rennet per 1,000 lbs. of milk without danger 

 of injuring the quality of the cheese, provided the cheese is placed in cold storage 

 soon after being made. 



Cheese was ripened in either ice or mechanical cold storage at temperatures rang- 

 ing from 29 to 53°, the best results being obtained l)y ripening at a temperature of 

 40°. While no bad results followed ripening at 29°, there was apjjarently no 

 advantage in ripening at that temperature. 



Cheese was ripened for periods of 1, 2, and 3 months in ice cold storage and then 

 moved to the ordinary curing room and compared with cheese ripened for the entire 

 period in cold storage and in the ordinarj' curing room. The total score for the 

 different lots was as follows: Cold storage for the entire period 93.8, cold storage for 

 3 months 92.9, cold storage for 2 months 89.9, cold storage for 1 month 89.3, and in 

 the ordinary curing room 88.1, showing the superiority of cold storage. It is con- 

 cluded that no rai)id deterioration in the quality of cheese which has been kept for 

 2 or 3 months in cold storage need be expected, provided the cheese was of good 

 quality when made. 



Placing cheese on shelves and l)oxing directly from the press were compared in 8 

 experiments, from the results of which the following conclusions were drawn: 



"Cheese may be placed directly from the press in clean, dry boxes, if kept in 

 either ice or mechanical cold storage, without any danger of injuring the quality of 

 the cheese. The only drawback is the mold on the cheese, especially in an ice 

 storage. 



"The boxing of cheese when green and leavmg them in an ordinary rii^ening room 

 is not to be recommended, owing to the 'huffing' of the cheese and the large 

 amount of mold which collects. Spraying with formalin tends to check the latter, 

 while turning the boxes tends to prevent the ' hufhng.' 



"The cheese put directly into boxes lost considerably less in weight than did 

 those on the shelves, hence the plan of boxing is an advantage in this respect, as it 

 saves shrinkage. 



"In this series, as in several of the others, the loss in weight durmg 1 month 

 was greater in the mechanical storage, but the quality of the cheese was slightly 

 better than were those in the ice cold storage. Both lots were better in quality, and 

 the shrinkage was less than in those rii)ened in the ordinary room." 



Tests were made of different temperatures for cooking curds: 



"Heating the curds to temperatures of 102 to 110° tended to reduce the percentage 

 of acid in the curds at all the important stages of the process of cheese making. In 

 the case of curds which tend to 'work too fast,' it would seem advisable to heat them 

 to a higher temperature than usual in order to check the develoi)ment of lactic acid. 

 It is possible that normal curds may be advantageously heated to a higher tempera- 

 ture than is now considered necessary. 



"Heating curds to the higher temperatures ajjpears to reduce the yield of cheese 

 obtained from milk. In our experiments the loss was about 4 11)S. of ripe cheese on 

 3,900 lbs. milk testing 3.7 per cent fat. 



