440 Journal of Ar/riciilt iiif, I'icfoi-ki. [10 July, 1917. 



In Britain, cheese forms a large proportiou of the daily diet of the 

 lower-paid classes. lu Australia it is generally looked upon as a 

 luxury, to be eaten in small quantities at the end of a meal. This is 

 due to the fact that the value of cheese as a food is not appreciated. 

 Some people complain that theese produces indigestion, and so cannot 

 be eaten in any quantity. This is frequently due to the fact that it is 

 only eaten at the end of a meal, when the stomach is already supplied 

 with as much material as it can conveniently treat. If cheese, which is 

 highly concentrated, being all digestible, is added in any quantity, it is 

 easy to idealize that the digestive cajMcity is overtaxed. If eaten in a 

 proper manner, it is very easily digested. 



Extensive experiments have been carried out by the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture to ascertain by actual trials what proportion of 

 the cheese was digested and what effect it had in the system when eaten 

 in large quantities. The work was planned to include new and ripened 

 cheese. The -cheese was made by the regular Cheddar process. The 

 ripening was carried on under different conditions. One lot. was 

 ripened under factory conditions, where the temperature varied from 50 

 to 75 degrees Fahr. Two lots were stored immediately after making, 

 and one was kept, at 32 degrees; the other at 40 degrees Fahr. Another 

 lot was held in the factory curing room for two weeks, and then placed 

 al a temperature of 40 deg. Fahr. All these methods of controlling the 

 ripening process were carnied out with cheese made with 3-oz. rennet 

 to 1,000 lbs. of milk and with 6-oz. to 1,000 lbs. of milk. 



The subjects of these experiments were students of the University. 

 The diet consisted of whole-wheat bread, bananas, and cheese. Of the 

 latter substances from 450 to 600 grams, were eaten in tliree days of the 

 experiment, or about one-third to nearly ^ lb. per day. The 

 number of experiments completed was 184. Without going into details 

 of the results, it may be stated that there was little or no difference in 

 the digestibility of the cheese at different stages of ripening. Tiie per- 

 fectly green curd was evidently asi digestible and, so far as nutritive 

 value was concerned, was as good as the same cheese at any stage of 

 ripening. The cheese was highly digestible, and though it was eaten in 

 comparatively large quantities it was well assimilated. The record of 

 the health of each individual shows that there was little or no digestive 

 troubles, and thati the green cheese caused no more trouble in this way 

 than the ripened article. Later experiments verified the above results. 

 If was found that on an average over 95 per cent, of the fat and also 

 over 95 per cent, of the protein was digested, and more than 90 per 

 cent, of the total energy is available for the body. They also show that 

 cheese may serve as the principle source of protein and fuel in the body 

 for a long time. 



A comparison of the food value of cheese with that, of other highly 

 nitrogenous materials is of interest at this time. No kind of meat, ex- 

 cept, dried beef, carries such a large percentage of protein as cheese. 

 Fresh beef, as purchased, has weight for weight, a little more than half 

 the food value of cheese in either protein or ifat, and the same is true of 

 practically all other meats. Bacon or fat pork is an exception, but their 

 food value is mostly in the fat.. To put. it another way — 1 lb. of cheese 

 has nearly the same food value as 2 lbs. of fresh beef or any other fresh 

 meat as food. It is worth as much as, or more than, 1 lb. of ham, and 

 is more digestible, and it is equal to 2 lbs. of eggs or 3 lbs. of fish. 



