10 July, 1917.] The Clifite Industry in Victoria. 441 



It is estimated by the United States Department of Agriculture that 

 tlie people of that country use about 175 lbs. of meat annually per head, 

 besides fish and poultry, while the annual consumption of cheese is only 

 about 4 ll)s. per liead. So it will he seen that there is room for a large 

 increase in the consumption before it is equal to that of Britain. 



Pepsin in Place of Rennet for Making Cheddar Cheese. 



Owing to the scarcity and cousecjuent high price being charged for 

 rennet through the operation of regulations enforced under war condi- 

 tions, it became evident that cheese-makers in this country would be 

 faced with a ver}' difficult problem with regard to supplies. Previous 

 to the great European war nearly all the commercial rennet extract was 

 made in Denmark from veils obtained principally from Russia, Austria, 

 and Germany. After the outbreak of war, owing to the restrictions on 

 trade, all these sources of supply were cut. off and no others were 

 developed to take their place. Instructions were issued bv the Board 

 ol Trade to enable cheese-n akers to jirepare veils and manufacture their 

 own rennet, as was done years ago before the commercial rennets were 

 placed on the local market. In Canada this \\as also tried, but pro- 

 nounced against by the Canadian Dairy Commissioner, on account of the 

 risk that would result from the use of rennet of inferior quality. How- 

 ever, the difficulty of producing rennet of satisfactory quality locally 

 should not be insuperable. In July, 1916, experiments were conducted 

 at the Central Research Farm, Werribee, by Mr. Geo. Sawers and my- 

 self, to ascertain the result, of substituting pepsin for rennet. There 

 was no flake pepsin available in Melbourne at the time, only the 

 powdered form of English manufacture, kindly supplied bv the Gipps- 

 land and Northern Co-operative Selling Company. This we used until 

 we obtained the flake pepsin. Subsequent developments indicated that 

 as good results practically were obtained from one as the other, except 

 that just four times the amount of powder was required to give the same 

 results as one of flake. As scon as the strength was ascertained, the pro- 

 ceedings were as witli the normal process of making Cheddar cheese. It 

 remained then to see how it would mature. Some was exhibited at the 

 Royal Agricultural Show the end of September. This appeared to be 

 maturing normally. Others were cut from time to time with equally 

 satisfactory results. The last was cut at eight months old, and the 

 quality in every way was all that could be desired. Mr. Sawers has de- 

 monstrated the use of pepsin all over the State during the past season, 

 and invariably with satisfactory results; in fact, not even experts could 

 tell whether pepsin, rennet, or both, had been used. Van Sylke and 

 Publow say — " Commercial pepsin has the following advantages over 

 rennet extract : — 



"1. It is more concentrated, and therefore more convenient and 

 less expansive to ship. 



'2. If kept dry, pepsin retains its strength indefinitely, while 

 liquid rennet extract does not." 

 The quality of cheese made lay use of pepsin does not appear to be in- 

 ferior to that by the use of rennet. 



Pepsin is the chief enzyme of the ga.stric juice in the stomach of man. 

 It is also present in tlie st on ach of many animals, and that used for 

 cheese-making is chiefly obtained from the sto'rachs of sheep or pigs. 

 In view of the enormously increased value cf calves, this would be a 

 great advantage fiom an economical point of view, as rennet is obtained 



