MOISTURE AND ACIDITY IN CURD, ETC. 53 



degree of acidity. Excessive acidity (whey) gives 



the cheese a sour flavor. Insufficient acidity is apt 



to be accompanied by a sickish flavor, unless the ,^ 



cheese is ripened with care at sufficiently low tern- '^^^*^^^' 



perature. 



Acidity and keeping quality. — It has been al- 

 ready stated (p. 18) that the presence of lactic 

 acid bacteria in milk and curd is essential to pre- 

 vent the development of undesirable forms of 

 fermentation, which may be present in the early 

 stages of cheese-making. The lactic acid thus 

 formed is the active material employed in doing this 

 sanitary work. Cheese wdth too little acidity usually 

 becomes defective in flavor in a comparatively short 

 time. 



Acidity and finish. — Excessive acidity (whey) 

 causes formation of poor rind ; frequently the rind 

 cracks and leaks whey. 



CONTROL OF ACIDITY IN CHEESE- 

 MAKING 



Below we give in brief form the means to be used 

 in controlling acidity in the operations of cheese- 

 making. 



(i) Producer's care of milk. — In order to re- 

 tard the too rapid growth of lactic acid bacteria 

 before milk is delivered at the cheese-factory, the 

 milk should be cooled at once after milking to 60° 

 F., or better to 50° F., and not allowed to get above 

 this temperature. 



(2) Ripening milk. — In making sweet-curd 

 cheese, care must be taken not to ripen the milk 



