130 SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF CHEESE-MAKING 



Cause : 



(1) An uneven development of acid and moisture in the 



curd. 



(2) Uneven cutting, leading to an uneven contraction of 



the curd when heated in the whey. 



(3) Neglecting to strain the starter when lumpy. 



(4) Adding the starter after adding the cheese-color. 



(5) Uneven piling and maturing of the curd 



(6) Use of poor cheese-color. 



(7) Mixing the curd from different vats. 



(8) Lumpy condition ot the curd at the time of removing 



the whey, or when salt is applied. 



(9) Adding old curd to fresh curd without proper pre- 



cautions. 

 (10) Yeasts. When due to these, the mottling increases 

 with the age of the cheese. 



Prevention : 



(1) By uniform cutting, heating and stirring. This is 



facilitated by the use of a 5-16-inch, perpendicular, 

 wire knife, and a 5 -8 -inch, horizontal, steel knife. 



(2) Each small piece of curd should be kept separated from 



the others while being heated. 



(3) The starter should always be strained. 



(4) The starter should be added before the cheese-color 



is added. 



(5) The curd from different vats should not be mixed. 



(6) In usmg old curd, it should be placed in the vat about 



15 minutes before the whey is removed. 



(7) Curd should always be firmed in the whey before too 



much acid has developed. 



Remedy : 



When the curd is badly mottled, there is no remedy that 

 will make the color uniform. In some instances the color 

 will become more even as the cheese ages. Preven- 

 tion is the best remedy. 



'a^ 



SEAMY COLOR 



This is a condition in which the outline of each 

 piece of curd can be easily seen in the cheese. 

 The uniting surfaces are marked by a pale Hne. 

 (Fig. 31.) 



