COMMERCIAL CHEESE-RIPENING 381 



be reduced to 4 pounds per 100 pounds of cheese under 

 conditions practicable at factories. Using this figure 

 as a basis for calculation, we find that, for every loc 

 pounds of cheese, an average of 3 pounds of water 

 could be saved to sell at cheese prices. This would 

 mean an average increase of 30 cents, received for 

 every 100 pounds of cheese. This would mean an 

 average saving of $300 a season for a factory with 

 a total season's output of 100,000 pounds of cheese. 

 One cheese-maker reports that he calculated one sea- 

 son's loss from shrinkage and found it over $600. 

 While such losses may not be regarded as large in 

 comparison with the total receipts, they constitute a 

 noticeable percentage when viewed as unnecessary 

 decrease of profits, and are well worth saving. 



MOISTURE IN CHEESE IN RELATION TO 

 COMMERCIAL QUALITY 



We have just called attention to increased re- 

 ceipts coming from cheese, as a result of preventing 

 excessive loss of moisture. Such saving of moisture 

 not only increases the amount of cheese to be sold 

 but also increases the value of the cheese from the 

 standpoint of commercial quality. 



The relations existing between moisture and flavor 

 are known only in a very general way. But we know 

 something of the general relation between moisture 

 and texture. Excessive moisture produces a degree 

 of softness, which is undesirable, from a commercial 

 standpoint, and at ordinary temperatures favors the 

 formation of holes, a serious fault in the texture of 

 cheddar cheese intended for export trade. On the 

 other hand, deficient moisture favors the production 



