382 SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF CHEESE-MAKING 



of a crumbly, dry, mealy body, which is an undesir- 

 able condition. High temperatures cause excessive 

 loss of moisture and result in the production of 

 a crumbly body. This condition injures the commer- 

 cial quality of cheese and results in lower prices for 

 such cheese. The following table illustrates, in a 

 practical way, the effect of different temperatures 

 upon texture and moisture: 



EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE OF CURING ON TEXTURE AND 



MOISTURE OF CHEESE 



WHAT PERCENTAGE OF MOISTURE 

 SHOULD CHEESE HAVE? 



Much of the cheese made in New York contains, 

 in the fresh state, from 36 to 37.5 per cent of water. 

 The home-trade cheese, much of which is made in the 

 fall, contains 38 to 40 per cent of water. For the 

 average consumer, it is safe to say, the amount of 

 moisture in cheese should be not less than 33 to 35 

 per cent at the time of consumption. Taking every- 

 thing into consideration, it is reasonable to expect 

 better results in reference to quality by holding a 

 moderate amount of moisture in the green cheese and 

 so ripening as to lose only a small amount of water. 



