COMMERCIAL CHEESE-RIPENING 



389 



the relative deterioration of cheese in quahty for each 

 degree of temperature. 



The following figures demonstrate that the dif- 

 ference in quality falls mostly on the flavor (50, 

 perfect), and to a less extent on texture and body 

 (25, perfect) : 



At any given time, the cheese ripened at 40° F. was 

 usually better in quality than that at 50° F., and that 

 at 50° F. was better than that at 60° F. The longer 

 the time of ripening, the greater was the difference in 

 favor of the lower temperatures, as illustrated in the 

 following table: 



The cheese cured at 60° F. showed such deteriora- 

 tion of quality in 20 weeks that it was sold in order 

 to prevent complete loss. 



Influence of paraffin coating on quality. — The 



effect of covering cheese with paraffin was, in several 

 cases, to improve the quality of the cheese so covered. 

 The difference was more marked at 60° F. than at 

 lower temperatures. The cheese coated with paraffin 



