CHEDDAR CHEESE RIPENING 259 



243. The size of the cheese. Cheeses of large size 

 usually cure faster than smaller ones, under the same 

 conditions. This is due to the fact that the large cheeses 

 lose their moisture less rapidly by evaporation and there- 

 fore after the early period of ripening have a higher water- 

 content. 



244. The amount of salt. The relation of salt 

 to the rate of ripening is more or less directly associated 

 with the moisture-content of the cheese, since an in- 

 crease in the amount of salt decreases the moisture. 

 Thus, cheese containing more salt forms water-soluble 

 nitrogen compounds more slowly than that containing 

 less salt. The salt also has a direct effect in retarding 

 one or more of the ripening agents. 



245. The amount of rennet extract. The use of in- 

 creased amounts of rennet extract in cheese-making, 

 other conditions being uniform, results in the production 

 of increased quantities of soluble nitrogen compounds 

 in a given period of time, especially such compounds as 

 paranuclein, caseoses and peptones. 



246. The influence of acid. It is necessary that 

 acid be present but the exact relation of varying quanti- 

 ties of acid to the chemical changes of the ripening pro- 

 cess is not fully known. If too much acid is present, it 

 imparts a sour taste to the cheese. It also causes the 

 texture of the cheese to be mealy or sandy instead of 

 smooth and waxy. 



Conditions that may increase the rate of ripening : 



1. Increase of temperature. 



2. Larger amounts of rennet. 



3. More moisture in the cheese. 



4. Less salt. 



