DAIRYING 161 



Mineral Constituents. Some of these, espec- 

 ially lime and phosphoric acid, are lost by 

 passing away in the salt during the salting of 

 the cheese. So far it has not been ascertained 

 how the mineral salts are affected by bacteria 

 during the ripening process. Professor 

 Lloyd considers that u the principal factors 

 in the ripening of cheese are the continued 

 production of lactic acid, together with an 

 increase in the solubility of the casein or 

 nitrogenous compounds ; as the casein becomes 

 soluble there is an increase of ammonia, and 

 of substances like ammonia probably produced 

 by the decomposition of the casein, which is 

 converted into peptones." 



Richmond agrees that the lactic acid 

 bacteria has some influence, but holds that 

 as the cheese ripens concurrently with the 

 growth of the lactic acid organisms, and 

 continues, while they are diminishing, that 

 the ripening is not due to the direct action 

 of micro-organisms. 



Cheese ripens best when the process goes 



VI. L 



