UACTKRIA IN CHEESE-MAKING. 26 1 



molds, are placed in chambers where a proper condition of 

 temperature and moisture is maintained to stimulate the growth 

 of the molds. These plants grow rapidly and soon cover the 

 cheese. When they have reached a proper development the 

 first step in the ripening is ended and the cheeses are removed 

 to another compartment, commonly called a " cellar," where a 

 different condition of moisture and temperature is found. In 

 these cellars the temperature is maintained as constant as pos- 

 sible and is usually rather low. To a considerable extent the 

 differences in the ripening of soft cheeses are due to differences 

 in the temperature and moisture of these cellars. These factors 

 and the method of handling determine the type of microorgan- 

 isms which shall flourish in the cheese and complete the process 

 of ripening begun by the molds. 



In these cellars a new series of changes takes place, but, up 

 to the present time, no cheese-maker nor bacteriologist can 

 tell us much about the actual changes which occur. In the 

 cellars the growth of the molds is largely stopped and, in some 

 cases at least, bacterial growth becomes rapid. The molds 

 have rendered the cheese alkaline in reaction and this has a 

 tendency to check the growth of molds and stimulate the bac- 

 teria. If the temperature is too high the bacteria grow too 

 rapidly and soon decompose the cheese into a putrid mass 

 which is worthless. But at the low temperature of these 

 cheese cellars such an extreme decomposition does not occur. 

 The bacteria, however, grow rapidly and produce a new variety 

 of chemical products, some of which contribute to the final 

 flavor of the fully ripened cheese. These new products appear 

 slowly, and gradually produce the characteristic cheese flavor. 

 If the ripening is allowed to continue too long the decomposi- 

 tion goes too far and putrid flavors are produced which are too 

 strong. But when the ripening has continued just long enough, 

 and the proper stage of ripening is reached, the cheese, with 

 its characteristic flavor, is taken from the cellar and marketed 



