CREAM RIPENING 231 



This was the bacteriologists' theory. Within its own limi- 

 tations it was perfectly natural and reasonable, but as far as 

 its relation to the keeping quality of butter is concerned, it was 

 utterly erroneous. He considered good flavor of fresh butter 

 and keeping quality synonymous. 



High flavor and keeping quality are not synonymous, but 

 they are positively antagonistic to one another. One and the 

 same churning of butter may have either, high flavor or keep- 

 ing quality, but it cannot have both. Cream ripening means 

 fermentation. High flavor, which is produced by cream ripen- 

 ing, then, is the result of a partial decomposition of one or more 

 of the constituents of cream and which subsequently, become 

 constituents of the butter. The deterioration of butter with age 

 also is the result of decomposition of one or more of its con- 

 stituents. 



Cream ripening, therefore, represents the first stages of 

 the decomposition of one -or more of the constituents which sub- 

 sequently make up the composition of butter. It so happens 

 that the changes resulting from this early and partial decomposi- 

 tion, caused by the ripening of cream, yield flavors that are 

 desired. But when this decomposition goes beyond a certain 

 stage, flavors are produced that are objectionable and which are 

 recognized as a deterioration of the butter. 



Cream that is ripened sufficiently to give butter a very 

 pronounced, high flavor, produces butter that, when taken from 

 the churn, represents a product in which the flavor-producing 

 decomposition has been carried to the very limit of changes that 

 are capable of producing good flavor. But this decomposition 

 does not stop at the churn, it continues, only instead of going 

 on producing desired flavors, these further changes yield now 

 objectionable flavors, the butter deteriorates. Hence butter so 

 made, has reached the peak of quality at the churn, it has at- 

 tained the very top of desired flavor and any further changes 

 which even a few weeks of age are bound to bring about, place 

 it on the tobbogan, it cannot change further without deteriorat- 

 ing, it will not stay inert, because the changes once started must 

 go on. Cream ripening, therefore, not only does not improve 

 the keeping quality of butter, it actually tends to destroy it. 



