CRSAM RIPENING 239 



such as is the case in gathered cream creameries all over the 

 country, if such cream must be ripened. Its advantages are, that 

 most of the undesirable fermentations are held in check and 

 that the resulting body of the butter is firm and free from weak- 

 ness. The retardation of the acid development at these low tem- 

 peratures may be materially overcome by the use of a larger 

 amount of starter (See Amount of Starter to Add to Cream, 

 page 242.) 



Control of Ripening temperature. If the process of cream 

 ripening is to be successful it is essential that the operator have 

 as complete control over the temperature of the cream as pos- 

 sible. This is necessary, not only in order to maintain a uniform 

 temperature during the ripening process proper, but especially 

 also in order to cool the cream promptly and properly as soon 

 as the desired degree of acidity has been reached. The absence 

 of such facilities may cause exposure of the cream to too high 

 ripening temperature and the over-ripening of the cream,, both 

 of which jeopardize the flavor and body of the butter. 



Ripening Vats. The essentials for adequate facilities for 

 regulating the temperature of the cream are equipment to permit 

 exposure of the cream over a relatively large area of heating 

 and cooling surface and an adequate supply of an efficient cool- 

 ing medium, such as cold water, ice water or brine. 



In order to increase the tempering capacity of the cream 

 ripening vat, the vat must be equipped with an agitator that 

 brings large volumes of the cream in direct contact with the heat- 

 ing or cooling surface. For this purpose there are now in use 

 cream ripening vats with coil or disc agitators, the heating or 

 cooling medium passing through the revolving agitator. These 

 agitator vats are a great improvement over the old jacketed 

 ripening vat without agitator, from the standpoint of heat control. 

 One seriously objectionable feature of most of these ripening 

 vats with disc or coil agitators is that the bearings and stuffing 

 boxes of their axis are submerged in the cream and some cream 

 is bound to enter these glands, where it is ground to grease. The 

 mechanical effect of this alone is undesirable and the lodging of 

 the cream in these friction places is highly unsanitary and con- 

 ducive to contaminating the cream with undesirable ferments. In 



