STARTERS 251 



ripening process, they may be developed in the starter and 

 added to the cream shortly before churning or to the butter 

 before working. 



This assumption has been amply borne out in creamery 

 practice. This practice has the further advantage that it shortens 

 the time between receiving the cream and churning, and it mini- 

 mizes the danger of chemical action of the acid on the less staple 

 constituents of the cream, which action may jeopardize the flavor 

 and is known to injure the keeping quality of the butter. This 

 is especially true in the case of cream that is old, relatively sour 

 and of poor quality. This type of cream needs no further ripen- 

 ing, it is usually overripe at best but it is materially improved 

 by the addition of a good starter shortly before churning and 

 without further ripening. The starter serves to bring back 

 and freshen up its flavor. If added to the cream, both the 

 cream and starter should be cooled to near the churning tem- 

 perature before mixing. Otherwise bacterial action will con- 

 tinue and there is danger of overripening. If added to the 

 butter the starter should be poured on the butter after washing, 

 after which the butter is salted and worked. The addition and 

 working into the butter of the starter after churning, is not 

 recommended however, because it tends to increase the curd con- 

 tent of the butter, and curd is an undesirable constituent from the 

 standpoint of keeping quality. Its decomposition- or cleavage 

 products are injurious to the flavor of the butter. 



STARTERS 



Definition. As applied to biittermaking, starter is a clean- 

 flavored batch of medium, usually milk or skim milk, teeming 

 with lactic acid bacteria favorable for the development of a 

 clean acid and an agreeable flavor. 



Purpose. The purpose of using starter is to insure the 

 flavor and aroma in butter which the market demands. As pre- 

 viously stated the American consumer has become accustomed 

 to, and desires a rather high flavored butter. Sweet cream butter 

 is considered flat and lacking in flavor and is not highly relished. 

 In order to overcome this absence of flavor, the flavor may be 

 developed in the cream by ripening or souring it, which is best 



