STARTERS 259 



the temperature should be lowered until a temperature is found 

 that will control the fermentation sufficiently to prevent over- 

 ripening and yet to produce the desired coagulum. The acid in 

 good active startoline usually is .8 to .9 per cent. It is not prac- 

 tical, nor feasible, to prescribe an exact temperature that would 

 apply everywhere, and at all times of the year. The operator 

 must use his own judgment and be guided by his results from 

 day to day. 



The directions above given for the preparation and propaga- 

 tion of mother starter, accompanied by proper modifications of 

 temperature at which the jars are incubated, according to weather 

 and factory conditions, will yield a uniformly good quality of 

 startoline and the results can be depended on from day to day. 

 By the above method, propagations from one and the same 

 culture can be carried on almost indefinitely and the startoline 

 often improves in quality and activity as the number of transfers 

 increases. If the directions on sterilizing all apparatus are con- 

 scientiously followed, the. startoline will have no gas holes. If 

 the temperature is adjusted and controlled properly, there will 

 always be active acid production and good body. Without these 

 precautions, neither the startoline nor the starter can be depended 

 on to be of good quality from day to day, and the startoline has 

 to be renewed often by a new commercial culture. 



Directions for Making Commercial Starter. 



Good quality of milk, sterility of all utensils and proper 

 temperature control are all important The absence of any one 

 of these essentials ultimately means poor starter. 



Good Quality of Milk. Good quality of milk is all essential 

 for good starter of a sharp, clean acid, such as is desired for 

 the best results, although efficient pasteurization will assist in 

 minimizing defects of the raw material. However, a really good 

 starter cannot be made unless the milk which is used is clean 

 and fresh. Fresh, sweet whole milk purchased direct from dairy 

 farms on which a high standard of sanitary production prevails, 

 generally yields the most satisfactory starter, both as to quality 

 and economy of manufacture. Skim milk, if of good quality, 

 is also suitable for this purpose, but often proves somewhat 



