174 Milk Preparations. 



Southern Bussia, Siberia, and Central Asia, which represents a 

 milk wine made from the milk of mares and asses, and which is 

 known by the name of Kumys. In the preparation of Kumys, 

 alcohol and carbonic acid fermentations are the principal processes. 

 After long fermentation Kumys contains up to 2 % of alcohol and 

 \% or more carbonic acid. 



Bacteriologically Kumys is of similar composition to Kefir 

 containing yeasts, lactic acid, streptococci, and the Bacillus kumys 

 (Schipin), which is a facultative anaerobic microbe which splits up 

 milk sugar with the formation of lactic acid and alcohol and 

 peptonization of the proteids. These act together and form 

 after several days a delicious drink of white color, and creamy con- 

 sistence. Special varieties of milk, containing much sugar, are 

 best adapted for the preparation of Kumys but cow's milk is the 

 least desirable. 



Gioddu, the buttermilk of Sardinia, is prepared from boiled 

 milk cooled to about 35 deg. C. To four parts of milk one part of 

 old Gioddu is mixed, the Gioddu being added to cow, sheep or goat 

 milk. The fermentation is produced by the Bacillus sardous in 

 symbiosis with the Saccharomyces sardous. According to Grisconi 

 the Bacillus sardous belongs to the streptobacilli. 



The preparation of buttermilk constitutes an important branch 

 of the utilization of milk in all countries. In northern Bavaria 

 the milk is usually set in large earthen pots and allowed to undergo 

 voluntary fermentation. In southern Bavaria and in the Bavarian 

 forests the "fall milk" is utilized for the preparation of the 

 "sour soup." By keeping buttermilk and continually adding sour 

 skimmed milk to it a fermenting product is obtained which is 

 thickened by the removal of the whey (Herz). 



In Sweden and Norway a milk product is known under the 

 name of "thick milk" (Tatmjolk), which is produced by slime and 

 lactic acid producing bacteria which vegetate on the leaves of the 

 butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris). 



The leaves of this plant are placed on the bottom of the milk 

 vessel and milk poured over them, whereupon the milk becomes so 

 thick in several hours that it must be cut with a spoon or knife in 

 order to be taken into the mouth (Weigmann). New milk may 

 be inoculated with the residue of old milk. 



The necessary preparations of bacteria for the making of 

 special forms of popular buttermilk may at the present time 

 be purchased in the market. In using any of these ' ' ferments ' ' the 

 directions for use should be carefully followed, since at a tempera- 

 ture either too high or too low an overproduction of undesirable 

 bacteria may readily take place which would make good results im- 

 possible. Even if the directions are carried out most accurately, 

 the propagation from milk to milk may be a failure since the biolog- 

 ical properties of the bacteria are not absolutely constant; the 

 microbes "grow wild" and their pleasant qualities are lost, or they 

 may change, assuming undesirable properties. 



