28 SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF CHEESE-MAKING 



STIRRING CURD AFTER CUTTING 



If the curd is not stirred immediately after cut- 

 ting, it soon masses together or becomes lumpy. 

 To prevent this, the curd must be kept in motion 

 till the pieces become properly firmed. True stir- 

 ring of the soft, tender curd should be very gentle 

 at first and should be done with an agitator (Fig. 

 7). In large factories, steam-power agitators are 

 used. After the pieces of curd become healed over 

 on the surface by the formation of the film de- 



FIG. 7 MCPHERSON HAND-AGITATOR FOR STIRRING 

 CURD IMMEDIATELY AFTER CUTTING 



scribed above and start to contract, they can be 

 stirred and kept separated more easily by using a 

 wooden rake (Fig. 8). The curd should be pre- 

 vented from collecting in the corners of the vat and 

 from sticking to the sides. Rough handling of the 

 soft curd crushes it and causes a severe decrease in 

 the yield of cheese, as the result of increased loss of 

 cheese-solids in the whev. 



