MOISTURE AND ACIDITY IN CURD, ETC. 4/ 



mention the following: (i) Development of acid- 

 ity; (2) influence on body; (3) relation to texture; 

 (4) effect on flavor; (5) influence on keeping qual- 

 ity; and (6) relation to finish. 



Moisture and acidity. The introduction to this 

 chapter gives the cause for the close relation of 

 moisture in curd to the formation of acid. In 

 case of a wet curd, characterized by much water 

 (whey), we have a greater amount of milk-sugar 

 ready to form an additional amount of acid; and, if 

 the temperature and other conditions are favor- 

 able, acidity increases rapidly. In the case of a 

 dry curd, the acidity increases more slowly, because 

 there is less whey, which means less milk-sugar with 

 which to make acid. 



Moisture and body. Curd containing too much 

 moisture (whey) becomes soft and produces a soft, 

 weak-bodied cheese (p. 87), which in extreme 

 cases is sticky and pasty (p. 63). The soaking of 

 curd in water after milling causes the absorption 

 of 5 per cent of water, more or less, and usually 

 results in a poor body. Cheese containing too little 

 moisture becomes dry, mealy, crumbly, more or 

 less rubbery, tough and hard. Such cheese is in 

 no way attractive. When curd is too dry, the 

 maturing process takes place with some degree 

 of difficulty and the curd is slow to change into 

 the characteristic, mellow, smooth, meaty body that 

 is desired. This is due to the presence of too little 

 whey in the curd, that is, too little milk-sugar with 

 which to form acid. 



Moisture and texture. Excessive whey in curd 

 and cheese is apt to favor the production of holes, 



