CHEESE COMPOSITION AND QUALITY 251 



only the amount of water held by a whole-milk cheese 

 would be practically unsalable on account of its 

 hardness and toughness. High percentages (50-55) 

 of water are necessary in order to make the cheese 

 appear to contain fat and have a smooth-feeling 

 body. 



(4) Skim-milk cheese, on account of its high per- 

 centage of water, dries out very rapidly under ordinary 

 conditions in the hands of the consumer and becomes 

 inedible, though it can then be used by experts in some 

 forms of cooking. 



(5) Skim-milk cheese, on account of its high per- 

 centage of water and of proteins, does not possess 

 the keeping qualities of whole-milk cheese. It 

 develops undesirable flavors more easily and does not 

 have the same length of life under the same condi- 

 tions, especially when kept at temperatures above 

 60 F. 



(6) Skim-milk cheese generally becomes digestible 

 less readily than whole-milk cheese kept under the 

 same conditions ; and when its proteins become rapidly 

 soluble, offensive flavors usually develop, destroying 

 its value. 



(7) The retail price of skim-milk cheese is always 

 too high in comparison with whole-milk cheese. 

 Separator skim-milk cheese usually sells at retail for 

 10 cents a pound, when whole-milk cheese sells for 16 

 cents. Such skim-milk cheese sells for more than 

 three times its real value. 



(8) The consumer is not really protected, even 

 when an attempt is made by the state to do so. 

 How many people want or even ask for skim- milk 

 cheese? The average consumer is ignorant of 



