316 MANUAL OF MILK PRODUCTS 



ready for consumption at the end of two to three months. It 

 is better, however, to hold the cheese at lower temperatures 

 and allow four to six months for the ripening period. Many 

 persons prefer a highly flavored mellow cheese which is secured 

 by allowing a longer period for the ripening process, in some 

 instances as long as one to two years. 



TESTING CHEESE FOR FAT (Ross) 



Samples of cheese for testing may be obtained in one of two 

 ways : one plug may be taken near the rind of the cheese, an- 

 other halfway from the rind to the center, and a third at the 

 center; or the trier may be run from the edge of the cheese 

 into the center. 



When the sample is taken it should be chopped as fine as 

 wheat kernels. If the particles are much larger, they are 

 likely to be burned by the acid before being dissolved. The 

 fat would be locked up in the burned particles, and as a result 

 the test would be too low. 



The cheese can be chopped fine by placing the sample in a 

 glass bottle and cutting it with a case knife. When cut fine, 

 3 or 4 grams of the cheese should be weighed into a cream 

 bottle. A small quantity is used because so much acid is 

 required in order to dissolve the curd. The sample is then 

 made up to approximately 18 grams by adding warm or hot 

 water. The warm water tends to soften the curd. Acid is 

 then added, a little at a time, with continual shaking until 

 the curd is entirely dissolved. It frequently takes slightly 

 more than the normal quantity of acid to dissolve the 

 curd; if the sample is old and dry, the operator must use 

 his own judgment in regard to the proper quantity of acid. 

 From this point the cheese is tested the same as is whole 

 milk, except that glymol should be used in reading the com- 

 pleted test. 



