224 BUTTER-MAKING. 



it has a rather disagreeable flavor. After more acid develops 

 the undesirable flavor largely disappears, and the milk assumes 

 a clean, desirable acid taste. The reasons for this has recently 

 been accounted for by S torch, the well-known authority on 

 starters. He claims that this disagreeable flavor is due to the 

 action of undesirable organisms, during the first souring stage. 

 As the souring progresses these germs are subdued and grad- 

 ually crowded out by the desirable acid-producing types. 



In the preparation of a starter the probabilities are that 

 some of these undesirable types of germs are present. At least 

 it is safer to go on the assumption that they are present. This 

 makes the underripening of starters just as important to guard 

 against as overripening. 



Amount of Starter to Use. The amount of starter will vary 

 under different conditions. It may vary from none at all the 

 as much as 50% of the cream to be ripened. The quality of 

 cream is one of the factors that needs to be considered. Raw 

 cream and old cream each require a large starter, especially if 

 the cream is thick enough so as to permit of being reduced in 

 thickness. Good pasteurized cream does not need a larger 

 starter than about 10% of the cream to be ripened. 



The amount of starter to use also depends somewhat upon 

 the general creamery conditions. In some creameries all the 

 cream is received in a very sour and poor condition, and facili- 

 ties for getting milk for preparation of starters are often very 

 poor. Under such conditions it is questionable whether it 

 would be profitable to use starters at all. The amount of 

 starter to use chiefly depends upon the degree of rapidity of 

 ripening desired, .and upon the temperature of the cream. If it 

 is desirable to ripen quickly, then a comparatively large starter 

 (15% to 25%) should be added, and the ripening temperature 

 should be comparatively high (about 80 F.). If slow ripening 

 is desired, then less starter can be used. Enough, however, should 

 be used to control the fermentation in the cream (about 10% 

 to 15%), and the ripening temperature may be lower, between 

 60 and 70 F. More starter should be used in the winter. 



