18 



BULLETIN 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



EFFECT OF STARTER ON THE MAKING PROCESS. 



Very little information is available as to how much starter may 

 be safely added to ripen milk for making Neufchatel cheese. When 

 milk is pasteurized the need of carefully determining this point is 

 obvious, for the desirable development of acidity must be assured 

 or the cheese will be rendered unfit for sale. The effect of varying 

 quantities of starter upon the fat loss in the whey is another point 

 to be noted. 



Samples of Neufchatel and cream cheese were made without 

 starter, while others contained from 1 to 1,250 c. c. of starter per 

 30-pound unit, as indicated in Table 4. 



Tahle 4. — Effect of starter on fat loss and drainage. 



Set at 25° C. (77° F.). 



Sample 1 (Neufchatel). 

 Rennet lice. Fat 3.1 per cent. 



Sample 2 (cream). 

 Rennet 1\ c. c. Fat 6.3 per cent . 



Quantity of 

 starter. 



Fat loss. 



Whey per 

 unit. 



Criticism 

 of curd. 



Quantity of 

 starter. 



Fat loss. 



Whey per 

 unit. 



Criticism 

 of curd. 



1 c. c 



10 c. c 



250 c. e 



Per cent. 



0.15 



.15 



.15 



Grams. 

 8,150 

 8,160 

 9,170 



Good. 

 Good. 

 Good. 



None 



10 c. c 

 50 c. c 

 250 c. c 



1,250c. c... 



Per cent. 

 0.6 

 .35 

 .30 

 .30 

 .35 



Grams. 

 9,170 

 5, 880 

 7,020 

 7,430 

 8,490 



Off flavor. 



Good. 



Good. 



Good. 



Good. 



Set at 2Sr C. (S3.3 F.). 



Sample 3 (Neufchatel). 

 Rennet -J c. c. Fat 3.8 per cent. 



Sample 4 (cream). 

 Rennet 1 c. c. Fat 5.6 per cent. 



Quantity of 

 starter. 



Fat loss. 



Whey per 

 unit. 



Criticism 

 of curd. 



Quant ity of 

 starter. 



Fat loss. 



Whey per 

 unit. 



Criticism 

 of curd. 



None 



10 c. c 



50c. c 



250c. c 



1,250 c. c 



Per cent. 

 0.6 

 .06 

 .06 

 .07 

 .19 



Grams. 

 9,060 

 8,150 

 8,620 

 8,830 

 8,380 



Gassy. 

 Good. 

 Good. 

 Good. 

 Fair. 



None 



lOc.c 



50 c. c 



1,250c. c... 



Per cent. 

 1.1 

 .10 



.10 

 .10 

 .10 



Grams. 

 10, 180 

 7,810 

 9,060 



s.l.MI 

 7,110 



Gassv. 

 Good. 

 Good. 

 Good. , 

 Fair. 



The loss of fat shows the desirability of using starter instead of 

 depending upon the normal fermentation, which may be gassy. 

 Gassy fermentations are especially liable to occur in the spring 

 months. Such fermentations may be sufficiently vigorous to cause 

 the curd to run over the sides of the setting cans and often greatly 

 reduce the yield of cheese, as well as lowering its quality. 



