8 BULLETIN 970, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



Draining the curd. — An adjoining Cheddar-cheese vat of capacity 

 similar to that of the setting vat has been found an excellent substi- 

 tute for a draining wagon. A skeleton framework is placed in the 

 bottom of the vat and covered with strong cheesecloth. The setting 

 and draining vats should be placed close enough together to permit 

 two or three workers to do the dipping. Large tin scoops holding 1 

 or 2 gallons each are suitable for this purpose. 



The transferring of the curd should be done rapidly and carefully, 

 and two persons working rapidly should dip 3,000 pounds of milk in 

 from 25 to 30 minutes. The whey should be withdrawn from the 

 vat and run through a whey separator. In draining the curd it has 

 been found helpful to raise the cloths from time to time in order to 

 aid the exudation of whey and to bring the curd to the proper con- 

 dition of dryness. In making the French cheese much emphasis is 

 placed on keeping the curd warm and holding it at an even tempera- 

 ture, and for this reason the curd is frequently turned by means of a 

 short-handled ladle. No difficulty has been encountered at Grove 

 City from having the curd become too cold. 



Fat losses. — Fat losses in experimental work have averaged from 

 0.2 to 0.3 per cent. On a larger scale the fat losses almost always 

 are below 0.3 per cent. 



Time of draining. — The time required for draining is ordinarily 

 from 20 to 30 minutes, depending upon how often the cloths are 

 manipulated during drainage. The curd should be placed in the 

 forms in a fairly moist condition. When the curd is too dry, the sur- 

 face of the cheese is not smooth and compact and may offer an 

 avenue whereby undesirable organisms may gain access to the 

 interior of the cheese. When the surface of the cheese is not smooth, 

 greater losses are sure to occur later in the curing process. Results 

 from many experiments indicate that there is no advantage or dis- 

 advantage in using a longer or a shorter period for drainage. 



Hoops. — The hoops or forms for cows'-milk Roquefort are round, 

 open, and are 7| inches in diameter and 6 inches high. Each hoop 

 has six rows of holes running around the form and there are twenty- 

 five |-inch holes in each row. The hoops are considerably higher 

 than the cheese itself. The forms are made of galvanized metal 

 with wired edges. 



Forms are placed conveniently close to one another upon a special 

 reed matting. The size of the mats is 10 by 34 inches and they rest 

 upon boards of nearly the same size. With mats of this size three 

 cheeses are needed to fill one board. Cloths may be substituted for 

 matting, although the matting is preferable. Before using, all mats 

 as well as boards should be placed in a vat of boiling water. This 

 procedure tends to reduce the number of foreign molds which may 

 cause losses later in the curing process. 



