‘“Gassy’? Curds. 187 
These fermentations usually begin during the cook- 
ing process, and continue through cheddaring. Or- 
dinarily they evolve a considerable amount of gas, 
causing what are known as floating or gassy curds, 
and are usually accompanied by disagreeable odors 
and flavors. The formation of the gas in the curd 
gives it a sponge-like texture, and when the par- 
ticles of curd are cut across they are seen to be 
full of minute holes, the condition usually denom- 
inated pin-holes. The best means of treating this 
trouble is, of course, prevention; but even with the 
utmost care by makers of experience, milk contain- 
ing the germs of these fermentations will find its 
way into the vat. Ordinarily these fermentations do 
not work with the lactic fermentation; each hin- 
ders the action of the other so that the chief means 
of overcoming the difficulty of gas or pin-hole 
eurds is to favor in every way possible the pro- 
duction of lactic acid. To this end the milk is 
well ripened before the rennet is added, and the 
heat is raised as rapidly as possible to a higher 
temperature of cooking than ordinarily is used. In 
extreme cases the curds may be heated as high 
as 104° F. After the whey has been drawn great 
care is taken to keep the temperature of the curd 
from falling, and at the same time the escape of 
the gas is favored by frequent turning and piling 
of the curd. Where the curds are gassy the ched- 
daring process must be continued until the formation 
of gas has ceased and the holes in the curd have 
collapsed. In extreme cases, where the gassy curds 
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