CHAPTER XXXIV. 
CHEDDAR CHEESE MAKING. 
Ripening the Milk. As soon as the milk has been 
placed in the cheese vat, a test is made for acidity, pref- 
erably by means of acid tests such as are described in 
chapter IX. If less than 0.2% acid is present, starter 
should be added. Starter improves the flavor of cheese 
just as it improves the flavor of butter. One to one and 
one-half pounds of starter per 100 pounds milk is a 
fair allowance for average cheese factory milk. The 
starter should always be strained through cheese cloth 
before adding it to the milk. 
After the starter has been added, the milk should be 
heated to a temperature of 86° F. and allowed to ripen 
until 0.2 per cent acid is present. While holding the 
milk for acid development, it should be frequently stirred 
to keep the cream mixed with the milk. A temperature 
of 86° F. must be maintained during the ripening pro- 
cess, 
Adding Color and Rennet. When the milk shows 
0.2 per cent acid, color is added at the rate of about one 
ounce per thousand pounds of milk. The amount of 
color to use, however, depends upon market demands, 
some markets preferring no color at all. The color 
should be diluted with about four times its volume of 
water to aid in mixing it with the milk. Imperfect mix- 
ing results in mottled cheese. 
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