Swiss CHEESE—FrRom MILK TO CuRING CELLAR. 145 
281. Use of a Starter. 
Swiss makers generally use a homemade rennet, which is 
made up by them each day by soaking strips of rennet in whey. 
It is even claimed that commercial rennet extract is not as good 
as the whey rennet, as the eyes cannot be obtained with it. The 
explanation for this probably is, that the whey used acts as a 
starter which supplies the necesary acid in the milk to make the 
rennet expel the whey sufficiently. At the same time gas germs 
may be added which will make a niszler cheese (276). Freu- 
denreich has shown that the lactic-acid germ is desired in mak- 
ing good Emmenthaler. By using a commercial rennet extract, 
after adding a good lactic acid starter, a cheese with a good de- 
velopment of eyes can be obtained. As this is being done in ac- 
tual practice it shows that the idea, prevalent among Swiss 
makers to the extent that it is almost a law is incorrect, that 
good eyes cannot be obtained with commercial rennet extract. 
The amount of starter required will not be as much as for Ched- 
dar cheese (113). 
Fig. 68.—Cheese kettle in a Swiss cheese factory near Monroe, Wis. The 
kettle hangs on a heavy wooden crane. The front of the fire place over which the 
kettle hangs also hangs on a crane and can be swung out so that the kettle 
can be swung away from the fire. The opening below the grate will be seen 
in front of the kettle. The round cover is dropped over the top when the 
Kettle swings forward. = 
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