74 MODERN BUTTER MAKING. 



96. The results sought for in the ripening of cream 



are : To develop a definite flavor in the butter fat 

 which is so much desired by the average American 

 consumer, to lessen the viscosity of the cream and 

 thereby increase its churnability and decrease losses 

 in the buttermilk, to purify the cream, retard ab- 

 normal fermentations and increase the keeping qual- 

 ity of the butter as well as to make possible the 

 manufacture of a more uniform quality of butter by 

 ripening the cream to the same degree of acidity 

 from day to day. 



97. Natural ripening of cream. By natural 

 ripening of cream we understand that cream is 

 soured without the addition of sour milk, buttermilk 

 or any pure lactic acid culture. Since cream may 

 contain ■ a large number of different undesirable 

 germs which may develop off flavors and gain the 

 ascendency over the influence of lactic acid fermen- 

 tations the natural ripening of cream is not always 

 desirable. This is the reason that hand separator 

 cream" is so variable in its flavor. If instead of 

 allowing it to sour naturally a good, pure, lactic 

 acid starter were added to the cream the flavor of 

 it would be much improved. 



98. Artificial ripening of cream. It is only dur- 

 ing the last decade that artificial ripening of cream 

 has become general and the process is looked upon 

 by dairymen as being indispensable in the manu- 

 facture of first-class American creamery butter. The 

 only difference between natural and artificial cream 

 ripening is that in the latter a certain per cent of 

 soured milk or cream ripened with a pure lactic 



