CHAPTER XV. 



STARTERS. 



Definition. — By the term starter, in cream-ripening, we 

 understand a medium containing a preponderance of desirable 

 germs present in a virulent condition. 



History. — The use of starters in the dairy industry dates 

 back a great many years. The fact that starters helped in the 

 manufacture of dairy products was recognized years ago by 

 practical men even before scientists recommended the use of 

 pure cultures. In European dairy countries the use of the 

 buttermilk borrowed from a neighboring factory to add to the 

 cream in order to overcome abnormal conditions, was a common 

 occurrence. In Holland, sour whey borrowed from some other 

 factory was used to overcome gassy fermentation in cheese- 

 making. While the reasons for this were not well understood, 

 the underlying principle was involved, viz., that of overcoming 

 the undesirable fermentation by adding ferments of an an- 

 tagonistic kind. 



The introduction of pure cultures, or commercial starters, 

 for cream-ripening dates back to 1890, by Professor Storch. 

 He recommended their use in creameries in Denmark. Starters 

 were used in that country for a time successfully, and since 

 then starters have been introduced and extensively used in 

 this country, as well as in practically all European countries. 



Classification of Starters. — Generally speaking, the different 

 kinds of starters are included under the names (1) Natural, 

 and (2) Commercial. The latter is prepared from a pure 

 culture of bacteria obtained from the laboratory. The former, 

 or natural, include a great many kinds of dairy products which 



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