360 MANUAL OF MILK PRODUCTS 



to the condition of the milk. It should be fresh, free from every 

 trace of taint; in brief, it should be in as perfect condition as 

 it is possible to have milk. 

 Treatment of milk before adding rennet. 



The temperature of the milk should be brought up to a point 

 not below 85° F. nor much above 88° F. When the desired 

 temperature has become constant, then the coloring matter 

 should be added. We used Carter's cheese color, using at the 

 rate of 1J to 2 oz. for 1000 lb. of milk. The coloring matter 

 should, of course, be added to the milk and thoroughly incor- 

 porated by stirring before the rennet is added. 

 Addition of rennet to milk. 



The rennet should not be added until the milk has reached the 

 desired temperature (85° to 88° F.) and this temperature has 

 become constant. When the temperature reaches the desired 

 point and remains there stationary, the rennet extract is added. 

 In our work, Hansen's rennet-extract was used, 4 J to 5 J oz. 

 being taken for 1000 lb. of milk, or enough to coagulate the 

 milk in the desired time, at the actual temperature used. 

 The milk should be completely coagulated, ready for cutting, 

 in about 12 to 18 minutes from the time the rennet was added. 

 The same precaution observed in making cheddar cheese 

 should be followed in making Edam cheese with reference 

 to care in adding the rennet, such as careful, accurate measure- 

 ment, dilution with pure water before addition to milk, and 

 the like. 

 Cutting the curd. 



When the curd breaks clean across the finger, it should be cut ; 

 the curd is cut a very little softer than in the cheddar process as 

 ordinarily practiced. As stated above, this stage of hardness in 

 the curd which fits it for cutting should come in twelve to eight- 

 een minutes after the rennet is added. First, a vertical knife 

 is used and the curd is cut lengthwise, after which it is allowed 

 to stand until the slices of curd begin to show the separation of 



