380 



MANUAL OF MILK PRODUCTS 



After the curd has all been dipped into the hoops the latter 

 are piled up, together with the boards, one upon the other. 

 This is done partly to save space and partly to cover up the 

 cheese and thus keep off any dirt or flies which otherwise might 

 fall upon them. The top of the pile is then covered with an 

 extra board. 



The curd is now allowed to drain without any artificial pres- 

 sure for four or five hours. At the end of this time it will have- 

 shrunk to about half the original volume and will be ready for 

 inoculation of molds and turning. 

 Inoculation and turning (see Fig. 68). 



Although it is not customary for French cheese-makers to 

 inoculate Camembert cheese with mold, we have found it very 



desirable. Under the con- 

 ditions found in Normandy 

 the cheese acquires its 

 moldy covering rapidly 

 enough by accidental inoc- 

 ulation. Even then unde- 

 sirable molds often appear 

 to the injury of the cheese. 

 In our experimental work 

 artificial inoculation on the 

 day of making has been necessary to secure satisfactory 

 results. 



Where dependence is placed on accidental inoculation, unde- 

 sirable molds often get on the cheeses ahead of the Camembert 

 mold, the result being either a poor cheese or one spoiled entirely. 

 On the other hand, if a cheese is inoculated with the Camembert 

 mold at the outset, this will grow and cover the cheese rapidly, 

 which practically protects the cheese from the infection of other 

 molds. A very good proof of this statement is that one can 

 almost always find some other species of molds on imported 

 cheese, while the molds found on inoculated cheeses are gener- 



Fig. 68.- — Method of turning the cheese. 



