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Studies in the Manufacture of Surati Cheese
On comparing the cheeses made it was observed that acidities between
0.5 and 0.6 per cent lactic acid appeared to lend a pleasing lactic flavour and
aroma and desirable body and texture to the cheese (Plate XX, fig. 2). The
temperature of ripening varied between 76° and 79°F. These results also
show that when Surati cheese is made with the object of keeping over longer
period it is desirable to reduce the quantity of starter added in order to
lower the development of acidity.
(iv) Effect of varying the amount of salt.—This experiment was conducted
to determine the amount of salt required to impart the desired appetizing
flavour without in any way impairing the body, texture and the yield of the
cheese. Salt was, therefore, added in quantities of 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 lb.
to the ' green cheese ' yielded by 100 lb. of milk. Surati cheese was prepared
as described in previous sections and ripened in whey for 32 hours. Each va-
riation was repeated six times and the averages of these results are shown in
Table IV.
It can be seen from Table IV that the use of 1.5 lb. of salt gave the high-
est yield of cheese and 3 lb. the lowest. It was further observed that the use
of over 2 lb. of salt imparted a distinctly over-saltish taste and produced a
highly shrunk and crumbly cheese. It was, therefore, concluded that a maxi-
mum of 2 lb. of salt for the yield of green cheese from 100 lb. of milk or a
proportion of 4.75 per cent of the cheese may be employed with advantage.
4. Making Surati cheese under standard conditions.—In order to reconfirm
the above findings as related to the yield, body, texture, flavour and ripening
of the cheese, six further trials were made using the optimum conditions as
determined above and the data obtained are given in Table V. The results
obtained were altogether satisfactory and the conditions could, therefore, be
accepted as embodying a standard method of making Surati cheese for obtain-
ing a product of uniformly good quality.
DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY
The importance of cheese as human food and as a means of transforming
fluid milk into a form easy to handle, store and transport is recognized the
world over. This work was carried out with the object of arousing interest in
the manufacture of one of the most important indigenous varieties of soft
cheese and providing guidance and information of practical utility. The re-
sults show that in order to obtain Surati cheese of good quality the following
conditions must be observed :
(i) The milk (preferably pre-pasteurized) should attain a temperature of
95°F. before the rennet is added to it in the proportion of 6.7 ml. to 100 lb. of
milk or 1 ml. for 16 lb. of milk, to obtain curd of the desired consistency, in
about 60 minutes ;
(ii) The fat percentage of milk should be adjusted to about 6.0 in order
to obtain the best yield with the minimum loss of fat in the whey ;
(iii) The pure lactic starter (0.7-0.8 per cent lactic acid) added to the
milk immediately before renneting should be in the proportion of 0.5 oz. to
100 lb. of milk to obtain a cheese which would ripen within a period of 32 hours ;
(iv) The salt should be added in the proportion of 4.75 lb. to 100 lb. of
' green cheese ' or 2 lb. to the yield obtained from 100 lb. of milk ;