Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-11-13
Curing Cheese.

The best method of curing cheese is still
an unsolved problem, although it has been
worn nearly threadbare at dairy conventions,
agricultural institutes and in the columns of
the public prints. 1t involves scientific prob
lens, which are still engaging the attention
alike of experts in the dairy and the labora-
tory of the chemist Investigations thus
diligently pursued viii hardly fail to evolve
important and valuable facts. In the first
annual report of the Cornell University sta
ton, there is an article by Professor 5. NJ.
Babcock giving several experiments in curing
cheese. He says:
"a new cheese, when taken from the press,
is composed, essentially, of the same constit-
uents as the milk from which it was made,
the chief difference being that the cheese con-
tains less water of course the more soluble
parts of the milk, as the sugar and albumen,
are largely removed with the water The
small amount of milk sugar retained by the
curd is usually at this time converted into
Tactic acid. The casein is now tough and in
soluble, and the cheese has no marked flavor
or odor. This, however, is not long the case.
Changes commence immediately, and under
favorable circumstances the casein loses, In
few weeks, its hardness, becomes soft and
waxy wheA pressed between the fingers, and
cheese. During this time the casein has
been largely converted into soluble albumi
noids tpeptones), but there are also formed
small quantities of leucin, tyrosin, ammonia
and often butyric and other fatty acids"
Prof Babcock then takes up the theories of
rennet action. The fermentation theory is
not demonstrated, and the digestive one APP
pears to be but iInperfectly sustained. It
has been supposed, and is still believed by
some. that fat Is in some way generated by
the process Of curing, but the evidence thus
far is not sufficient to sustain the supposition,
which is based on loose reasoning rather than
on facts. The percentage of soluble albumi-
noids is regular and materially increased.
But, says Prof. Babcoek, % nothing has thus
far been done to show the action of the
atmosphere, or even of rennet, when other
agents have been excluded, after the work
of coagulating the milk is completed, in the
experiments described in the following
pages, TO determine some of the effects which
these produce on the fat and casein of
cheese" For this purpose cheese was
placed in tight receivers and the air
analysed from time to time. In every case
the oxygen rapidly disappeared, even when
an excess OF oxygen was added, while large
quantities of carbonic acid gas were set
free. To test, whether oxygen is an essential
element in the curing process, portions of
curd were prepared, some of which were
freely exposed to its action, while Others
were entirely excluded from it. The
results of the experiments go to show that
little or no flavor is developed in the
absence of oxygen. Many cases were found
in which the casein was well broken down
without having any flavor. g" 1t was never
developed where oxygen was excluded. On
the contrary (says Prof. 3. cheese of good
favor is often found in which the casein is
hard and insoluble." In conclusion, Prof.
Babcock says: 1.-THE high fiavors peculiar
to the best factory cheese are only developed
in warm, airy place. A curing. room should
not, however, be kept 50 dry that the cheese
will lose its water very rapidly, as in this case,
although high flavor may be obtained, the
caseiR viii not be thoroughly broken down,
and the cheese will be hard and indigestible.
The breaking down of the casein appears
to be caused by some agent contained
in the rennet, which in many particu-
lars resembles an organized ferment, that
acts very slowly when the amount of water
present in the cheese is less than the casein,
and stops its action entirely when the casein
is in large excess. a good illustration of the
fact that cheese will not cure when deprived
OF large part of its water is furnished by
the formation of the rind, this being COM
posed of q thin layer Of cssein which has par
tally dried before the curing has made much
progress. A rindw not form on cheese kept
In moist atmosphere, nor on the cut surface
of cured cheese. / believe that lack of wa
ter is the chief reason why cheese made from
skinned milk is so difficult to cure. Analy-
ses show that, although the percentage of wa
ter is usually high in such cheese, the ratio of
water to casein is much less than in cheese
made from whole milk"