The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-05-14
Important Factors in Curing Cheese.

Professor l.. B. Arnold in paper on
curing cheese read before the Dairy
mems Association, said: when it is
desired to have cheese fit for use IN
thirty to sixty days, and having keeping
quality to last from four to six months,
rennet enough should be used to cause
coagulation to begin in nights and
mornings milk in fifteen minutes at
ninety degrees, provided it is to be
cured at seventy degrees in air of aver
age moisture. The amount of moisture
in curd affects the length of time re-
quired for curing, since whey contains
four or five per cent of milk sugar, which
is liable to be changed into Tactic acid,
which, as has been stated, binders cur
ing. If there is too little water in the
curd the action of the rennet will be re-
tarded and the curing 90 slowly, not
withstanding there is less acid formed
to hinder its progress. The action of
rennet has been explained to be the ac-
ton of digestion; to go on well it must
have plenty of moisture. The drier the
curd, all other conditions being the
same, the slower the curing and the
longer the lifetime to the cheese. The
life of cheese may be prolonged al
most indefinitely simply by reducing its
moisture, with but little variation in
other respects. A cheese which is a
very long time in curing seldom cures
as evenly and as perfectly, and is con-
sequently not so easily and perfectly
dissolved and digested, as when cured
more rapidly. Lack of water seems to
be the principal reason why skim cheese
is generally so impertectly cured and
much poorer in quality than they need
be. 1t would be safe rule to leave in
water enough to equal the weight of
casein, no matter whether it was large
or small. When a pound of cheese is
made from ten pounds of average milk
the per cent. of water and of casein will
be very nearly equal.
Another important factor in curing
cheese is temperature. A variation to
temperature in the curing room may be
made to hurry or retard the progress or
alter the character of the curing.
There is always some particular tenn
perature at which cheese, according
to its make, cures best. A cheese with
a tight, rubber-like rind must be cured
slowly, or more gas will be pressed in
it than can escape through its rind, and
it will puff. A cheese full of fat must
also cure slowly to prevent overhead
ing on account of the heat developed
within it. The inside of cheese cures
faster than the outside, for the reason
that the outside is drier than the inside
from the easier escape of moisture, and
also because the heat developed in the
oxidation going on all through the
cheese is given off, like the moisture.
more rapidly from the exterior than the
interior. A cheese with but little fatin
it oxidizes slowly and of course de-
velops but little warmth. Skim cheese
requires little warmer room than one
from whole milk.
Salt enters into the question of cur
ing, because it affects the amount of
water in curd. 1t gives frmness and
flavor to cheese, but it absorbs three
times its own weight in dissolving. A
green cheese, then, placed in curing
room, is affected by the amount of rem
ret and moisture it contains, by tenn
perature, air. acid, fermentation and
salt, and at the same time, it NAV be
added, 1t has power of absorbing odors
from its surroundings.