The times., 1901-03-24
A NEW WAY TO CURE CHEESE.
Application of Recent Discoveries in
the Chemistry of MIX.
CFrom the New York Evening Post.

Dairymen and cheese-makers in this
State are likely to be affected in an i'm
portant way by recent discoveries in the
chemistry of milk which, IL is claimed,
will reyolutionize the present methods of
curing cheese. New York. as is Well
known, stands first among the cheese
producing States. both in the quantity and
reputation OF It's product There are more
than a thousand cheese factories in the
State, each of which maintains curing
rooms of it's own, where the cheese is kept
at a fixed temperature to 'ripen that Is,
TO allow the indigestible curd to fermc1t
and become digestible. If the new theory
turns out to be practical, all these curing
rooms can be discontinued and the cEeeSes
sent direct from the presses to cold StOr-
age houses in the cities, where they can
be cared for in quantity and ripened IN
der uniform conditions.
Briefly stated. the new theory is that
cheese can be ripened by the action Of a
ferment within itself, and without the
presence of the bacteria which have al
WAYS been considered the active agencies
in it's fermentation.
Russell OF the University OF Wisconsin
announced the discovery that all normal
milk contains small percentage of an
inherent ferment which tends to digest
il This discovery was confirmed by the
work of other investigators. including
DR.. Freudenreich, of Berne, Switzerland
Further experiments convinced Drs. Bah
cock and Russell that this galactaSe acted
upon the new cheese and converted it
into an edible product and could do this
without the aid OF the bacteria, which
were at first supposed TO be the sole cause
Of this transformation. In proof of this
experiments were made in curing cheese
at temperatures near or below the freez-
ing point when the bacteria are dormant
or dead.
A large cheese dealer in Chicago has
already decided to contract for the entire
product of "A Wisconsin cheese factory,
each days product to be shipped direct to
cold storage warehouses in Chicago, to be
kept there until ready for distribution.
Regarding the practical Application OF
this discovery to conditions in this State,
Joseph H. Geiser. chemist to the New
York State Department OF Agriculture,
and official chemist TO the Mercantile EX-
change said today: 1t appears that the
cheese WHICH Or. Babcock has made by
cnring at T6w temperatures is practically
a new variety, being softer than common
cheese containing more water, and be-
ing Of solid texture without holes or bub-
bles The first thing to find out is wheth-
er The. public want this kind of cheese or
not If they do not and cannot be edu-
Gated up TO il, the discovery is of no com
merciaI value The plan of curing in cold
storage would insure greater cleanliness
in treatment and uniformity of the pro-
duct 1t would also prevent the develop
ment of the injurious bacteria which are
occasionally found in cheese. To make 1t
perfectly safe, the cheese should be ster-
ilized before curing.
+ j. III. kFacke, Assistant Commission
er of the State Department OF ASficu-
ture. said that If the cod-curing process
turned out to be feasible. ii would be OF
great importance to the cheese-makihs
industry.