Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-06-29
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SWISS CHEESE PRODUCTION.
Becoming an Important Factor I'm
the United States.


the United States.
The manufacture Of Swiss cheese
is rapidly growing In the United
States, and has already become an
important factor In regions where
special attention is given to cheese
making, as In Wisconsin. The in
dustry is handicapped. however,
more or less by serious losses due to
abnormal fermentation. These are,
as a rule, consequence OF careless
methods. and result IN defective
cheese.
In q bulletin of the Wisconsin Sta
ticn H. L. Russell report the results
Of study of the causes of an out
break Of gassy fermentation OF an
unusual nature in Swiss cheese, which
was the cause Of serious loss In fac
tory in that State, due to the defec-
tive cheese produced.
The defective condition referred
to does not appear while the milk Is
being worked up into cheese, nor
immediately after they are taken
from the press. The first abnormal
condition is generally noted In the
brine tank. When placed therein the
cheese do not seem to absorb salt in
the usual way, this condition doubt
less being due to the absence OF
those normal ripening changes which
are associated with the breaking
down of the casein. The first most
evident symptom Of trouble usually
appears when the cheese have been
on the shelves for week or so. The
edge of the cheese cracks or opens.
generally near the junction Of the
top or bottom and the side. This
split continues to increase in length,
running around the circumference OF
the cheese, and in severe cases the
interior Of the curd may be forced
out through this crack.
This is of course due to the pres
sure of gas within the cheese. Re-
lief from this pressure occurs at this
point because resistance is less here
than elsewhere. Sometimes the
cheese huff" without splitting in this
way, but generally they do not show
marked evidence from the outside.
Usually the cheese have a poor text
ure, remain tough and rubbery, even
when Of considerable age. When a
plug Is drawn or the cheese Is cut,
the gaseous fermentation Is usually
very evident. The texture shows
abundant gas holes of varying size.
These are always more numerous
than are to be found In normal No.
/ Swiss. Sometimes cheese are found
that split open on the edge and still
show solid body. In all cases, how
ever, the flavor is decidedly of,
disagreeable sweet taste being OBJ
served. The affected cheese are also
usually off in color. Very gassy
cheese are badly bleached. Neither
do the cheese seem to have the usual
degree Of acidity.
Investigation showed that the abb
normal fermentation was due to the
presence of yeast cells which in some
unknown way had gained access to
the milk and had passed into the
cheese.
The trouble appears to be largely
due to the factory methods and espe-
cially to the way the whey is handled.
Where the whey Is held for twen-
ty-four hours to allow It to sour. so
as to permit the butter fat to be more
thoroughly skinned, yeast organ
isms of this type are almost sure to
develop in greater or less numbers.
II the butter fat left In the whey
after the curd Is taken out could be
removed Immediately or within q
short time, no such development as
this could take place. Such cen be
done by immediate separation Of
the whey In cream separator. >.
The quality OF the butter Is enough
better and the quantity secured
enough larger to warrant the install
lation Of machinery which will do
this work. OF course, the installation
OF steam to furnish power could not
economically be made in the smaller
factories, but such course would
doubtless prove advantageous In the
long run In the factories where a
larger amount OF milk is handled
The present custom Of souring the
whey Is not nearly as satisfactory
from this point Of view as the now
pretty generally discarded method OF
scalding the whey to get the butter
fat.
The practice Of soaking whole rem
nets In whey without boiling or heat
ing the latter is condemned. The use
of commercial rennet extracts is con-
sidered preferable. II whole rem
nets are employed, heated whey
should be used, aud particular care
should be given to the rennet jars,
which should receive a thorough
sterilization at frequent intervals.