The Bacteriology of Brick Cheese. II. Comparison of Washed-Curd and Conventional Methods of Manufacture

Abstract

Summary 1In an effort to remedy the acid defect common in high moisture Brick cheese a process was introduced for washing the curd with water before dipping. After this treatment enough fermentable lactose remained in the curd to lower the pH to about 5.00–5.15 in cheese with a moisture content of 40–42 per cent. 2Of the several washing procedures tried the wash (25 pounds of water added per 100 pounds of milk, 50 pounds of whey removed and replaced with 50 pounds of water) gave the best product. The cheese made by this method had a mild and clean flavor, soft and smooth body and a medium close texture. 3The washing process had no noticeable effect upon the rate of development of the starter bacteria as detectable by the cultural counts, but there was a slightly slower rate of acid formation in the washed-curd cheese. Acid formation ceased soon in the washed-curd cheese because of the exhaustion of the lactose. A combination of Str. lactis and Str. thermophilus was a better starter than either alone. 4The occurrence of undesirable fermentations was more pronounced in the washed-curd than in the conventional cheese, due probably to the relatively lower acidity in the former. However, with milk of good quality undesirable fermentations did not appear when the mixed starter was used, and the washed-curd cheese was superior to the other in flavor and body as well as in moisture content.