260. An objective measure of the consistency of cheese curd at the pitching point

Abstract

1. A method is described for measuring the consistency of cheese curd during the scalding process which has been found satisfactory with Cheddar, Cheshire, Leicester, Double Gloucester, Caerphilly, Kingston and Derby cheese and is probably applicable to some other varieties.2. The property (W/h), taken as a criterion of consistency, can be measured within less than 1 min. and is highly correlated with moisture content except when abnormal scalding conditions produce an uneven distribution of moisture in the curd. The size of cut does not affect this correlation within wide limits, though both moisture content and W/h are regularly affected by size of cut until the curd is approximately ready to pitch, at which point both properties show unique values independent of size of cut.3. When the curd is nearing the pitching point, W/h measures the extent to which a standard cylinder of curd loses whey, the liquid being replaced in the solid structure by air. At an earlier stage in the scalding process the capacity of the curd to retain its shape under the force of gravity also affects W/h.4. Although the cheese-maker judges the consistency of curd suitable for pitching by a complex mixture of properties, it is believed that Wjh will serve as an effective single-value criterion of consistency, suitable for judging pitching time if the acidity is also known.