Relationship of Curing Temperatures to Quality of American Cheddar Cheese

Abstract

Summary One hundred and sixteen vats of milk of good quality were made into cheese, and the four duplicate cheeses made from each vat were stored as follows: One was held for 6 months at 34° F.; one for 3 months at 50° plus 3 months at 34° ; one for 6 months at 50° ; and one for 3 months at 60° plus 3 months at 34°. In the group stored for 3 months at 50° plus 3 months at 34° F., and also in the group stored 6 months at 50°, the majority of the cheeses were better in quality than the duplicates (or controls) that were stored 6 months at 34°. But in the group stored 3 months at 60° plus 3 months at 34°, the majority of the cheeses were poorer in quality than the duplicates stored 6 months at 34°. Of the 116 cheeses that were stored 6 months at 50° F., about 68 per cent had a score of 92 or more at the end of the storage period and the other 32 per cent had a score of less than 92. Of the high-scoring group, 87 per cent were better in quality than, or as good as, the duplicate that was stored 6 months at 34°; whereas, of the lower-scoring group, only 32 per cent were better than, or as good as, the duplicate stored 6 months at 34°. From these data, it appears that if a cheese is destined as a result of some inherent defect in the making process to have a score below 92, it will have a relatively higher score if it is held at 34° F. than if it is cured at 50°. When cheese is held 6 months at 34° F., the percentage that will score 92 or better will be about the same whether the moisture content is above or below 38 per cent. When cheese is cured at any of the three higher temperatures used in this experiment, however, the percentage scoring 92 or better will be from 5 to 15 per cent in favor of the low-moisture cheese. Cheese made from milk of good quality and by methods which insure cheese of good quality can be cured at temperatures as high as 50° F. with reasonable certainty of developing a clean and characteristic Cheddar flavor. From past observations cheese made from bacteriologically poor milk or so manipulated that there is a tendency to develop acid, bitter, or other off-flavors, should be stored at 34° F. in order to retard the development of these defects as much as possible.