MILK FOR CHEESE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20728, 11 February 1939, Page 27 (Supplement)

MILK FOR CHEESE

HARO CURD PRODUCT "Hard curd milk produces more and better cheese than does soft curd mil£, according to investigations by two American research workers. Recognising that milk which developed a soft flaky curd in the stomach was best adapted for infant feeding, they j devised equipment some years ago for testing the hardness of the curd of milk from various sources. They found that milk from different cows showed varying degrees of hardness according to their test, and in actual feeding trials it was found that milk from cows producing soft curd milk was digested without discomfort and was highly beneficial to the infant. This discovery has been utilised in America by producers of "baby milk.” These discoveries led to further investigation as to what effect the natural hardness of the curd of milk had when this milk was manufactured into cheese. When milk was taken from the same breed of cattle, the average yield per 1001 b. of milk was in some cases 28 per cent higher for a comparatively small difference in the hardness of the curd, even though the soft curd milk almost invariably had a higher fat test. It required more time to cook the soft curd milk, the whey from this cheese having a much higher acidity and the loss of fat in the whey was nearly one-third higher. It required one hour less time to mat the soft curd cheese, but it w’as soft, mushy and almost in a runny condition dur- , ing the matting process. The soft / mird cheese ripened several times faster and had a greater tendency to develop ‘‘off flavours.’* Its keeping quality was especially poor, spoilage often starting within a month after its manufacture. The body and texture of the hard curd cheese was superior, and its flavour was more delicate and pleasing to the taste. The milk from cows producing hard curd milk averaged a test of 3.6 per oent fat. while the soft curd milk averaged only 3.1 per cent fat. The hard curd milk produced an average of 10.281 b. cheese per 1001 b. milk, or 1.751 b. more than from the 1001 b. of the soft curd milk. Furthermore, the hard curd milk produced 2.831 b. cheese per pound fat, as oompared with 2.771 b. for the soft curd milk, despite the fact that the hard curd milk tested higher by a-half per cent fat.