DEFECTS IN CHEESE.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17570, 8 March 1929, Page 8

DEFECTS IN CHEESE.

CRITICISM MERITED

MR, SINGLETON’S REMARKS

Speaking on the quality of cheese in his address at the Dairy Managers' Conference. Mr. W. M. Singleton, director of the dairy division of tiie Department of Agriculture, said that much of tho criticism received of late was merited so far as some factories were concerned.

Accusations had been made of rapid manufacture, of cheese retaining excess moisture, and with reference to openness. Mr. Singleton believed there was nothing new in these. Some of the openness was certainly preventable and given a sound milk supply and orthodox methods of manufacture it would not obtain. The dairy division’s bacteriologist, Mr. Morgan, had shown that the germ bacillus subtilis was responsible for many of the slow starters or slow curds, and caused lack of development of acidity. That germ was -widely spread, and was common on bay, straw and dust, etc. A lack of acidity was a very common cause of openness. Excess moisture in eheeso was also conducive to openness.

‘There were in New Zealand dairy companies which had sold their cheese for a longer or shorter period, and on the basis of the same price for “first grade” as “finest.” The advice he liacl received was to the effect that some of _those preferred to make a “first grade” so as to sell that extra moisture whidh caused sufficient openness to reduce a cheese from “finest” to “first grade.” Indeed,it was stated for the same reason, some companies went even farther and demanded from their manager a. low, rather than a high scoring “first grade.” It seemed doubtful whether much improvement in quality could he expected from such companies until they were paid for their cheese in accordance with, quality. There had been some loss on New Zealand cheese this season through defective Colour. That appeared to be a hot weather complaint, and in a number of instances was traceable to lack of care of utensils at the farm, and was accentuated by the return of whey in the milk cns. Efficient farm industry instruction had been effective in getting the difficulty* overcome.