CHEESE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 2, 15 February 1913, Page 173

CHEESE.

EXAMINATION FOR CONTENT OF MOISTURE AND FAT.

(Concluded. )

W. E. GWILLIM.

The data given in the three lists* of cheese examined should make the matter almost self-explanatory, and, as the work of examination is proceeding with the season, discussion at this stage may be limited to a few features. The chief characteristic which distinguishes Cheddar cheese from other varieties of “ hard ” or pressed cheese is a certain firmness, closeness, and mellowness of body accompanied by a particular flavour, derived principally from a small amount of the sugar of milk converted into lactic acid. This certain amount of acid is essential to every Cheddar cheese, and when it is present the cheese is described as “ normal for acid.” A well-made cheese, normal for acid, made from pure and sound whole milk of clean flavour, requires only proper curing to develop the requisite flavour and mellowness of body. In the making of cheese under normal conditions the whole of the fat, casein, and other cheesemaking solids of the milk, less a small and nearly uniform percentage which is mechanically and unavoidably lost, go almost automatically into the resultant cheese, therefore one of the chief aims of the cheese-maker in his work of making cheese of the quality in demand is directed to controlling the content of acid and moisture. The information in the fists of examinations ’will help to demonstrate to a certain extent how successful or otherwise the various cheesemakers concerned have been in their efforts to efficiently produce good cheese from the raw material supplied to them. For a cheese to be of good body and texture and just what the market requires does not necessarily mean that the two chief constituents which give to cheese a rich and mellow qualityviz., fat and moisture —must always be present in the same ratio. The ratios vary. Sometimes the percentage of fat exceeds that of the moisture, sometimes the reverse, and, again, the percentages may be about even. This feature is peculiar to Cheddar cheese, and has been so ever since

Cheddar cheese has been made and reports on quality and analysis for constituents recorded. These variations still obtain. Three instances may be noted in the present examinations, viz., — (1.) Factory 9 in list A : 37-7 per cent, moisture, 33-2 per cent. fat. (2.) „ 76 „ B: 33-6 „ 36-8 (3.) „ 85 ~ B: 360 „ 36-0 The body and texture of these cheese left very little to be desired. In this connection it is worth remarking that the first of the three is nearly 1 per cent, above the average for moisture-content, and a shade below the average fat-content of the average of the sixty cheese in the list in which it is included. In list A the average moisture-content is 36-85 per cent., and in 95 per cent, of the cheese the moisture is between 35 and 38 per cent The average fat-content is 33-64 per cent., and in 75 per cent, of the cheese the range is between 32 and 35 per cent. In list B the average moisture-content is 36-25 per cent., and in 83 per cent, of the cheese the range is between 35 and 38 per cent. The average fat-content is 33-78 per cent., and in 81 per cent, of the cheese the range is between 32 and 35 per cent. In list C the average moisture-content is 36-06 per cent., and in 66 per cent, of the cheese the range is between 35 and 38 per cent. The average fat-content is 33-73, and in 75 per cent, of the cheese the range is between 32 and 35 per cent. The cheese in this list are of indifferent make, and 27 per cent, were graded second-grade on account of defects in body and texture. A comparison of the summary of these cheese with the summaries of the others is not of much value, as the cheese do not represent an average of the quality of cheese exported. The first grades are of a quality which is not appreciated very highly, and the second grades are such as the market would be the better for being without. It- may, however, be noted that the average moisture-content is lower than in the other summaries, and fat-content is about the same. There is a wider range in the moisture-content. In one instance the moisture is over 39 per cent, and the body and texture was soft, sticky, and acid cut. This cheese is worth less commercially than a well-made cheese ; also, it is probable that the extra loss of cheesemaking solids which took place in the making would not be counterbalanced in weight by the presence of the extra amount of moisture over that in an average cheese.

With regard to the variations in the fat and moisture content of .all the cheese examined, it may be mentioned that the cheese, were not

of exactly the same age, and if they had been the variations would have been within narrower limits.

It will be noted that some cheese are remarked on as “ green ” or “on green side.” It is to be regretted that cheese which are still in a more or less curdy condition are forwarded for shipment. When in this condition the cheese have still to lose a certain amount of moisture, and, although the shipper may be credited with more weight than if the cheese were in a proper condition for shipment, the receiver will get less weight of cheese than he is honestly entitled to and a class of cheese which he will have to hold until the greenness disappears. The practice of shipping green cheese is reprehensible, and one which is easiest to find out. Fortunately for the good of our reputation the practice is indulged in by only a small minority of the shippers.

With regard to the value of a knowledge of the component parts of the cheese at the time of grading, it is not apparent from the results of these examinations that the knowledge would be of any practical value to the grader. A cheese is judged according to its merits as a cheese. The component parts are necessarily within narrow limits. Just what the ratio of these different parts is depends largely on the skill of the maker, the care of the cheese from the time of making to the time of judging, and, in a less degree, on the age of the cheese and the ratio of the cheesemaking solids in the milk from which it was made.

A further factor, and perhaps one as valuable as all the others put together, and one that exerts a dominating influence at all stages in the making and at all times in the life of the cheese, is, in the first place, the condition of the milk . in respect to its freedom or otherwise from impurities and undesirable flavours. A good cheese, well made and well cared for, contains all the available cheesemaking solids of the whole milk, and combined with this matter is that percentage of moisture necessary to its perfection. This percentage cf moisture is no specific or arbitrary amount, and never has been and probably never will be. In the sixty well-made cheese examined in list A the average moisture-content was 36-85 per cent., and the content ranged in individual cheese from 35-0 to 38-2 per cent. List C. Particulars of forty-one samples of cheese examined for content of moisture and fat, "ex lots from twenty-one factories graded at gradingports as stated, and shipped by various Home-going steamers which sailed 17th October to 24th December, 1912, inclusive. Cheese scoring 27 points and over for body and texture are first grade; below 27 points are second grade.

* See last month’s Journal for Lists A and B.

No. for Factory Brand. Moisture. Fat. Casein and other Solids. Notes at Time of Sampling. Age, Days old. Body and Texture. Points for. . Remarks on. Tested to 17th October., 1912. Graded at Wellington. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. 89 32-3 34-0 33-7 ' 27 Too firm, harsh, close. 89 33-8 34-8 31-4 27 Too firm, harsh, close. 89 33-6 33-6 32-8 ' 27 Too firm, harsh, close. Tested to 1st November, 1912. Graded at Wellington. ■ 75 37-2 34-8 28-0 27| Little pasty. 56 34-8: 36-8 ■ 28-4 26| Harsh, sweet, pinholey. 90 35-6 32-8 ■ 31-6 26 Acid cut. Tested to 16th November, 1912. Graded at Wellington. 2 38-1 33-6 28-3 27 Pasty, loose. 91 36-0 33-6 30-4 27 Sweet holes, smooth. 91 34-6 34-0 31-4 27 Dry, acidy. 92 37-2 33-2 29-6 261 Green, weak, acidy. 93 - 36-0 34-4 29-6 27 Green, harsh. 94 37-0 34-4 28-6 27 Pasty. Tested to 28th November, 1912. Graded at Wellington. 2 37-7 32-4 29-9 27 Pasty, loose. 95 36-0 340 30-0 271 ■ Sweet, on firm side, close 96 35-2 34-4 30-4 27| ■ Little stiff and open. 51 39-5 32-4 28-1 26 Acid cut, soft, sticky. 97 38-0 32-8 29-2 29 26 Acid cut, soft, sticky. 49 37-4 31-2 31-4 27 Sweet holes, smooth. 89 32-4 36-0 31-6 35 26J Stiff, dry. Graded at Patea. 98 37-5 34-0 28-5 . 29 26 Green, harsh, acid cut. Tested to 11th December, 1912. Graded at Wellington. 2 38-0 32-0 300 15 27 Weak, loose. 2 37-6 32-0 30-4 17 . 27 Weak, loose. 2 . 39-0 . 31-8 29-2 16 27 Weak, loose. 94 35-8 34-0 30-2 21 . 27 Weak, little sweet. 99 35-6 32-0 32-4 17 • 27 Dry, mealy. 99 34-8 32-8 32-4 24 27 Dry, mealy. 100 33-6 34-4 32-0 24 27 Dry, too firm. 92 35-4 34-6 30-0 26 Acid cut, dry, greasy. 92 35-8 34-0 30-2 26 Acid cut, dry, greasy. Graded at Patea. Patea. 70 37-9 30-8 31-3 25 26 Acid cut, soft, sticky.

No. for Factory Brand. Moisture. Fat. Casein and other Solids. Notes at Time of Sampling. Age, Days old. Notes at Time of Sampling. Body and Texture. Points for. Remarks on. Graded at Lyttelton. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. 101 Per Cent. 33-2 Per Cent. 34-8 Graded at Lyttelton. Per Cent. 32-0 | .. 27 Too firm, dry, close. • • 27 Too firm, dry, close. Tested to 27th December, 1912. Graded at Wellington. 1 37-4 6 31-2 raded at W 31-4 dlingto? 12 i. 26 Green, harsh, greasy. 2 38-0 33-2 28-8 24 27 Weak, loose. 13 37-8 31-2 31-0 26 27 Weak, loose. 94 32-8 34-4 32-8 16 27 Green, mealy. 94 33-6 32-4 34-0 12 27 Green, dry. 94 35-2 34-4 30-4 11 27 Green, mealy. 94 35-3 33-6 31-1 10 27 Green, mealv. 94 36-0 34-4 29-6 10 27 Green, mealy. Graded at New Plymouth. 102 38-0 Gr 34-0 aded at New Plymouth. 28-0 i 26 27 26 Weak, sticky. 27 Weak, sticky. 85 37-8 33-6 28-6 23 27 Weak, sticky. Average 36-06 33-73 30-21

List A. Moisture-content. Highest. 38-2 Lowest. 35-0 Average. 36-85 Range. No. of Samples. . Per Cent. 34-0 to 35 .. 1 1-67 35-1 to 36 11 - .. 18-33 36-1 to 37 25 41-66 37-1 to 38 21 35-00 Over 38 2 3-34 60 100-00 Fat-content. Highest. Lowest. Average. 36-8 31-2 33-64 Range. . No. of Samples; Per Gent. 31-0 to 32 6 10-00 ' 32-1 to 33 12 . 20-00 33-1 to 34 27 45-00 34-1 to 35 6 10-00 35-1 to 36 8 13-33 Over 36 1 1-67 60 100-00

List B. Moisture-content. Highest. 38-8 > Lowest. 33-4 Average. 36-25 Range. No. of Samples. Per Cent. 33-0 to 34 .. 2 1-90 34-1 to 35 12 11-43 35-1 to 36 30 ■ 28-57 36-1 to 37 36 34-29 37-1 to 38 .. ■ ™ 21 20-00 Over 38 4 3-81 105 100-00 Fat-content. Highest. Lowest. Average. 36-8 . 30-4 33-78 Range. No. of Samples. Per Cent. 30-0 to 31 2 1-90 31-1 to 32 3 2-86 32-1 to 33 21 .. 20-00 33-1 to 34 :. . 42 40-00 34-1 to 35 22 20-95 35-1 to 36 14 13-34 Over 36 1 0-95 105 100-00 List 0. Moisture-content. Highest. ' Lowest. Average. 39-5 32-3 36-06 Range. No. of Samples. Per Cent. 32-0 to 33 3 7-32 33-1 to 34 5 . .. 12-19 34-1 to 35 3 7-32 35-1 to 36 ..12 29-27 36-1 to 37 1 2-44 37-1 to 38 14 .. 34-15 38-1 to 39 2 • .. ■ 4-87 ■ Over 39 1 2-44 41 100-00 Fat-content. Highest. Lowest. Average. 36-8 30-8 33-73 Range. No. of Samples. Per Cent. 30-0 to 31 1 2-44 31-1 to 32 .. 7 17-07 32-1 to 33 6 14-63 33-1 to 34 14 34-15 34-1 to 35 11 26-83 35-1 to 36 1 2-44 Over 36 1 .. 2-44 41 ' 100-00

Summary of Percentages.