S F 

I8 



^ 



U. S. DEPARTMVINT OF AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU t)F ANIMAL INDUSTRY— Bulletin No. 98. 

A. D. MHLVIN, Cmtf oy Bupeai. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN THE MANUFACTURE 
AND CURING OF CHEESE. 



IVII.-DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THE 
CAMEMBERT TYPE OF CHEESE. 



BY 



THEODUKh W . ISSAJhFh. 

Expnf Cheewtnakti . nairy />iiisio>t. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVHRNMliNI" PRINTING olllCK. 
1^)07. 




Gass-ilA-^T/ 
Book Jl 



Ai^i-^ 



Issued May 11, 1907. 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY.— BULLKTiN No. 98. 

A. D. Mfil.VIN, Chief of Bureau. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN THE MANUFACTURE j'S f 
AND CURING OF CHEESE. <^^ 



VIl.-DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THE 
CAMEMBERT TYPE OF CHEESE. 



BY 
THEODORE W. IS.SAJEFE, 

'r 
Expert Cheeseynaker, Dairy Division. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1907. 



.^: 



4Z<^ 



^' 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



Chief: A. D. Melvix. 
Asxistatit Chief: A. M. KAKRiNciToN. 
Chief Clerk: E. B. Jones. 

Biochemic Dirisiori: Marion Dorskt, chief; James A. EiMERv, assistant chief. 
Dainj THiision: Ed. H. Webster, chief; C. B. Lane, assistant chief. 
Inspection Division: Rice P. Steddom, chief; Morris Wooden, assistant chief. 
Pathologinil Division: John R. Mohler, chief; Henry J. Washburn, assistant 
chief. 

Quarantine Division: Richard W. Hickman, chief. 

Division of Zoologi/: B. H. Ransom, chief. 

Experiment Station: E. C. Schroeder, superintendent; W. E. Cotton, assistant. 

Animal ITushandman: George M. Rommel. 

Editor: James M. Pickens. 



Chief: Ed. H. Webster. 
Assistant Chief: C. B. Lane. 
Assistant: Win. Hart Dexter. 



DAIRY DIVISION. 



scientific staff. 



Market milk invc-'<ligations: C. B. Lane, assistant chief, in charge; R. H. Shaw, 
chemist; George M. ^^'hitaker, Ellis M. Santee, Ivan C. Weld, A. E. Perkins, 
assistants. 

Butter investigations: C. E. Gray, assistant dairyman, in charge; C. W. Fryhofer, 
assistant; E. A. McDonald, W. J. Credicott, market inspectors. 

Cheese investigations: C. F. Doane, assistant dairyman, in charge. American varie- 
ties: John L. Sammis, chemist; J. W. Moore, expert ' maker. European varieties: 
Charles Thom, mycologist; Arthur W. Dox, chemit,t; T. W. Issajeff, expert maker. 

Southern dairy investigations: B. H. Rawl, assistant dairyman, in charge; Duncan 
Stuart, J. A. Conover, S. E. Barnes, J. W. Ridgeway, J. E. Dorman, T. E. Wood- 
ward, J. C. Kendall, assistants. 

Building and management investigations: B. D. White, expert in charge; K. E. 
Parks, architect. 

Dairy laboratories: L. A. Rogers, bacteriological chemist, in charge. 

inspection staff. 

Renovated Itntter factories: M. W. Lang, 510 Northwestern Building, Chicago, 111., 
in charge. 

Renovated butter markets: Levi Wells, Laceyville, Pa., in charge. 

Inspectors: Robert McAdara, 510 Northwestern Building, Chicago, 111.; George M. 
Whitaker, Washington, D. C. ; E. A. McDonald, Seattle, Wash. 

Deputy inspectors: S. B. Willis, Boston, Mass.; R. A. McBride, J. H. Barrett, 6 
Harrison street, New York, N. Y. ; H. P. Olsen. St. Paul, Minn. 

2 

^/lAY 11 1907 
D. ofD. 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Bureau of Animal Industry, 

Was/mujton, D. C, March ^2, 1907. 

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, and to recommend for 
publication as Bulletin No. 98 of this Bureau, a paper by Theodore W. 
Issajeff, giving" directions for making the Camembert type of cheese. 
This paper is based upon results of the investigations in the manu- 
facture of European varieties of soft cheese which have been in prog- 
ress for some time at the Storrs (Conn.) Agricultural Experiment 
Station by cooperation between that station and the Dairy Division of 
this Bureau, the author being an expert cheese maker on the coopera- 
tive staff. 

Readers who may desire fuller information as to the nature and 
character of Camembert and other soft cheeses, the molds used in 
their ripening, the methods followed in their manufacture in Europe, 
etc., are referred to the following publications of the Bureau: Bulletin 
No. 71, " The Camembert Type of Soft Cheese in the United States;" 
Bulletin No. 82, "Fungi in Cheese Ripening: Camembert and Roque- 
fort," and an article on "Soft-Cheese Studies in Europe" in the 
Twenty-second Annual Report (for 1905). 

Respectfully, A. D. Melvin, 

Chief of Bureau. 

Hon. James Wilson, 

8ecreta7'y of Agriculture. 



NTRODUCTION. 



For the past three years cooperative exi)eriments have been con- 
ducted l)etween the Storrs (Conn.) Ag-ricultural Experiment Station 
and the Dairy Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry, United 
States Department of Agriculture, for the purpose of determining the 
nu^thods of making and ripening- cheese of the Camembert type. This 
is one of the varieties of European soft cheese imported inconsiderable 
([uantities and considered })y many a great delicacy. There is a growing 
demand for cheese of this type in the United States, and there is no 
reason why the industry of making this cheese should not be developed 
in this country. The directions given in this bulletin are not mere 
compilations, but are founded upon research work covering a period 
of more than three years. The Storrs Station is now prepared to 
assist factories and individuals in undertaking the manufacture of this 
type of cheese. 

L. A. Clinton, 
Director Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 

The cheese-making plant 7 

Equipment of the making room 7 

Equipinent of ripening rooms 8 

Construction and condition of the rooms 9 

Protection against insects 11 

The making of the cheese 11 

The milk 11 

Ripening the milk 11 

The starter 12 

Adding the rennet 12 

Cutting the curd 12 

Dipping the curd into the forms. 13 

Inoculation and turning 14 

Salting 15 

Making cheese from uncut curd 16 

The use of the low forms 16 

Eipening the cheese 17 

Factory methods 18 

Various defects of cheese 18 

Estimated equipment for a factory 20 

5 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Page. 

Fig. 1. Titration apparatus for (ieterniining acidity of milk 7 

2. Curd knife and dipper 8 

8. Large and small hoops, or forms 8 

4. Draining board 9 

5. Draining mat 9 

6. Cane bottom for ripening cheese 10 

7. Cheese boards, mats, and forms as arranged for draining cheese 14 

8. Method of turning cheese 15 

9. Salting the cheese 15 

10. Gassy curd 19 

6 



DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THE CAMEMBERT TYPE OF 

CHEESE. 



THE CHEESE-MAKING PLANT. 

The lirst problem to be considered is the construction of a suitable 
plant in which the chaese is to be made and ripened. The description 
which is here given is not of the plant in which 
our experiments have been carried out, but is 
rather of one which is designed to meet certain 
requirements discussed later, and which expe- 
rience has taught us would be most satisfac- 
tory. 

The plant suggested consists of three rooms, 
the first of which is used for the making of the 
cheese, the second for growing the molds and 
for the first stage of ri])ening, and the third for 
the subsequent and tinal ripening. The size of 
these rooms depends chiefly upon the quantity 
of milk which is to be handled. 

EQUIPMENT OF THE MAKING ROOM. 

Vats. — For the making of Camembert cheese 
an ordinary fiat- bottomed cheese vat is just as 
satisfactory as the basins used in France. 

Apparatus for determining ripeneHn. — A Mar- 
shall rennet test is useful in testing the ripeness 
of the milk. A more convenient and accurate 
apparatus, however, is one for determining the 
percentage of aciditv, and consists of a burette 
connected by a siphon to a large bottle of a 
one-tenth normal solution of caustic soda (NTO 
NaOH). (Fig. 1.) 

Curd hn If e and dipper. — A curd knife of the 
ordinary type must be provided in case the curd is to be cut, and also 
a dipper similar in shape to a soup ladle. (Fig. 2.) 

■ 7 




Pig. 1. — Titration apparatus 
for determining- acidity of 
milk. 



DIRKCTIONS FOR MAKING CAMEMBERT CHEESE. 




Fig. 2. — Curd kiiilV' and dippor. 



Drain ttH/ fahle. — The draining table, one end of which is a little 
hioher than the other, is placed near the vat. The top of this table 
slopes somewhat from both sides toward the center. It is best to have 
the table on wheels, so that it will be movable. 

Hoops, orfoivns. — The hoops in which the cheeses are made are cylin- 
drical in shape and 
open at l)oth ends. 
They are made of 
galvanized iron, are 
5 inches in height 
and 4 inches in diam- 
eter, and are ))i-ovided with three rows of holes about 1 inch apart. 
The size of the holes is about one-eighth of an inch, and there are 
thirteen holes in a row. A second set of hoops, 2 inches in height, 
with one row of holes around the center, is made with a slightly larger 
diameter (one-eighth of an inch larger is sufficient), so that they will 
slide freely over the others. (Fig. 3.) 

Boards. — The draining boards are made of whitewood and have 
parallel grooves on both sides to 
enable the whey to run off 
readily. These grooves are 
about one-sixteenth of an inch 
wide and of the same depth, and 
are about one-eighth of an inch 
apart. The boards are about 
l-i by 1.5 inches in size, or large 
enough to hold nine cheeses of 
common size. (Fig. 4.) 

Mats. — Square mats of the 
same size are needed to cover 
these boards. They are pref- 
erabl}^ made of fine baml)oo 
stri})s. closely fastened together 
with strings. They resemble 
somewhat the bamboo strip 
curtains. (Fig. 5.) 

Cane bottoms. — Cane bottoms 
are often used. They are of the 
same size as the draining boards 
and' are used as supports for the cheese during the ripening process. 
(Fig. 6.) 

EQUIPMENT OF KIFFNINC ROOMS. 

The equipment necessary for the ripening rooms consists of shelves 
on which the cheeses rest and means for controUinu' at all times the 




Fig. 3.— Large and small lioops, or forms. 



CONSTRUCTION AND CONDITION OF MAKING ROOM. 




Fic;. 4.— Draining board. 



temperature and moisture of the rooms. The shelves are made of 
hardwood and are about 5 inches apart, so as to allow the l)oards and 
cheeses to slide in and 
out freely. They are 
built from lloor to ceil- 
ing in order to econo- 
mize space. Steam and 
brine pipes will best fur- 
nish the means of con- 
trolling temperature 
and moisture. 

CONSTRUCTION AND CON- 
DITION OF THE ROOMS. 

Mahlng room. — One of 
the first requirements is 
that of absolute cleanli- 
ness. The floor should 
be of cement or some 
other water-tight mate- 
rial, and should slope 
toward a drain-pipe, so 

that it can be readily flushed witii water. The walls can be made of 

wood or brick, prefer- 
a1)ly the latter, and 
should be covered with 
whitewash or enamel 
paint. This coat of 
whitewash or paint 
should be renewed from 
time to time after clean- 
ing ofl' any dirt that 
may accumulate, and 
also for the purpose of 
disinfecting the room if 
this should be needed. 

The room must be fre- 
quently ventilated, no 
matter what the tem- 
perature of the outside 
air may be, and yet it is 
to be maintained at a 
constant temperature, 
be provided, as stoves or other heat- 
the room as quickly or satisfactorily. 




Fig. 5.— Draining mat. 



For this purpose steam should 
ing arrangements do not warm 

29778— No. 98— 07m 2 



10 



DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING CAMEMBERT CHEESE. 



All ordinary dair}^ sink, with water and steam taps, is necessar}'. 
The steam pipe should connect with the water pipe l)}^ a tee, so that 
the water can be heated to any desired temperature. 

As the tools can not be properly cleaned with hot water alone, it is 
advisable to provide a steam chest or sterilizer of some sort where 
the\' can be left in contact with live steam. A strong wooden box, 
lined with galvanized iron and having- a valve at the bottom as an 
outlet for condensed water, has been found to be very satisfactory. 
It is provided with a strong cover^ which can be fastened to the box 
with clamps. The whole arrangement should be made so as to stand 
a slight pressure. This box is especially useful for sterilizing the 

boards and cane 
bottoms used to 
hold the cheeses 
duringthe ripening 
process. 

First rij)enlng 
room. — The first 
r i p e n i n g r o o m 
must be nearl}" 
s a t u r a t e d w^ i t h 
moisture and kept 
at a temperature 
of about 60° to 62° 
F., as these condi- 
tions are most suit- 
al)le for the proper 
growth of mold. 

Seco?} d r ipening 
room. — This room 
is to be kept some- 
what cooler (56° to 
60° F.), as the ripening proceeds more uniforndy at this te*iiperature. 
Here it is not necessary to J^eep such a high percentage of moisture 
as in the first room. There should be just enough to keep the cheeses 
from drying out. The walls and floors of both of these rooms should 
be like those of the making room — that is, easy to clean. 

Both of the ripening rooms should b(^ well ventilated and steam 
heated. The steam can be usc^d iiot only for heating, but also for 
maintaining tiic desired degree of moisture. In sununer the outside 
heat would I'aise the tem])erature of tlw I'ooms, causing the cheese to 
ripen too fast and not uniforndy. For that reason some means of 
cooling must be provided. 




Fig. T). — Cane bottom for ripening' clieese. 



THE MAKING OP THE CHEESE. 11 

PROTECTION AGAINST INSECTS. 

A very important item is that of protecting- the cheese against flies 
and other injurious insects. The outer doorways, the windows, and 
every other possible opening should be carefully guarded by screens 
with as fine a mesh as can be procured, as the smallest flies produce 
the most trouble. If tiiis is not carefully attended to the cheeses are 
sure to become infested with fly maggots. In the ripening rooms 
protection against these insects can be secured to a considerable extent 
by keeping the rooms dark, for flies will not readily breed and mul- 
tiply in a dark place. 

THE MAKING OF THE CHEESE. 
THE MILK. 

The milk used in making Caraembert cheese should be of the best 
quality — that is, clean and fresh. Two quarts of milk are required 
for each cheese. 

RIPENING THE MILK. 

The milk is poured into the vat and by the aid of water and steam 
is heated to 85 F., this being the temperature best suited for the 
growth of the lactic bacteria. A starter is added, the amount depend- 
ing upon its strength and capacity for developing lactic acid, usually 
3 quarts of a medium starter for every 100 pounds of milk. After 
adding the starter the milk is allowed to stand until the desired degree 
of acidity is reached. 

This method of ripening the milk before setting is not the rule in 
France, where they generally set the milk at a very low degree of 
acidity without a,nj attempt at previous ripening of the milk. The 
acid, however, develops later in the curd while the cheese is draining. 
In our experience serious trouble from gas has been avoided b}^ ripen- 
ing the milk before setting. Especially during the hot weather it is 
advisable to use a higher degree of acidity. Tlie percentage of acidit}^ 
used by us is rather high (about 0.35 per cent). This is, however, 
partly because of the low temperature of the room in which our 
experiments are made. In France the making rooms are generally 
kept quite warm, and the cheese will naturally drain faster there and 
develop the acid in the curd. 

Several experiments have shown us that it is not entirely necessary 
to use such a high degree of acidity to secure a properly drained cheese, 
but by using a starter w hich will work rapidly after the cheese is dipped 
very satisfactoiy results ha\'e been obtaincnl. The milk in such cases 
was ripened onl}' to about 0.2 to 0.25 per cent of acid. 



12 DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING CAMEMBKRT CHEESfi. 

THE STARTER. 

It is best to use a starter which is a pure culture of lactic organisms, 
})i'epare(l ])V inoculatinj^' sterilized luilk with these bacteria. In cheese 
and butter making some homemade starter is generally used, such as 
sour milk or buttermilk. These often give excellent results, but are 
l)y no means pure cultures and can not be depended upon; in fact, they 
sometimes cause considerable trouble. 

The various commercial starters have been used here and have pro- 
duced excellent cheese of a mild type. The one found most satisfac- 
tory, however, was prepared from a certain brand of imported cheese. 
This cheese has a peculiar flavor of its own, which differs from that of 
any other brand. Experiments to produce this flavor have been car- 
ried out here. After many of these imported cheeses had been care- 
fully examined and analyzed a certain kind of lactic-acid organism was 
found by the bacteriologist. This organism was separated, and from 
it a pure-culture starter prepai'ed, which was used in the making of 
the cheese with excellent results. The flavor sought for has been 
produced repeatedly with this starter. As this brand of cheese is 
more popular than almost any other, this starter is probably the best 
that can be used in the nranufacture of this cheese.'' 

ADDING THE RENNET. 

The milk while ripening cools down unless carefully watched. If 
this has occurnnl, it must be brougiit back to the origintd temperature 
(S5 F.) before adding the rennet. At this temperature it has been 
found necessary to use a curdling time of one and one-half to two 
hours to secure the texture of the curd desired for Camemhert cheese. 
The amount of I'ennct required to curdle the milk in this tinu* is calcu- 
lated by means of the Marshall rennet test or the titration apparatus. 

CUTTING THE CURD. 

In France the method in general use consists in dipping the curd 
directly into t\w forms. Equally good results in most respects, how- 
ever, have been obtained here with the curd cut. In cutting, the curd 
knife is passed through the curd in the vat in two directions at right 
angles, thus producing vertical columns of curd. When the curd has 
been cut in this way it drains faster, and for that reason a lower degree 
of acidity is used than with the curd uncut. 

«As soon as a demand for this starter arises in the trade, cultures of it will be fur- 
nished to such- fomiianies as regularly supply starters for other iTeamerj* work. 



CUTTING THE CURD AND DIPPING INTO FORMS. 13 

The most satisfactory acidity with cut curd has been found to be 
from 0.3 to 0.85 per cent. If it is less, the curd is likely to be too 
soft; if higher, the curd will drain too rapidly, will become hard and 
compact, and will not ripen properly. The acidity is tested as follows: 
A sample of milk is taken with a Babcock pipette holding 17.6 c. c. 
and is transferred to a glass or beaker. A few drops of phenolptha- 
lein are added and N 10 NaOH is run in from the burette, drop by 
drop, until a pink color just begins to appear. The number of cubic 
centimeters of soda solution used, divided b}^ 20, gives the percentage 
of acid in the milk. 

The higher the acidity of the milk the less rennet it takes. In case 
the acidity is 0.3 per cent, it will take about 8 to 10 c. c. of the ordi- 
nary rennet extract to every 100 pounds of milk to bring the curd to 
the right consistenc}^ in one and one-half to two hours. The necessary 
amount of rennet is poured into a glass of water and then mixed thor- 
oughly with the milk. The milk is now left to stand until it has 
coagulated to the proper consistency. It is impossible to describe uny 
test which will show when the curd is firm enough. This can only be 
ascertained by practical demonstration; after a little practice the maker 
can generally tell just when the curd is ready to cut. The curd of 
Camembert cheese is much firmer than that of Cheddar or Swiss 
cheese. 

After the curd has been cut it is stirred gently once or twice with 
the dipper to separate the columns and hasten the separation of the 
whey. Then it is allowed to stand for about fifteen minutes to make 
it a little firmer. The whey separates out at the surface and the bulk 
of it is dipped off. 

If, however, the curd is quite firm, less of the loose whe}' is dipped 
off. The contents of the vat are now stirred to insure uniformity, 
otherwise part of the cheese would be softer than the rest. 

DIPPING THE CURD INTO THE FORMS. 

The next operation is the dipping. This is done with a ladle which 
just fits into the forms. Place the draining table near the vat, and 
upon it arrange the boards, each covered with a mat and holding nme 
of the high forms. Into each of these forms a dipperful of curd is 
placed, care being taken to bring the dipper inside the forms in order 
to prevent splashing and In-eaking the curd. After one dipperful is 
placed in each form the operation is repeated, the dipping continuing 
until the forms are all filled to the top. 

After the curd has all been dipped into the hoops the latter are piled 
up, together with the boards, one upon the other. This is done partly 
to save space and partly to cover up the cheese and thus keep off' any 



14 DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING CAMEMRERT CHEESE. 

dirt or Hies which othiu'wi.se mi^ht full u\Hn\ tlunn. The top of the 
pile is then covered with an extra board. (Fig. 7.) 

The curd is now allowed to drain without any artilicial pressure for 
four or five hours. At the end of this time it will have shrunk to 
about half the original vohunc and will be ready for inoculation of 
molds and turning. 

INOCULATION AND TURNING. 

Although it is not customary for French cheese makers to inoculate 
Camembert cheese with mold, we have found it very desirable. Under 
the conditions found in Normandy the cheese acquires its moldy 
covering rapidly enough by accidental inoculation. Even then unde- 
sirable molds often 
appear to the i n j u ry 
of the cheese. In 
our experimental 
work artificial inoc- 
ulation on the day 
of making has been 
necessary to secure 
satisfactory results. 
Where depend- 

^^''^^iiiliililliMlllllllllHliliilill^^^ ence is placed upon 

accidental inocula- 
tion undesirable 

'"^^vlilllHIIIIUIIIIHIIIIillilliillllllllllllli^ molds often get on 

the cheeses ahead 
of the Camembert 
mold, the result be- 

FiG.7. — Cheese boards, mats, and forms as arranged for draining cheese, jj^cr either a DOOr 

cheese or one spoiled entirely. On the other hand, if a cheese is inocu- 
lated with the Camembert mold at the outset, this will grow and cover 
the cheese rapidly, which practically protects the cheese from the infec- 
tion of other molds. A very good proof of this statement is that one 
can almost always find some other species of molds on imported cheese, 
while the molds found on inoculated cheeses are generally pure cultures, 
unless the culture with which they were inoculated was of poor quality. 
It is necessary that the maker should know the right mold when he sees it. 
A most satisfactor}^ way of inoculating is as follows: Take a small 
jar with a tin cover which has been punched full of small holes, like 
an ordinary pepper box, fill it half full with water, add a piece of 
moldy cracker or a piece of cheese with a good growth of the pi-oper 
mold, and shake thoroughly. The contents of the jar are now si)rinkled 
upon the surface of each cheese, then the cheeses are turned and inocu- 
lated in the same manner on the other side. 




TUENING AND SALTING THK CHEESE. 



15 




Another simple and very convenient wa}^ of inoculation, especially 
adapted to use in large factories, consists in taking- two cheeses well 
covered with mold and knocking them together over the hoops. In 
this way enough spores drop upon the cheese to give good results. 

This inoculation is by the Penicillium camemberti; but a second 
mold, Oidlurii J act is, 
seems to be necessary 
for the production of 
flavor in Camembert 
cheese, as has been in- 
dicated in a previous 
paper.'' The latter is 
mostly found in milk 
and will appear on the 
cheese slowl}'. To in- 
sure its rapid growth 
the cheese may be in- ^"'- ^-^^'''^^ ^^ '^'^'^s chee«.. 

oculatedwith it also. The same method of inoculation may be employed 
as with the other mold, except that Oidmia lactis is grown in a gelatin- 
culture medium instead of upon crackers. 

The cheeses are turned, not only to secure the inoculation of both 
sides, but also to prevent them from becoming too compact on the 
underside on account of the greater pressure there and to insure a 

smoother surface on both sides. 
The quickest and easiest way to turn 
the cheeses is to cover the nine forms 
with a second mat and board. Place 
one hand under the lower board and 
the other over the upper, and then 
invert. (Fig, 8.) If the cheeses thus 
turned do not rest flat on the bottom 
they are straightened out by moving 
the forms. 

After turning and inoculating, the 
cheeses are left without any further 
handling until the next mornino-, 
when the}^ are taken out of the forms and salted. By this time the}'^ have 
shrunk almost to their flnal size. In case they are not yet hard enough 
to be safel}' handled, they are turned again and left to stand until the}^ 
are sufliciently Arm. 

SALTING. 

The salting is done by taking two cheeses together and rolling the 
edges and rubbing their surfaces in salt. (Fig. 9.) The salt to be used 
should not be too flne, as this would produce oversalting. 




9.— Salting the cheese. 



« Bulletin No. 82, Bureau of Animal Indugtrv. 



16 DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING CAMEMBERT CHEESE. 

After salting, the cheeses are placed upon drv boards, so that the 
sides which were previously at the top will now !)(> at the bottom. The 
next niornino- it will be found that all of the salt has dissolved, and 
that most of it is ditiused in the cheese. The cheeses are again trans- 
ferred to another dry board or cane bottom, after turning', and are 
read}' for the ripening process. The reason for transferring them to 
dry boards is that a dry board is less apt to become covered with mold. 

MAKING CHEESE FROM UNCUT CURD. 

A cheese from uncut curd is made somewhat ditt'erently. Although 
the cut curd drains more rapidly, the draining of the uncut curd can 
be greatly facilitated by allowing the milk to become moi'e acid before 
adding the reimet. 

In our experiments the degree of acidity giving the most satisfac- 
tion in the uncut curd has l)een about 0.40 per cent. The amount of 
rennet to be added varies inversely as the acidity. When the curd 
has reached the proper consistency, it is dipped into the hoops in the 
same way as the cut curd, but the operation should be carried out 
moi'e slowly. After the forms have been filled the cheeses are allowed 
to stand without turning until the next morning. This is because the 
successive dipperfuls of uncut curd do not stick together readily at 
first and must be given more time. 

While turning the cheese the next morning they arc to l)e inocu- 
lated. They must then be left until the following morning, by which 
time they are ready to be salted. After salting they remain another 
day in the making room, making three days altogether, instead of 
two as in the case of the cut-curd cheese. 

In France the cheeses are always made of uncut curd, but no reason 
has ever been given for the practice, so far as the writer knows. In 
a series of experiments where cheeses were made of the same milk 
with cut as well as inicut cuixl for comparison we found that in almost 
every case the uncut-curd cheese, even when fully ripe, did not decom- 
pose as (piickly as the cut-curd cheese. Other advantages are that 
more cheese is produced from the uncut curd from the same amount of 
milk, and the loss of fat in the whey is not so great. 

THE USE OF THE LOW FORMS. 

Both cut and uncut curd cheeses should l)e h<ird enough to bear 
handling at the time of salting, but often they are not yet hard enough 
to retain their shape. In such cases they should be i)ut at the time of 
salting into the low forms, where they i-emain until the next morning. 
When they can hold thtMr shapt^ without the aid of the forms they are 
taken to the ripening room. 



CONDITIONS OBSERVED DURING RIPENING PERIOD. 17 

RIPENING THE CHEESE. 

The cheeses are removed to the tirst ripening- room. Here they are 
placed on smooth boards upon shelves. The boards are of the same 
size as the draining boards, but have a smooth surface. The cheeses 
remain on these boards during the whole ripening period. Cane 
bottoms are frequently used and are preferable to the boards for the 
following reasons: When boards are used the molds are apt to grow 
into the wood, causing the latter to stick so tenaciously that on turn- 
ing the cheeses over the rind is torn off. On the other hand, when 
cane bottoms are used the mold can grow more uniformly on both 
sides of the cheeses, and as the}^ do not stick to the bottoms so tena-~ 
ciouslv, it is necessary to turn them but once or twice in the first 
room, which reduces the labor considerably. The cheeses resting on 
boards must be turned daily. 

During the first week anj^ ripening which occurs is not noticeable, 
and the cheese remains in the form o( hard curd. The surface of the 
cheese often becomes slightly slimy, and some change in the color can 
be noticed. Toward the end of this first week the mold can be seen 
upon looking closely. 

During the second week the mold, when once started, grows very 
rapidly; and in the course of one or two days it covers the cheese 
completely, giving it a snow-white, cotton-like appearance. This 
white coat of mold turns to a gray green within two to four days, 
and by this time the cheese begin to show actual ripening. The 
cheese first becomes soft just under the coat of mold, and the ripen- 
ing proceeds gradually toward the center. On cutting the cheese 
open a thin layer of softened curd can be observed under the mold. 
The texture of this ripened part is creamy and soft, just as the whole 
cheese will be at the time of complete ripening. 

If the cheeses remain upon the shelves in the ripening room under 
proper conditions, as the}^ often do in France, they will ripen com- 
pletelv. But under our conditions, where the air is dr3'er, we have 
found it necessary to wrap the cheeses during the second week in 
parchment paper or tin foil. This prevents e\aporation and harden- 
ing, checks the gi-owth of mold, and promotes the growth of the 
other organisms, thus hastening the ripening. When the cheeses 
appear dry and tend to become hard, tin foil seems to give the 
better result, but in the factories in the trade parchment paper is 
nearh' always used. The cheeses wrapped in tin foil very commonl}' 
develop stronger flavors and softer texture than those wrapped in 
paper. The time of wrapping afiects the kind of cheese produced, 
and the intensity" of the flavor can be partly regulated in this wa}'. 
If a cheese with a strong flavor is desired, the wrapping must be 



18 DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING CAMEMBERT CHEESE. 

done Avhen the cheese is only slightly covered with the white mold. 
The wrapping checks the growth of the latter and promotes a more 
rapid dovelopmcnt of the other mold, Ohiluin Jactis. On the other 
hatid, a mild fla\or can be o])tained by wrapping the cheese after the 
growth of mold has become luxuriant and has turned })lue. 

After being wrapj)ed the cheeses are often put in small, round 
boxes, which they lit tightly and in which they are later shipped to 
market. These boxes help to maintain the shape of the cheeses, 
which become quite soft during ripening. At the end of the second 
week the cheeses are transferred to the second ripening room, where 
they remain until they are ready for shipment, or, if desired, until 
they are fully ripe. During the third week the ripening proceeds 
rapidly, and the cheeses become one-half to two-thirds ripe. On the 
surface slimy, reddish spots appear, and the cheese begins to give off 
a characteristic Camembert odor. Between the third and the fourth 
week the hard curd in the center usually disappears, and the cheese 
has a creamy, waxlike texture. The delicious flavor found in all 
Camembert cheeses is now evident. A little hard curd may still be 
found in the center of the cheese, but this will disappear if given time. 

FACTORY METHODS. 

In factory practice in France and also where these cheeses are now 
made in America they are wrapped and put info boxes as soon as the 
covering of mold is well started. This is when they are aliout two 
weeks old. Instead of ripening further in the factory, they connnonly 
are sent to market at once. Further ripening thus becomes a matter 
for the dealer. Although this is the common practice in France, 
some factories ripen the cheese quite fully to supply a special trade. 
In other cases dealers establish cellars, where the cheeses are taken 
out of the boxes, are unwrapped, and are ripened completel}^ on 
shelves before selling. Others allow them to ripen as they^ may in 
the boxes. It seems desirable to recommend that Avhere domestic fac- 
tories are supphdng our own market, cheeses be ripened far enough 
to guarantee good results before they are sent out of the factor}'. 

VARIOUS DEFECTS OF CHEESE. 

Gassy curd. — In the making of Cannon bcrt cheese, as in making an}^ 
other kind, numerous difficulties are encountered. One of the most 
common troubles is that arising from gass}' curd. (Fig. 10.) In this 
case the fault generally lies in the milk, being due to gas-producing 
bacteria. No way has been found in which this difficulty can be 
absolutely avoided, but it may ))e partly remedied by increasing the 
amount of good lactic starter and the development of higher acidity 



VARTOUS DEFECTS OF CHEESE. 



19 



before setting, which will in time overpower the ^as-producing organ- 
isms. If the curd is kept at a low temperature after dipping, the 
growtli of these gassy organisms is checked to some extent. The gas 
can not always be detected in the fresh curd, })ut sometimes develops 
later, and if it does the cheese very seldom turns out satisfactoril}'. 

Yeast. — Another difficulty is caused b}- 3"east. The cheeses often 
becom'e covered with yeast in the making room, although sometimes 
the yeast makes its appearance after the cheeses have been taken to 
the ripening room. The surface of such cheeses becomes slim}^ and 




Fig. 10.— Gassy curd. 



sticky, causing the cheeses to stick to the boards, so that when they 
are turned a thin skin is torn off. In such cases it is difficult to 
obtain a good growth of mold, for the latter is pulled oli' with the thin 
film of yeast, the cheese does not ripen properly, and it often has a 
strong, bad flavor. 

J/o/^/s.— Contamination from the other varieties of mold causes con- 
siderable trouble. If the cheeses contain spots of green or brown 
mold, or if a long, fuzzy mold, sometimes with black tops (Mucors), 
appears, the Camembert mold can not grow properly, and the result 



20 DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING CaMEMBERT CHEESE. 

is often a bitter ciieese or one with other undesirable flavors. The 
Camenibert mold will sometimes grow over and cover the green and 
other molds, but this docs not prevent them from producing an 
objectionable flavor. 

When such infection from foreign molds occurs, the whole equip- 
ment should be sterilized, and if possible the walls and floors of the 
making as well as the ripening rooms should l)e cleaned and white- 
washed. 

Dry cheese. — The drying out of cheese is caused by lack of moisture 
in the ripening rooms, or by too rapid draining of the curd. Such 
cheeses can often be saved, if the drying out has not proceeded too 
far, b}^ wrapping them tightly in tin foil. 

^yet cheese. — A defect just the opposite of the last is found in wet 
cheeses. It is caused by too low a temperature of the making room, 
as well as by too low a degree of acidity of the milk, both of which 
retard the draining of the cheese. It may also be caused by too high 
a degree of moisture in the ripening rooms. 

The ripening of such cheeses is more in the nature of a liquefac- 
tion, and the interior becomes so soft that it would run out if the 
cheese were not kept in a l)ox. There is no hope for such cheeses, as 
the flavor and texture will never be satisfactory. 

J//'2!e.s\ ^Serious damage is done to cheeses l)y the cheese mite, a 
small insect scarcely visible to the naked eye. These mites crawl all 
over the cheese and eat up or destroy the mold, so that the cheese 
will not ripen properly and is practically ruined. The only remedy 
in such cases is the thorough disinfection of the whole plant. 

Sl'ippers. — Another enemy of the cheese is the cheese skipper — the 
larva of a small fly. The flies lay their eggs on the cheese, and these 
hatch out in a short time. The skippers remain on the surface and 
can })e scraped ofl', but not without spoiling the appearance of the 
cheese and possibly leaving unhatched eggs. Such cheeses can not 
be sold and are practically lost. 

ESTIMATED EQUIPMENT FOB A FACTORY. 

The estimated e(iuipment for a factory using about 1,000 pounds of 
milk })er day is indicated below. Before l)uilding such a plant, how- 
ever, it is always desiral)le to visit some dairy establishment where 
the essential equipment would be as nearly comparable to that needed 
as possible. This need not necessarily be a Camembert-cheese fac- 
tory. Any properly equipped dairy establishment will give ideas as 
to the arrangement of steam and wat(M' pipes, vats, etc. 

In addition to this ordinary creamery e((uiptnent a Camembert- 
cheese factory requires its own special apparatus. 



EQUIPMENT FOR A FACTORY. 21 

Calculated for 1,000 pounds of milk, which will produce 250 cheeses, 
this will require for the raakino- room: 

250 high hoops. 

500 low hoops. 

150 draining boards (if used in making- room only). 

150 mats. 

Draining table to accommodate 250 cheeses (12 square feet of 
surface). 

Shelf room enough to accommodate 250 cheeses on the second 
day of draining. 
Vats and draining tables should be so arranged as to minimize the 
labor of dipping. The two ripening rooms nmst be large enough to 
accommodate the entire output for about twenty days, i. e. , 5,000 
cheeses. If the cheeses are kept on boards such as are used in the 
making room, this would require about 500 boards in constant use. 
These would occupy 700 running feet of shelving. The shelves should 
be about 5 inches apart. A rough calculation will show that a total 
curing space of 11: by 14 by 8 feet would be large enough to accom- 
modate all the cheeses. The arrangement of shelving is a matter of 
economical utilization of all the available space. Aiales between the 
shelves should be at least 3 feet wide to give sufficient room to do the 
necessary work. It probably would require a maker and one helper 
to run such a factory. 

o