These troubles can be controlled: (a) if milk and whey must be carried in the same cans, the cans should be emptied immediately on arrival at the farm and thoroughly washed and scalded; (b) the whey vat at the factory should be kept clean and sweet; (c) the starter must have the proper clean flavor.
Other defects may be classed as "off flavors," "dirty flavors," "bitter flavors" and the like. These are undoubtedly due to unsanitary conditions whereby undesirable organisms get into the milk, even though the particular organism is often not determined. The flavors may be improved by the use of a clean-flavored commercial starter and by airing the curd after milling before salting. The best remedy is to remove the source of the difficulty.
255. Defects in body and texture.—The body and texture should be close. A sample rubbed between the thumb and fingers should be smooth and waxy. Any condition which causes a body and texture other than this is to be avoided.
256. Loose or open texture.—A cheese with this defect is full of irregularly shaped holes and usually soft or weak-bodied. This is serious if the cheese is to be held for some time. Moisture and fat are likely to collect in these holes and cause the cheese to deteriorate, thereby shortening its commercial life.
Several causes may bring about this condition: (a) insufficient cheddaring; (b) pressing at too high a temperature; (c) inadequate pressing; (d) development of too little acid.
The corresponding remedies are: (a) cheddar the curd until the holes are closed and the curd is solid; (b) cool the curd to 80° F. before putting to press; (c) press the curd longer, possibly twenty-four to twenty-six hours; (d) develop a little higher acid in the whey before removing the curd.
257. Dry body.—A cheese with this defect is usually firm, hard and dry, sometimes rubbery or corky. This may result from lack of moisture, fat or both, and may be due to the following causes: (a) making the cheese from partly skimmed-milk; (b) heating the curd in the whey for too long a time; (c) heating the curd too high; (d) stirring the curd too much in the whey or as the last of the whey is removed; (e) using too much salt; (f) developing of too much acid in the whey; (g) curing the cheese in too hot or too dry a curing-room; (h) not piling the curd high or fast enough in the cheddaring process.
The cause should be located and the corresponding remedy found, as follows: (a) make cheese only from whole milk; (b) draw the whey sooner; (c) firm the curd at as low temperature as possible in the whey; (d) stir the curd in the whey only enough to keep the curd particles separated but do not hand-stir it; (e) use less salt; (f) develop less acid in the whey; (g) cure the cheese in a cool moist curing-room; (h) pile the curd sooner and higher during the cheddaring process.
The number of causes which may singly or in combination produce dry cheese demands experience and technical skill that calls for the development of a high degree of judgment.
258. Gassy textured cheese.—Gassy cheese has large numbers of very small round or slightly flattened holes. When round these are called "pin-holes," and when slightly flattened "fish eye" openings. These are due to the formation of gas by the micro-organisms in the cheese. When a cheese is gassy, it usually puffs up from gas pressure as in the rising of bread. If enough gas is formed, it will cause the cheese to break or crack open. Instead of being flat on the ends, such a cheese becomes so nearly spherical as to roll from the shelf at times.