A study of the manufacture of Cheddar cheese made from heated milks

In general, the milk used for the manufacture of Cheddar cheese in the Tennessee area is produced on farms which have small herds. Because of the cost of equipment in relation to this dairy operation, most of the producers cool the milk with spring or well water. In the summer months the temperature of this water may exceed 65° F.; consequently, it is almost impossible to have milk with a low bacteria count. It Is necessary, therefore, that the milk be pasteurized in order to gain some control of the bacteria In the original milk. The cheese makers have been reluctant in using heat treatments above the very minimum as they assumed that the quality of the cheese suffered. Much of the cheese made in this area has been Inferior in quality, especially when aged, and has had to be used in the manufacture of processed cheese.

It Is hoped that, through the use of a higher heat treatment to the milk, a better control of the bacteria could be obtained and at the same time a large portion of the bacterial enzyme systems inactivated. If this can be accomplished, it was postulated that the quality of the cheese could be Improved materially, thus giving the cheesemakers a greater return for their labor which in turn could be transferred to the farmer by way of higher prices for the producer milk.