A study of the slit openness defect in cheddar cheese

The occurrence of the slit openness defect in Cheddar cheese at various seasons of the year, principally fall and winter, has become of some concern to the cheese industry. The Interest has been primarily economic. Cheese manufacturers throughout the world are continually striving to produce a better and more uniform product for the consumers. When a defect or defects occur the product is lowered in quality and, therefore, the market price of such a product is lowered. Since the costs for producing a cheese with perfect body are no greater than the costs for producing a cheese with physical defects, an economic loss occurs in the production of the latter cheese. The aging of cheese at higher temperatures, in order to obtain more flavor and body breakdown in a shorter time, accelerates an increase in the development of slit openness. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors responsible for the development of the slit openness defect in Cheddar cheese.