Effect of lowering the moisture content of cheddar cheese on quality and yield

Abstract

Cheese was manufactured experimentally on eight consecutive days in each month of a year at a selected factory. A manufacturing technique designed to produce cheese of a lowered moisture content was employed on alternate days in each period, while a normal technique was employed on the other days.
A difference of 1·73 per cent. in the average moisture content in the fat-free-substance of the two types of cheese was attained. The low-moisture cheese attained an average total grade points score 0·67 pt. higher than that attained by the normal cheese, and it also scored significantly higher average points for flavour, body and colour.
The results obtained failed to clearly indicate the lower level of the percentage of moisture in the fat-free-substance of the cheese below which no further improvement in grade could be gained. Some observations are made in regard to the possible relationship between this finding and the cheese-grading system.
Fluctuations in the level of moisture content in the fat-free-substance of the cheese and in the differences between the two types of cheese in regard to the moisture content, and a weakened relationship between grade points scored and moisture content when considered over the whole period, suggested that the optimum level of moisture content in the fat-free-substance insofar as grade is concerned might be a fluctuating rather than a fixed one.
The lowering of the moisture content of the cheese caused a loss of yield equal to 1.72 per cent. of production. The possible monetary loss involved is considered in relation to a varying price level for cheese and the extent to which differential payments according to cheese grade might recompense for the loss.