Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1894 — Cream Ripening by Bacteria. [ARTICLE]

Cream Ripening by Bacteria.

■ The chief object of the ripening of cream is to produce the butter aroma, and this aroma, though very e.anescent. controls the price of the butter, ’■this flavor the butter-maker owes to the b-icteria. for by their growth the materials in the cream are decomposed and the oom ounds formed which produce the flavors and odors of high quality butter. Different species of bacteria vary much as to tho flavors which they produce, some giving rise to good, some to extra fine, and others to a very poor quality of butter. A majo.ity of our common dairy species produce good but not the highest qua ity of butter. Up to the present time the butter-maker has had no means of controlling the species in his cream, but has had to use these furnished by the farmer. The bacteriologist can isolate and obtain in pure culture the suede; of bacteria wnich produce the best-flavored buttrr. He can then furnis i them to the creameries to use as starters in cream ripening. The artificial ripening of cr am ptomises much for the near future, although It has been applied only on a small scale at the present time. The use of a pure culture of a species from Uruguay impro.ed the fla.or of the butter of a Connecticut creamery over 2i; per cent., according to expert estimates. Most species of bacteria in bad bitter are probably assoc ated with filthiness. Hence a proper inspection of the ba-ns and dairies to insure proper conditions, especially cleanliness, will be a means of avoiding much of the trouble in cream ripening, and will in many cases result in an improvement of the butter.—Mark Lane Express. %