e
introduction of this new system of cheese-curing promises much from a
practical point of view, and undoubtedly a more complete study of the
subject from a scientific point of view will aid materially in
unraveling some of the problems as to flavor production.

~Theories of cheese curing.~ Within the last few years considerable study
has been given the subject of cheese curing or ripening, in order to
explain how this physical and chemical transformation is brought about.

Much of the misconception that has arisen relative to the cause of
cheese ripening comes from a confusion of terms. In the ordinary use of
the word, ripening or curing of cheese is intended to signify the sum
total of all the changes that result in converting the green product as
it comes from the press into the edible substance that is known as cured
cheese. As previously shown, the most marked chemical transformation
that occurs is that which has to do with the peptonization or breaking
down of the casein. It is true that under ordinary conditions this
decomposition process is also accompanied with the formation of certain
flavor-producing substances, more or less aromatic in character; but it
by no means follows that these two processes are necessarily due to the
same cause. The majority of investigators have failed to consider these
two questions of casein decomposition and flavor as independent, or at
least as not necessarily related. They are undoubtedly closely bound
together, but it will be shown later that the problems are quite
different and possibly susceptible of more thorough understanding when
considered separately.

In the earlier theories of cheese ripening it was thought to be purely a
chemical change, but, with the growth of bacteriological science,
evidence was forthcoming that seemed to indicate that the activity of
organisms entered into the problem. Schaffer[195] showed that if milk
was boiled and made into cheese, the casein failed to break down.
Adametz[196] added to green cheese various disinfectants, as creolin and
thymol, and found that this practically stopped the curing process. From
these experiments he drew the conclusion that bacteria must be the cause
of the change, because these organisms were killed; but when it is
considered that such treatment would also destroy the activity of enzyms
as well as vital ferments, it is evident that these experiments were
quite indecisive.

A determination of the nature of the by