248 Chapter 10
coated with wax or resinous material to
prevent mold and mite infestation. Some
cheeses are preserved by smoking. Feta and
some other cheeses are stored in drums con-
taining brine. In Muenster cheese, washed
rind is smeared with Brevibacterium linens.
Some time mold inhibitors (sorbate, propio-
nate, pimaricin) are used in the wax, emul-
sion or fi lm envelope formed around the
cheese.
In earlier times, cheese underwent the
process of bandaging and dressing. Bandaging
involves the application of a calico or cheese-
cloth bandage followed by treatment of the
cheese with greased muslin. The structure
was either sewn or glued on with a fl our
paste. Dressing the cheese involved the
application of a wax, oil, or fat to develop a
protective rind. Cheese with rind reduces the
yield of saleable cheese and many operations
have switched over to rindless ripening.
A large majority of cheese is now pack-
aged in fi lms and foils. Tight wrapping with
certain fi lms has been used for large ripening
blocks. Shrink fi lms also are used. Some
cheeses are dipped, sprayed, or coated with
molten colored waxes and resins. The waxes
coat the surface of cheese itself or may be
combined with tight wrapping with bandages
of cloth or plastic fi lm. Cheese may be
wrapped fi rst, followed by dipping in molten
paraffi n wax. Alternatively, cheese may be
waxed prior to wrapping. Waxed cheeses
should be ripened under high humidity condi-
tions because the wax coating is inherently
more prone to moisture loss than fi lm wrap-
ping. Wax and fi lm wrapping materials may
be impregnated with anti - mold agents such as
sorbate, propionate, or pimaricin to prevent
growth of mold in cheese blocks. Larger
cubes or drums of cheddar (500 to 640 lbs) are
ripened in barrier fi lms that are impervious to
gas migration and moisture loss. Special fi lms
are used for ripening rindless Swiss cheese
because of considerable evolution of CO 2
during ripening. Such fi lms are designed to
absorb the gas, whereas others have lowThe brine accumulates cheese solids during
successive use, which may encourage micro-
bial growth. If the standard plate count on the
brine exceeds 100,000 CFU/g, it is advisable
to pasteurize or boil the brine solution. Some
manufacturers add 100 to 500 ppm of chlo-
rine weekly to control microbial contamina-
tion. Recirculation of brine facilitates
uniformity of salt strength. A cheesecloth
fi lter in the line helps to trap and discard
accumulated cheese solids.
The hydrometer/salometer readings on
used brines should be corrected for the con-
tribution of cheese solids to the readings. The
actual salt strength may be 1% to 2% lower
than the strength calculated from the read-
ings. Analytical measurements of salt using
silver nitrate titration should be periodically
undertaken to verify the discrepancy between
the actual sodium chloride concentration and
salt strength observed with a hydrometer.
The brine - salted cheese blocks are allowed
to dry out by 24 - hour storage in a refrigerated
room prior to packaging and ripening.
Preparing Cheese for Ripening
Mold - surface - ripened cheeses are sprayed
with suspensions of white mold Penicillium
camemberti/candidum. Blue - veined cheese
blocks are drilled with vertical holes and then
sprayed with blue mold, Penicillium roque-
forti , to encourage the growth of the mold in
the interior of cheese.
Treatment of cheese blocks prior to ripen-
ing includes formation of the rind, bandag-
ing, waxing, and fi lm wrapping. Soft cheeses
form a rind during ripening by the growth of
bacteria and molds as well the loss of mois-
ture from the surface. The rind hardens as
ripening proceeds, and gives cheese a rigid
surface for ease of handling. Various rind
treatments are used to prevent cracking, mold
growth, and dehydration of rind. These
include wrapping in leaves, ash, or spices,
repeated washing/salt treatments, or vegeta-
ble oil/butter oil treatments. The rind may be