Split Defect of Swiss Cheese

When strains of propionibacteria able to grow at 3.8 C were used in Swiss cheese manufacture, resulting 3- and 6-month-old cheeses had a high incidence of splits (6 of 13 and 10 of 13 lots, respectively). With strains lacking this low-temperature growth ability, only 1 of 10 and 2 of 10 lots of cheese split after comparable curing periods. Degree of cheese proteolysis, moisture, and sugar content could not be related to Propionibacterium strain used nor to split incidence. Carbon dioxide production in the warm (21 C) room by strains able to grow at low temperatures was essentially twice that of strains lacking this ability. This CO2 production difference between strains was maintained during subsequent cold-room curing. Type of cheese-wrapping film also affected split incidence. Commercially manufactured cheeses wrapped in four films of differing gas permeability showed a distinct tendency toward splitting in the films impermeable to oxygen.