Study of the Split Defect in Swiss Cheese

One of the least understood defects that occurs in Swiss cheese is the formation of fissures or cracks called glass, glasler, or splits. This phenomenon appears in some lots of Swiss cheese while receiving additional curing in the finished cooler after removal from the warm room. It is found most frequently in aged cheese. There usually are no undesirable flavors, but such cheese is difficult to slice efficiently for retail sale. The growing popularity of small-sized consumer packages has made the splitting of Swiss cheese an important economic problem, especially since the defect tends to occur spasmodically. Ultimately, this defect must be caused by lack of curd plasticity, as is commonly believed, or by some abnormality in the curing fermentation. To date, however, it has not been possible to demonstrate significant differences in the flora of split and normal cheese (3). Insight into the mechanism of the defect should make it easier to determine if fermentative abnormalities are responsible.