FIFTY YEARS OF PROGRESS IN THE CHEESE INDUSTRY. A REVIEW

Abstract

Since 1920 the cheese industry has moved west and south in the United States. Milk production and procurement have changed from simple hand milking and wagon deliveries to machine milking of large herds and bulk handling of milk under supervision of industry and government agencies. Hand labor in factories has been reduced. Sanitary buildings and equipment, use of pasteurized milk, and selected cultures, starter concentrates, bacteriophage-inhibiting media, and improved enzymes have simplified biological control of the processes. Better warehouses and new methods of packaging provide better protection and merchandising. In the past 50 years the development of process cheese has opened new markets and inspired the development of highly sophisticated methods of packaging and merchandising natural cheese. Movements of cheese on the primary markets from factory to warehouse for curing, and then to dealers, processors, institutions, chain stores, marketing associations, special outlets, and mail order distributors are more orderly. Supervised grading, public marketing organizations, and availability of complete information on market movements, prices, and other market statistics are essentials provided for modern merchandising. The cheese industry still faces many problems involving production, net income control, utilization of by-products, development of new products, conservation of milk constituents, and methods of merchandising and marketing. Solution of these problems depends upon availability of and supporting facilities for men with training and skill to attack them. Continuing growth during the past 50 years clearly indicates that production of cheese and its related products and by-products is an expanding phase of the dairy industry.