Research-Article
On the Formation of “Eyes” in Emmental Cheese1

https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(17)94362-0Get rights and content
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Summary

A review of the literature reveals little or no evidence that the eyes of Emmental cheese are strictly localized at points of excessive bacterial growth. On the contrary the evidence of bacterial counts, and direct microscopical examination as well as the gas production of different regions of the cheese indicate a more or less uniform distribution of the eye distending gas.Certain theoretical considerations are presented which lead to the hypothesis that the gas separates in aggregates according to laws governing the separation of gas from supersaturated aqueous solutions. This hypothesis has been tested upon viscous media with results directly applicable to the “eye” and “Nissler” hole formation in cheese.

It is concluded that the gas produced in Emmental cheese separates in aggregates whose localities have no necessary relation to the points where the gas is produced, that a rapid gas production must tend to the formation of numerous small holes while a slow gas production must admit the formation of larger holes. This conclusion is shown to agree with the fact that Nissler holes are produced by a rapid fermentation while eyes are formed slowly. This conclusion also suggests that the gas of Nissler holes must separate at numerous points near its point of origin without regard to any particular locality of the cheese; while the eyes must form at favorable points.

This was experimentally verified by a study of stained cheeses.

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Published by permission of the Secretary of Agriculture.