GEO HELP PLEASE

[TAMARA]

Does anyone use geo 17 as a spray on the finished cheese, rather than in the milk vat. Sometimes i find it grows beautifully on the surface of the cheese of inoculated milk and is all wrinkly and wormy, and sometimes it barely causes a ripple. I read that you can spray geo on the finished cheese but just wondering if this has been successful for anyone.

Here is a photo of how it looks when it works well with inoculated milk, but it doesn't always work so well.

SOmetimes i ash the balls. I wonder whether this inhibits the geo growth?

Thanks for your advice,

TAMARA

[jerryg]

Inoculated in combination with PC? In what proportion to the Geo?

[bbracken677]

What type of cheese are in the pics?  Those look pretty interesting.

Moisture, salt and pH will play a part in how the geo grows...Perhaps your inconsistent results are due to differences?

[Al Lewis]

Okay, is it the geothricin that grows the white furry mold or the candidum?

[linuxboy]

geothricin that grows the white furry mold or the candidum?

Both. Geo strains can have two morphologies: as a thin mold or more as a yeast appearance. p candidum only has one, as a mold.

SOmetimes i ash the balls. I wonder whether this inhibits the geo growth?

Shouldn't, no.

I read that you can spray geo on the finished cheese but just wondering if this has been successful for anyone.

Of course, works fine. Have to not overdo it on the spray so they are not too wet.

[Al Lewis]

Thank you, I got that one right. LOL

[TAMARA]

Been doing some more experimenting and find that ash DOES in fact, inhibit the wormy growth as it makes the surface of the cheese quite dry and the geo requires lots of moisture to do its thing.

I am now waiting till day 5-6 then ashing. Not spraying at all and finding the results are much more consistent.

Bbracken67, these are hand- shaped balls of lactic goat cheese...

Ciao for now.

TAMARA

[linuxboy]

Didn't know your full process or aging conditions. Geo needs aW >.95 on the surface to grow. But, it should be possible to ash first with salt, as that draws out enough moisture. Glad you found a solution that works for you :)