In this October 1941 photo, a cheesemaker heats the culture that will be added to milk to begin the cheesemaking process. The culture, with bacteria, was added to the warmed milk. Then coloring, made from annatto seeds, was added. Rennet made the milk coagulate. As former factory tour guide Linda Kirk said in the book Cheese War, “If anyone asked about rennet, I was ready to say that the factory used rennet made from the stomachs of veal calves. If no one asked, I would not elaborate on rennet.” Today, rennet is created in a laboratory.
Photo credit: Lee Russell, Farm Security Administration
