JARLSBERGOSTEN JARLSBERG CHEESE - UMB

The Agricultural University of Norway estab-
lished its own dairy in 1900. Although small, it was
a modern dairy according to the standards of that
time. However, it was not particularly suitable for
research on milk and milk treatment. Although the
University’s dairy did have cheesemaking equip-
ment, this was totally unsuited for research on a
product as complicated as cheese. An important
activity at the Agricultural University was the test-
ing of new machines and equipment before they
were taken into use by the dairy industry.
Eventually, the need for deeper and more
scientific research in cheesemaking technology be-
came apparent. In 1933, Statens Meieriforsøk was
established by the Ministry of Agriculture. It was
important to build up a dairy research station, and
the possibility of this being located at the Agricul-
tural University was actually considered. However,
it was pointed out that neither premises nor milk
were available, and that the senior teacher in Dairy
science, (later Professor) Kristoffer Støren, had
too heavy a teaching load to head such a research
institute. Statens Meieriforsøk was therefore
established without access to a suitable locality
for dairy research. The main offices were in Oslo
and the dairy research was conducted at various
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