THE FARM INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 50, 22 November 1907, Page 2

THE FARM INDUSTRY

MILK AS FOOD. THE DIFFICULTIES OF STERILISING. SOMETHING DOING AT WANGANITC. At Aramoho, near Wangariui, tho Waverlcy Dairy Factory Company has for four years past been selling bottled milk that is partly sterilised, and it is now contemplating the preparation of humanised milk for infants. Mr. Hofe Johnston, the managing secretary, possesses a good general technical knowledge of the subject from both the bacteriological and the chemical aspects, and he possesses also considerable cnthnsiasni about what might be termed modern forms of milk. Destruction of Ccrms. The same difficulties are encountered at Aramoho, or elsewhere, in securing complete sterility without spoiling the digestibility jf tho milk. There aro two recognised modes of sterilising by heat. One is to heat tho milk under pressure to 2i7 degrees (nVo degrees above boiling point), which Kins germs and spores, but renders the albumen of the milk indigestible. The other is to heat it to 165 degrees for three-quarters of i>n hour and then rapidly cool it again. This must be done three times in succession at fixed intervals. It is the process known (.e pasteurising, and its merits are that it sills germs and spores without rendering ths albumen so insoluble as bv the latter method. It has, however, this drawback, that -ho process occupies three a tatal drawback, until people are willing to pay mote money for pasteurised milk. Spore-bearing Germs. The systoiti adopted at Waverley is to heat the milk once to 165 degrees, and rapidly cool it. This represents a sort of modified form of pasteurising. It kills germs, leaves the albumen soluble, but lots the germ spores live. Two other heatings are indispensible if tho spores themselves are to be forced into a stage of growth at which a temperature of 165 degrees is fatal. Air. Hofo Johnston holds, however, thai the bacilli natural to milk are not spore-bearing, and if ho could always .obtain milk drawn by clean methods from healthy, clean cows, and kept from outer contamination, his method woidd bo successful. Ho confesses, however, with regret that such 'a stage of perfectian is not yet reached, and he despairs of eyir obtaining it—except by his company having its own dairy herd under its own constant supervision. Tho commonest snore-bearing bacillus found in ordinary milk is, he says, the bacillus coli, which comes from cowdung. This is inexcusable, but to factory managers everywhere it is always present. The milk from diseased cows may also Con* tain spore-beamg germs. Tht Cost of Pasteurising.

Mr. Johnston says he could provide pop fectly sterile pasteurised milk if he could be assured that the householder would pay Id. a quart extra money for it. An additional penny a quart would mean to his company an additional £700 a year, end ho could then with confidence say to his directors; 1 "Hero ie £700 a year available. It is worth our while to spend £1000 on plant, etc, and properly pasteurise the milk." Bufc he doubti if the Wanganui consumers are it present couvinced that sound milk is worth Id. a quart extra. To, an average familyj drinking a quart of milk a day, it woulrl mean an'extra 7d. a'weok.

Tho cost of partly, pasteurising the milk as at present done is not great. The machinery is used for the making of butter, and cheese, so that tho extra cost chargoablo to tho milk is not much. Tho pasteuvieing process employs merely a man and a boy. If the factory mndo completely pasteurised milk, could it ho supplied to the Wellington householders? Mr. Johnston thuiks not. Wellington is too remote. The fruight for-60 miles wonM add a further penny a quart tb the pnea. Mill; for the Babies. The Wavorloy Factory is developing a flow line—the preparation of humanised milk. 'It will bo some assurance to the people of Warigauui to learn that Mr: Johnston has oxpenmontetl with his new commodity upon his own nine-inontbs-oid baby, aiid the baby still lives and is becoming qnite prebooious oil it. Mr. Johnston has secured a licenso to manufacture humanised milk in accord* anco with the patent method of Dr. Backhaus, of Berlin. The product is Called Nutricia." It claims to bo superior to ordinary humanised milk by reason of a secret process which turns some of the casein into' soluble albumen, and precipitates the rest. The most important 'points in the work of imitating mother's milk is to reduco tb solublo albumen a proportion of the casein, (that constituent which is very trying t-i young digestions), and eliminate the rest, retaining the right proportions of creani and milk-sugar; and sterilise. .In tho "Nutficia" mothod_ the oream is first separated; the skim milk is then subjected to ferments, which turn some of the casein - into digestible albumen, and precipitate the rest for removal; and then the separated cfeam is returnoi, additional milk-sugar is added, and the whole is bottled and sterilised. The babies are fed direct from these bottles. Mr. Johnston has not yet put upoii the market the Wanganai edition of this patent preparation; but that will happen very shortly, arid there is every prospect that Waiiganui's fat babies will eventually beooino as famous as its fat bullooks. . An Ideal Milk Supply. It was suggested to Mr. Johnston that an ideal dairy herd for the supply of milk Would be, not only (as suggested by him), a herd controlled by the factory company itself, but also one consisting wholly of Jerseys. At this, however, MY. Johnston looked askance, and enquired whether tho people of Wanganui, or oven Wellington, wonld be willing to pay extra money for the extra cream that Jersey cows gavo, in recompense for the smaller milk yield. He had serious doubts on the point.

CEr-SERAL FARM NEWS,

Mr. Samuel Bolton, of ■ Woodvillo, is taking over the Makuri Dairy Factory. Eβ is also contemplating taking over a factory ac l J ongaroa. Finally wo may mention that lie is regarded as the probable Opposition candidato for the next election. ' OUR DIARY. WOOL SALES. Wellington.- Dee. 6, Jan. 17, Feb. 21 Christchnrch.—Nov. 21, Deo. 12, Jan 8 Fob. 4. , ' Auckland.—Nor. 27, Jan. 14, Feb. 18. Dunedin.—Deo. 19, Jan. 23, Feb 14 March 5. • ' Timaru.—Nov. 27, Jan. 3, 30, Feb. 27. Napier.—Deo. 8, Jan. 14, Feb. 19. Gisborne.—Dec. 5, Feb. 20. Invercargill.—Dec. 17, Jan. 27, Feb. 11. SHOWS. Nov. 20, 21.—Egmont. Nov. 20. — Horowhenua (Hortioultnral) Otaki. Nov. 20, 2L—Wairarapa, Nov. 21, 22.—Oamaru. Nov. 26, 27.—Nelson. Nov. 27, 28.—New PlyeontK, Nov. 28, 29.—Otago. Nov. 29, 30.—Auckland. Dec. 5, 6.—Gore. Dec. 10, 11.—Sonthland. Jan. 25, 26.—Wairoa. Feb. 4, s.—Feilding. Feb. 18,19.—Maeterton. Feb. 26.—Woodville. March 5, 6.—Waikato Central (Cambridge). March 25, 26.—Horowbcnna (Horticultural), Otaki. April.—Taiori. MEETINGS. Agricultural Associations, etc. Nelson, second Saturday of each month; Wauganui, eecond and fourth Wednesdays; Masterton, second Saturday; Wairarapa, third Friday; Manawatu, second Tuesday.