QUALITY OF THE MILK SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 16, 13 October 1917, Page 8

QUALITY OF THE MILK SUPPLY

«• EEPORT OP THE DOMINION ANALYST. The Dominion Analyst, Dr. J. is. Maclaurin, in his annual report slates that the samples of milk received at the Laboratory during the ycai; covered the most important towns iu the AVellington, Taranaki, Hawko's Bay, Gisborne, and Nelson districts. In all 1108 samples were taken under the Sale of Pood and Drugs Act. The appointment, of a milk inspector by the Wellington City Council resulted in 847 samples being taken, as against 33S for the previous year. Of the 847, 28 wero adulterated with water, one to tho extent of 21.8 per cent., the average- addition being 9 per cent.; 56 proved deficient in fat, the worst sample representing 23 per cent, of skimming, the averago 8.8 Tier cent.; three contained' preservative, contrary to regulation; 44 were decidedly stale; 62 contained excessive amounts of dirt. In all 198 samples, or over 23 per cent., failed to'comply with tho regulations. "The activity of tho inspectors did much to check watering and skimming towards ihe end of the year," tho report states. "The proportion of stale and dirty milks, however, showed no diminution. Soma causes of such unsound condition of milk are lack of cleanliness on the_ farms, insufficient cooling, carelessless in handling, and undue delay in distribution. They are all remediable."

Of the 2151 samples received from the other districts, seven had lieen skimmed and nineteen watered to such a degree as to bring them under the heading "seriously adulterated," and fifteen were slightly below the sliindnrd.