CASEIN INDUSTRY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4880, 21 September 1925, Page 4

CASEIN INDUSTRY.

ADDRESS AT WANGANUI. SOME INTERESTING FACTS. Matters : relative ,to the casein industry, the value and many uses of this product, Were referred to by Mr O. Holst in the course of an interesting address at the Wanganui Rotary Club recently. The speaker prefaced his remarks by observing that casein was a thing with which most of hits hearers were acquainted, and had been associated with from their earliest days. He went on to explain that casein waS one of the constituents of milk, and detailed, in an interesting manner, the many component parts of the product. The casein which he particularly wished to refer to was, he said, the protein found in 'cow’s milk, and which had been used for all manner of purposes. The practical use of the product was as old as the cheesemaking industry, which' dated back into the far distant days of history. Of later years an industry had sprung up which made use of casein itself. After explaining in detail the methods employed to manufacture casein, the speaker explained its many 'commercial uses. Food casein, for instance, was manufactured for diabetic food, but, of the many practical usejs of the product, rennet casein was probably the most astonishing of all. Most of his hearers had seen the necklaces, ear-rings, and hair combs that were most able these days, and which possessed an ivory or tortOise-ghell appearance, but actually all these articles were manufactured from casein. Cigarette holders, knife handles, and even portions of golf clubs, were made from casein, which had a thousand and one uses. In Melbourne a bar-room had been built and the walls were entirely covered with casein slabs. LACTIC ACID CASEIN. In- making mention of the other form Of the product—lactic acid casein—Mr Holst said it was used extensively industrially.' The paper manufacturing industry absrobed enormous quantities of casein to produce refined quality paper for illustration purposes —the film on such paper consisting of casein. Cold water paints, although not manufactured to any great extent in this country, consisted greatly of casein, which also formed the glue used in connection with the “ply" wood industry. Old paintings in Pompeii which had stood for 2000 years were designed from casein compounds. During the war a product containing casein, was utilised for varnishing aeroplanes. “Most of you are smoking,” added Mr Holst, “and it will probably surprise you to know that your cigarettes even'are pasted together, with casein paste.” He further pointed out that his hearers could take practically anything from face cream to boot polish and they would discover that it contained caisein in some form or other. In conclusion, he said .that casein was sometimes put up in a liquid form and sometimes: in a powder form. '