CONDENSED AND PASTEURISED MILK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 94, 4 May 1900, Page 2

CONDENSED AND PASTEURISED MILK.

A VISIT TO SENTRY HILL FACTORY. The mention of condensed milk always brings to our mind two striking pictures. The first, and decidedly the pleasanter of the twain, carries our thoughts back some years, and for a while there is vividly placed in view the lovely Alpine scenery with its picturesque villages, where, nestling in cosy corners, are the happy homesteads of the free and joyous peasants of the Republic. One can in imagination hear the tinkling bells of the herds of cattle and goats browsing on the moun- | tain sides, and the long-forgotten exf hilarating atmosphere seems once more to make one tread as if on air. The quaintly appropriate but pretty garb of the mountain lassies as they flitted with bounding steps over the rugged ground, and the stalwart men, erect and full of conscious pride in their freedom of life, stand out in the panorama as clear as if it were but yesterday the scene was passing before our eyes. It seems almost too strange to be true that from these mountain homesteads should go forth food for the world, and that in a few short years in all quarters of the globe "Swiss condensed milk " should find its way into numerous households and be looked upon as an important food, backed with a special recommendation frem the faculty for its nourishing properties and its special fitness as a dietary for infants. The other picture .that is recalled to mind is the interminable recurrence of those large enamelled iron advertisements which are to be found in every coign of vantage in Great Britain and elsewhue depicting a milkmaid, a courtier, and a cow, whereto also is affixed a special adaptation of the old nursery rhyme, "' Where are you going, my pretty maidV " '"l'm milking for Nestle, sir,' she said," etc.; and truly, whether owing to the advertisement or to the excellence of the condensed milk known throughout the world as Nestle's, the trade in that particular article is phenomenal, not only in its extent but in the long and increasing popularity it has enjoyed. No wonder, then, that in Taranaki, where every circumstance favours the manufacture of such a staple article of food, a determined effort has been made to place to the credit of the district another industry which, like our other dairy products, should make itself famous on the chief markets of the world. Let it not for a moment be thought that there have been no vicissitudes ere launching the iudustry on a safe and permanent footing, for there have been many draw-1 backs and obstacles, much experimenting, some failures, and a fair share of disappointments, all of which mean loss of time and money. Perhaps the success now attained is all the sweeter for the reverses, and now that the genesis has been passed and the exodus of multitudes of cases has commenced it is only right and just that those who havo piuickily borne the brunt of the pioneer work should be congratulated on Jjavjng entered upon what bids fair to be one of the most, if not the ipost, successful enterprises with which the dairying industry is con nested, ft was therefore with the greatest pleasure that we accepted the courteous invitation of the Secretary of the Taranaki Condensed Milk .Company (Mr. T. 0. Kelsey) to pay a visit of inspection to the factory cn Thursday. Fortunately the weather was all that could be desired, and the drive out to Sentry Hill was most enjoyable, On arriving it the factory, which occupies a inost suitable site close to the main raid, yet contiguous to the river, the acquaintinco with the manager (Mr. Maclsod) its soon made, and with his help and guidance, aided by that of Mr. Atkinson, the details of the business are soon xplained. Of couree there are many iiiiugs we wish 59 know about—is

always the misfortune of members of the Fourth Estate—some of which w«i fear may trench on secrets; but, no, there seems to be nothing to hide, and one by one the various items of the process are pointed out in such an intelligent and masterful way as to impress one with the certainty that the demonstrator is an expert in his business, and one whom it were safe to rely on for bringing it to a highly successful issue. It is very satisfactory, therefore, to have this impression confirmed by documentary evidence, whereby it appears that in 1893 Mr. Macleod was manager for the New Zealand Milk Preserving Company at luvercargill, and from a record of the result of testing by the Government analyst of a sample of the condensed milk manufactured there that (amongst other things) " there was no trace of any impurity or any adulterant, the proportion of sugar was judicious, and that the manufacture was evidently conducted by a man that thoroughly knows his business." There is an added footnote by the analyst that he bad " perfect confidence in recommending this brand of condensed milk as quite eqtfil to the best imported into the colony." There is not the slightest reason to doubt that a similar verdict might be pronounced on a sample from the factory at Sentry Hill. After seeing the process which the milk undergoes ere being hermetically sealed up in the tins placed on the market, one can readily understand the reason why it is to highly recommended as an artiole of food, if only for the reason that it is impossible for any germs to exist in the milk, which is first passed through the separator for cleansing purposes, then it is scalded, after which it passes to the vacuum pan heated by coils of steam pipes (here it receives the mixture of sugar), and raised to a temperature of 140 degrees, and when sufficiently condensed is drawn off at the bass of the pan through, a strainer into cylindrical cans, which are removed into a tank filled with cold water, when the temperature is reduced co 60 degrees. While in the tank the contents of each can is kept in potion to assist the cooling and derating process, on the completion of which the milk is ready to be sealed up in the tins in which it is despatched from the factory. Throughout the whole business the moßt scrupulous cleanliness and care is observed, every vessel and tin used being well scalded with steam, a plentiful supply of water being frequently used for flushing the concrete floor. The pasteurised milk is, of course, treated differently, the absence of sugar making a much lees dense substance and adding greatly to the appearance of the article, which has the aspect of white cream, rather than condensed milk. There is no doubt that the latter has a big future before it—not that it will oust the condensed milk, but will open up a new clientelle and thus serve to extend the sphere of operations. The samples of each product that we saw were certainly of excellent quality, and for the credit of the enterprising Company who have launched the industry on its road to prosperity, as well as in the interests of the district, we wish the venture every success.