THE CASEIN INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 109, 24 September 1912, Page 7

THE CASEIN INDUSTRY.

GOVERNMENT'S EUROPEAN INVESTIGATIONS. FAVORABLE PROSPECTS. A full report Ims been receiyed by Mri D. Cuddie, Chief of the Dairy Division of the Agricultural Department, from Mr J. Pedersen, an officer of the dairy 6taff who was sent to Europe recently to make investigations into the casein industry. The outstanding fact disclosed by Mr. Veil, r.-cii's enquiries into the prospects for casein on the world's markets is, according to an official journal published in the Department's Journal, that while the demand for the raw material (skim milk) is rapidly increasing for human consumption —many patent casein foodtsuffs as well as for skimmilk cheese —the uses for casein in tie manufacturing world are rapidly multiplying. The former demand must not only serve to maintain the value of casein, but it must inevitably tend to make European manufaturers more dependent on outside sources of casein supply. A summary of the report is as under:—

INCREASING DEMAND FOR SKIM MILK. It is only during the last ten years that the casein industry has developed, but the development has been so rapid that in the last five years the output has increased 100 per cent. Germany utilises all its skim milk for food purposes, and now imports about 5000 tons annually from Argentina, France, Italy and Scandinavia. Three years ago Dunmark commenced the making of casein, and has now 300 factories in operation. Last year German merchants were paying as high as 84 marks for 100 kilos net at the factory in Denmark, equal to £42 per ton. This high price, however, can hardly be considered the true value. The chief reason for the extreme price then ruling was a very dry season in the Argentine, necessitating American manufacturers buying in Europe. At present the price in Europe is £Bl per ton. The freight frofti Wellington to Hamburg is £2 per ton. The above rather low .price is brought about by the large quantity of poor-quality casein on the market, a fact which has been used as a levev by buyers to force down the price of the good article. Quality plays a most important part in the trade, there being little or no demand for an inferior article; it is almost unsaleable. There is now very little poor-quality casein being manufactured in Europe. New Zealand dairy companies, with n proper knowledge of the. best methods •( preparation, fortified by the Government grading, should, Mr. Pedersen thinks, have no dilliculty in supplying the highquality article in demand. Buyers purchase strictly according to quality, and, with grading, the business would be greatly facilitated. During the last few years the use of casein for manufacturing purposes has increased enormously. For instance, in German paper mills the machinery has been altered so that only casein can be used in tlie varied' processes of making the several papers for which casein is required. Everything points to the use of casein being on the increase. It is coming into use for artificial foods for human consumption, amongst others, lactorin, which contains 78 per cent, of casein; and sanatogen. which contains 95 per cent. There is also plasmon, casein food, and many others. HIGH CONTINENTAL VALUE OF SKIM-MTLK.

The production of casein is likely to decrease in Europe in the future, Mr. Pedersen consider*, for the reason that skim-milk is lu-injr used more and more as a food product, and therefore has a greater market value than it has in a country like New Zealand. Denmark alone uses .WO.dOO.IKMIIb of skim-milk annually for the making of skim-milk cdiee.se. When the manufacture of casein was commenced, about one-third of this skim-milk was converted into casein. A result of this has been to increase the price of skim-milk cheese, the manufacturer of which pays the farmer Is 3d per 1001b of skim-milk. It is obvious that when the value of skim-milk cheese advances, less casein will be made, and this factor, Mr. Pedersen points out, will always have the effect of maintaining the value of casein on European markets.

So strong lias this tendency been of late that ft number of Danish casein factories have turned their attention to the making of skim-milk cheese. Then, again. Germany is importing skim-milk for food purposes. Mr. Pedersen mentions that he visited one factory in Hamburg which was purchasing large quantities of skim-milk at 2'/id per gallon net. What is taking place in Denmark is also taking place in other European butter-making countries. GOOD PROSPECTS FOR NEW ZEALAND. After enlarging on the many uses for skim-milk in Europe. Mr. Pedersen goes on to state that, taking everything into consideration, the outlook for casein manufacture in New Zealand appears To be good. Casein should become an important factor in connection with the dairying industry of the Dominion. Mr. Pedersen's report also deals with the preparation of rennet casein, the demand for which by the manufacturer is considerable. The method of casein preparation, reports Mr. Pedersen, notv recognised as the most successful, is that known as the lactic-acid system. This is the discovery —a discovery which has not been patented—of Mr. 0. Wennewold, a dairy expert in the employ of the Danish tiovernment. Mr. Pedersen's method of investigation was the thorough one of actually working at the process in the leading centres of manufacture.

The report goes thoroughly into the technicalities of casein manufacture on the most approved principles. With this information at their command, and Mr. Pedersen's first-hand knowledge, gained from his practical experience in the best European factories, New Zealand dairy factory managers should be able to make casein of the highest quality. Mr. Pedersen also furnishes a full description of the correct method of analysing casein, to determine its market value, as well as complete details of the most up-to-date plant and dairying factories, together with specifications and the coat.

Tt is the intention of the Agricultural Department to publish Mr. Pedersen's full report in pamphlet form.