SUGAR OF MILK.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1919, Page 7

SUGAR OF MILK.

AN INTERESTING REPORT, The following report wa9 submitted by Mr. Cooper, of the Mangatoki factory, who was commissioned "by the commi'tttee set up by the Taranaki dairy factories to visit Southland and report upon the sugar of milk industry, to last Thursday's meeting at Hawera: Milk (cow's) contains from 4 to 5 per cent, of sugar; 2 1-4 to 2% per cent, of refined sugar is all that is to be obtained. This is explained (Ist) that, in separating 8 to 12 per cent, of the total quantity is removed, and in the cheesemaking up to 20 per cent, is removed; second, that a certain amount of sugar on a given quantity of new milk 2J to 2$ per cent, will be approximately correct. In actual practice I believe a slightly better yield can be obtained from casein whey, where hydrochloric acid is used to coagulate the skim milk. Cheese whey and rennet casein whey produce the same. Lactic acid casein gives the poorest yield. In the manufacture of milk sugar another by-product is obtained, viz., coagulated albumen. With a certain amount of curd or fine casein, which, when properly dried and ground fine, makes a valuable food for calves, pigs, fowls; in fact, any animal that will eat it thrives well. About 1 per cent, of this will be obtained from the whey in addition to the sugar. Cheese gives the greatest yield of this product, particularly in the hot weather, and when the chcesemakers are troubled with fast vats. In my opinion this refuse from a milk BUgar plant, if distributed among the suppliers, would nearly compensate them for the loss of their whey, and in most cases would more than do so. This food when dried and ground fine, can be put into sacks and stored for use when most required, and is of greater value as a food than any grain meals on the market.

Manufacture—ln the manufacture of milk sugar one of tlie principle things to consider is the site. It must not be assumed for a moment that all dairy factories could profitably manufacture milk sugar one of the principal things that a majority could not do so; but I am convinced that a number can do so and make a handsome profit. Of course, at the present abnormal price in England, £BOO per ton, anything could be done; but, in considering this question, I think it Would be Wise to estimate at a selling rice of £ll2 per ton wholesale, or say Is per pound (pre-war the price was less than this wholesale). Four years ago one sugar factory I know made contracts at 7Jd and sold some 50 tons locally at lOd per lb, so that, with the figures now available, if a profit can be seen at £ll2 per ton, any factory properly situated need have no hesitation in starting the business. Again, the use of milk sugar is on the increase, and the European production is at present gone, and probably will never return, while in America, where the city milk is taking such a large quantity of milk form the other States, and the home separation system has got such a hold in other places, and the fact that condensed milk and dried milk factories are on the increase, where milk is available, it is fair to assume, I think, that milk sugar will not go back to pre-war prices. Milk sugar can only be manufactured where milk in large quantities is delivered to one centre, or in countries where large quantities of milk is produced. The plant required is so costly that it would never pay to install for a smalt quantity of milk. Coal —The site should be as near to a railway, or waterway, as possible, owing to the large amount of fuel required, or better still, alongside a coalmine, j Ten tons of coal will be required to produce one ton of sugar, or to treat the whey from 150,0001bs of milk, with a poor class of lignite coal, more would be required.

Water—A good suply of good water is essential for condensing, and for the purpose of washing sugar. The colder the water the better, and the quantity should be at least equal to the milk supply-, Milk Supply—Five thousand gallons, or 50,0001bs of milk per day should be the minimum available supply, where a complete reducing and refining plant is required. In my opinion, double this quantity or 10,000 gallons, within a radius of 3 to 3J miles, would be a better paying proposition. The larger the quantity the more economical the process. j Cost of Plant—l have carefully eati- ) mated the cost of building and plant to treat 100,0001bs of milk per day, in the flush at £15,000, but the same plant would probably deal with half as much more, which would make thß cost of manufacture less. I was fortunate, during my visit south, in finding a firm which has been manufacturing some of the plant required for this business, and who are at present manufacturing some plant for the extension of the sugar of milk plant in the South Island. They have plans and specifications for every part of the plant required, similar to the one in use at present, and they are prepared to build and erect a complete plant of from 6000 to 15,C00 gallon capacity if rquired. I have seen this plant in operation, and, as far as dealing with the quantity and the quality of the refined sugar, of which I have a sample, it appears to be all that is required. This plant does not contain any machinery that was built for the purpose. The vacuum pan for reducing the whey was intended to treat a good many things. The hydro' extractors are used for drying hides, wool, manures, etc., and are even used in the larger laundries. The fitter presses are the same as used in the cyanide process for extracting gold. The vacuum pan for the refining side, is used for condensed milk manufacture. Estimated Profit and Loss Account — On, say, 100,Q001bs of milk per day at flush means 18,GOO,0001bs, approximately 18J million lbs in the year, yielding 200 tons or 448,0001bs of sugar at Is per lb.

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE. & Interest on plant, '£15,000, at 0 per cent 900 Depreciation, 10 per cent 1500 2000 tons coal at 40a per ton .. 4000 Wages, requisites, etc., equal to co»l .. . . . 4000 '£10,400 Balance £13,000 £23,400 ESTIMATED RECEIPTS. ■£ Sale of millc sugar 22,400 Sale flf 100 tons of feed at £lO per ton ... 1,000 | £23,400 I You will notice that the estimate cort

above works out at £52 per ton. (Mr. Peterson, in his report on this subject —Journal of Agriculture, December 16, 1912—estimates the cost at £2O per ton). This estimate was taken by the N.Z. Sugar of Milk Co., but the actual cost, Worked out by myself over three months' working, was £2B 10s per ton, so that £52 at the present will be a fair thing to figure on. You will find the above cost works out at 5%d per lb of sugar; and, supposing the milk averages 3.8 per cent, of fat, the above profit would pay nearly 4Jd per lb butter-fat. Now, if the milk sugar ,iould realise 2s per lb, which is olily one-third the English price to-day, the dairy company manufacturing could pay over Is per )b buttei-fat off the sugar. In going into this matter I have been somewhat pressed for time, but I feel that the above gives a fair and reasonable prospect of the business in New Zealand. From what I have seen in. my travels this time, I have come to the conclusion that the milk sugar business, as carried on in this country at present, is extremely crude and out of date. I am sure that a better and more economical means can be obtained. In any case the above plant can be worked in a more economical manner.

For my part, I could not. recommend any company to adopt the South Island plant, after what I saw, until I had satisfied myself that there was nothing better to be liad. At the present I am of opinion it can be much improved on. In conclusion, Ijinight point out that a good water power or electric power would be a splendid tiling for a milk sugar factory, or perhaps better still, natural gas, if obtainable as a fuel. I •am not at all sure that electricity would not do the whole thing, without coal, if a water power of sufficient horsepower could be obtained. Another thing I would point out is that the latest methods of drying milk, use an evaporator similar to the sugar plant. The hydros and drying room of a sugar plant are also used for drying casein. In making condensed milk the same evaporators are used, and the boilers and motive power are necessary in all these processes. Taking these things into consideration a plant erected anywhere along the line, where a supply of raw material could be obtained, could be turned with a comparative small cost into any of these processes. Requisites—Hydrochloric and sulphuric acids, lime, caustic soda, cotton seed oil, bone charcoal, filter cloth, copper wire cloth for centrifuge, 561b tins, cardboard packets, light parchment, etc. Plant to treat 10,000 gallons, or 100,OOOlbs of inilk whey—Boiling and clarifying vats, 2-700 gallons, £200; vacuum pans, 100 gal. capacity, with vacuum pumps complete, £3000; vacuum pan, refining," £1500; centrifuge, 5001bs capacity, £525; filter presses, £105; crystalling pans, 10 gallons capacity, £210; 5 pumps, £250; boilers, each 120 h.p., £2000; engine, 20 h.p., £350; mill and drying trays, £170; shafting, pulleys, belting, etc., £350; shovels, scoops, buckets, tubs, testing outfit, etc., £100; bricking in boilers and setting up machinery, £1000; building, £4000; contingenciob' <£.looo. Total, £15,000. Reducing plant to treat 3000 to 5000 eallons—l2o h.p. boiler, £1000; crystalling pans, £ »'2O; vacuum pan with pump, £1500; 8000 gallon boiling vat, £100; centrist ge, £172; pumps, £150; power, 10 h.p, £200; building, £1500; erecting machuery, etc., £500; contingencies, £SOO. Total, £5742 (say £6000). If bu'lding and power is already installed that much less. The brown sugar can be stored in sacks for months if required. These estimates are only approximate, but on the liberal side. The buildings, of course, can cost more or less: the same applies to other things and depend on fancy and where purchased.