Nature's Food

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 4, 7 August 1931, Page 6

Nature's Food

VER since I heard Mr. F, W. *"-:Saxton, F.C.S. give a talk on milk I have been puzzling whether I am glad or sorry that I had this talk in my schedule! Not that it was anything but pleasantly, indeed forcibly, told, but now when I help myself to the milk, I feel almost like an early Christian facing Nero. It would appear that while milk is the most balanced and complete of our foods,*containing proteins, fat, carbohydrates,.vitamines and what not in the besti-possible proportions to suit humau consumption, still, like most worldly things seemingly perfect, there is a catch in it. So far as milk is, concerned there are quite several catches; a few million to the cubic centimetre, in fact. They rejoice in the name bacteria or, in common parlance, bugs. For ease "and speed in multiplication, the honest: bug will make Brer Rabbit look as though he were not even a tryer. Each will multiply into two every half hour, If you want a headache, or have come ‘recollection of geometrical progression (I think it is) you will see that twenty-four hours storage of a bug or two will provide you with enough bacteria to last you for all time. I was comforted by learning that all these bacteria are not harmful. On the contrary, the majority are the very staunch allies of mankind, and comparatively few are disease producing. Disagreeable though sour milk may be, still it is by no means harmful; indeed it is beneficial, Sour milk is the handiwork of one of the more friendly variety of bacteria. Many are the efforts made to render milk pure and germ proof. There are two very important helpers in these attempts. One is pasteurisation and the other is increased cleanliness. The former process (named after that great Frenchman Pasteur) consists of heating up the milk to a temperature of 60 to 75 degrees C., and maintaining this temperature for a period of some thirty minutes, afterwards rapidly cooling the product, An alternative and’ speedier»

method is to heat the milk to 90 degrees or so for one minute, and to cool in the usual way. . In theory this practice should put finis to the bugs; in practise the theory is found to be incomplete, and while bacteria are considerably reduced by pasteurisation they are by no means exter-~ minated. The speaker pinned his faith

to cleanlier methods of production, clean cows, clean sheds, clean milkers, careful transportation, these are the ways to get milk pure and free from contamination. Meanwhile for as long as I remember the details of this talk I shall go on considering myself a hero each morning at breakfast.