DAIRY MARKET IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27698, 30 June 1955, Page 12

DAIRY MARKET IN BRITAIN

“N.Z. PRODUCE NOT MEETING NEEDS” SURVEY BY DR. E. MARSDEN (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 29. Directors of dairy companies throughout New Zealand were’ told today that New Zealand butter and cheese is not meeting the needs of the British market as well as ft might. Dr. E. Marsden, formerly scientific liaison officer in London for the New Zealand Government said British people thought New Zealand cheese was in nature tasteless and dry. The British taste in butter had changed and the general desire now was for a butter of stronger flavour than the Dominion at present provided. He said he had carried out an unofficial consumer survey with the help of New Zealand scientists living in Britain. Dr. Marsden, who was addressing the annual conference of the National Dairy Federation, said a great deal of scientific research was needed into the

processing and storage of protein foods such as cheese and milk powder. Concentrated research was needed to • enable an answer to be found to the : problem of cheese discolouration and I of reducing economically the moisture , content of milk powder so it would keep better. ' Mr M. H. Waljace, assistant director of the dairy division cf the Departement of Agriculture and formerlv : chief dairy produce inspector of the department in London, said the quality of the produce had improved in the last year but the British people j thought New Zealand butter had too flat a‘flavour. He would not be afraid of adding a little starter lactic acid to butter to produce a sharper flavour. The director of the dairy division of the Department of Agriculture (Mr H. A. Foy) said that samples of cheese makes from a cross section of 120 of ■ the 230 cheese factories in New Zealand bad been cut recently at the age ; of four or five months and examined for flavour, finish and discolouration. Other samples would be cut at the age ' of seven or eight months.