FLAVOURED MILK

Press, Volume C, Issue 29436, 11 February 1961, Page 12

FLAVOURED MILK

Proposals By N.Z. Board

“It will hardly be milk by the time we are finished, ” said the chairman (Mr W. E. Olds) of the Christchurch Metropolitan Milk Board yesterday when the New Zealand Milk Board advised that the possibility of introducing flavoured milk had been discussed with the producing and treatment industries.

At present, flavoured milk does not come under the scope of the Milk Act, because the definition in the act is not wide enough to include milk to which something has been added.

Discussions are taking place over suitable provisions for labelling with the Health Department, which has laid down quality standards of not below 2 per cent, of milk fat and 8 per cent, of milk solids. Other permitted ingredients would be potable water, citric or tartaric acid, wholesale foodstuffs and harmless colouring and flavouring substances. The product was to be homogenised and pasteurised, with pasteurisation as the final process before packing for retail sale.

“It is not really milk,” said the board's supervising officer (Mr A. P. Millthorpe). “It will be like a milk shake.” The board was told by Mr Millthorpe that flavoured milk was being sold already in Christchurch.

‘‘The standard is not up to ”j at ordinary milk,” said Mr Olds.