Milk Hygiene

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32143, 12 November 1969, Page 22

Milk Hygiene

Sir,—l wonder if the Milk Board has ever considered the hygiene question in regard to gate delivery as against purchase from dairies. If vendors could deliver milk to households before 7.45 a.m. when the average worker leaves home, the milk would not be left all day in the sunlight Again, all vendors should refuse to collect bottles off the ground where they lie to be fouled by cats and dogs. These bottles are handled, and full bottles are lifted by the tops and put in boxes or on the ground. I have known vendors to say their hands reek at the end of their deliveries and it takes a lot of scrubbing in very hot water and soap to' remove the odour. Again, assistants to the vendors do not always place bottles in boxes when provided.—Yours, etc., POLLUTED BOTTLES.

November 4, 1969. (Mr M. J. W. Langford, district manager of the New Zealand Milk Board, replies: “Although city vendors must complete deliveries at present by 9 a.m., many of them in fact do finish before 7.45 a.m. The daily practice of washing the bottles and their tops before placing in the refrigerator is recommended to get rid of any dust or possible contamination. The correct use by both vendor and consumer of a well-constructed and pro-perly-sited box should overcome most problems, but any instances of vendors not placing bottles in boxes should be reported to this office.”]