CONTAMINATED MILK

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 219, 16 June 1925, Page 8

CONTAMINATED MILK

REPORT ON AUCKLAND’S SUPPLIES Br TiLEcaiPH— spvcur, roßnr.spoNnnxT Auckland, June 15. A most unsatisfactory state of affairs in regard to the milk supply for the city of Auckland is disclosed in the latest report of the Auckland Health Department’s bacteriological examinations carried out at the Department’s laboratory in Queen Street. Taking the American standards for milk, the in, vestigation shows that since 1923 onlv 7 per cent, of the samples taken would be classified in class A, that is, raw milk under 10,000 bacteria per c.c. Even 7 per cent., however, is an itn-' provement, for in the first year that the examinations were made only 4 per cent, came within this category. Of the samples taken from 1923 to 1925, 39 per cent, would come within class B (American standard), i.c., milk which may be sold without pasteurisation. During the. last 12 months, 29 per cent, of the samples taken come under this class. Coming under class C (milk suitable onlv for pasteurisation) are 34 per cent, of the samples taken from 1923 to 1925, while for the last 12 months 41 per cent, of the samples come within this class. Coming within class D (nc>t suitable for drinking purposes) are 26 per cent, of the samples taken from .1923 to 1925, and 22 per cent, of those taken during the last 12 months. The sources of the greater part of the contamination of milk supplies are dirty methods of milking at the farms, and the use of dirty utensils, the indiscriminate mixture of various grades of milk at depots, etc., with the result that comparatively clean milks are depreciated by dirty ones .and the use of improperly cleaned cans.