BUTTER WITHOUT CHURNS

Dominion, Volume 39, Issue 28, 27 October 1945, Page 7

BUTTER WITHOUT CHURNS

New German Methods Inspected REPORT BY DOMINION OFFICERS (By Telegraph.—Press Assn,—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Received October 26, 9.55 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. Buttermaking without a churn is one of the latest developments in the dairy industry. New methods, known as • continuous i>rocessing, have been perfected with machinery which saves labour and occupies less factory space than churns and reduces over-all costs. In Australia, the United States, Switzerland, Sweden and Germany continuous processing is being closely examined. Two distinct methods were investigated in Germany during the recent visit by Mr. Frank Taylor, New Zealand dairy inspector in London. Dr. I. E. Coop, New Zealand scientific liaison officer, and Dr. J. A. B. Smith, of Hannah Dairy Research Institute, at Ayr, Scotland. At the Kiel Dairy Research Institute in the famous Schleswig-Holstein district, and at the Weihenstephan research station near Munich they learnt that the Germans are using processes known as the Alfa and Fritz with considerable success, Tlie Alfa process, developed at Kiel, is a phase conversion of cream to butter. The milk ie first-separated and the constituency of the resultant cream is 78 per cent, butterfat, 20 per cent, water and 2 per cent, solids, which are not fats. This cream is heated and subjected to sudden chilling, the temperature falling by 50 degrees Centigrade. The effect is to transform it from an emulsion of fat in water to water in fat, or butter, which is unsalted. There is no residue or buttermilk, the cream entering at one point of the machine and butter being discharged from the other. There is no contact with air or water during this process. Butter in 1J Seconds. The Fritz method, which originated at tlie Weihenstephan research station, differs in principle. Cream with 40 per cent, to 50 per cent, butterfat content is subjected to rapid agitation by passing it through a cylinder in which blades are rotating at 3000 revolutions a minute. In one and a half seconds the cream is separated into butter and buttermilk, the butter being carried automatically into a mixing chamber where the buttermilk runs off and from which the butter is finally discharged into packing machines. Fritz machines capable of producing two tons of butter an hour are operating in Germany. It is claimed by the Germans who have installed 60 Fritz and 12 Alfa plants in their dairying districts, that these new processes’ give an improved type of butter. Both Mr. Taylor and Dr. Coop reserved their opinion as to whether this improvement would apply to New Zealand if the machinery were introduced there. They feel that, several trials would bo necessary before the German claim could be substantiated. It is certain, however, that this type of butter-making without churns is attracting considerable attention in the dairying world. It is known that the Danes, in addition to Great Britain and other countries in which the new methods have been introduced, are watching developments with close attention. Developments are taking place both in Sweden and Switzerland, which may require close attention on the part of New Zealand. Dr. Coop will shortly be returning to New Zealand and will be available for consultation with the Scientific and Industrial Research Department. With Mr. Taylor and Dr. Smith, he has combined in producing a, report on the German methods which will shortly be in the hands of the New Zealand Government. Use of Ultra-Violet Kays. Another development which interested the visitors is a claim that ultra-violet ravs can be used for the pasteurization of milk in the cold. The New Zealanders and Dr. Smith, however, consider that further tests are required before the Ger. mans’ high opinion of this method can be confirmed. Further trials are being conducted in Germany and.they are bein'- watched with interest. Hitherto, successful ultra-violet ray pasteurization lias been complicated by the opacity of milk which withstood penetration by the ravs. The German method is to pass the milk through long lengths of quartz tubing, in pitch a way as to ensure that the milk is thoroughly “penetrated” from all angles. The Germans claim that, in addition to pasteurization. Vitamin D is added during the process, thereby increasing the food value for children. _ Inquiry into Gorman cheese production showed that though they have evolved at least two interesting and ingenious processes for the rapid conversion of milk into cheese, these would not be suitable for application to New Zealand. In other fields of dairy research, such as physiology and animal health. H was found that Germany is behind both tlie United Kingdom :iml the I oiled Slates.