FISHY BUTTER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1911, Page 2

FISHY BUTTER.

THE MOISTURE LIMIT. DAIRY COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The Dairy Commissioner (Mr. D. Cuddie) has a few plain words to say to factory butter makers on their exported article in the current Agricultural Journal. He deals first with tho complaints of "fishiness" in New Zealand butter of this season's make, and notes that these complaints have been duly advertised in tho Australian press, although but few complaints havo reached himself. On the contrary, he I has received reports of a most satisfactory character of the quality of makes of butter (formerly nob up to ths mark) from factories which wero now oasteurising. _ Extracts from Mr. Cuddie'is contribution make most interesting reading. " When I was in London in the height of tho butter sea-son of 1907-8," says Mr. Cuddie, "I found, during th© three months I spent in investigating tho marketing of New Zealand dairy produce, that ' fishinees ' waa very prevalent in many brands of our , butter. It was this 'experience ' that "convinced" me of the urgent neces,siby of pasteurisation." "It is one of tho peculiarities of the London, butter market, by th,o way, that ' fishinees ' develops with singular rapidity when the demand is w-eak. • "There is little doubt thab some of the butters found fault with have been | for .several week» on the market, and j consequently under ordinary ciroum- ! stances would not bo improved in quality." " Unfortunately, the ultimate purchasers, from whom complaints are mostly received, are not aware of the ago of the butber." "From ©very point ol view I am convinced that it [date-stamping tbo boxes] would advance tho reputation of our butter and be of great benefib to tho industry " " Wliile the quality of our butter has, speaking generally, never been so satisfactory on leaving the Dominion, the quality of our cheeso has not displayed the same general advance, though a number of brands havo exhibited a distinct improvement." ( " It is not denied 'that several brands of New Zealarid butter have this season shown signs- of a ' fishy ' flavour prior to exportation, and reports ' on these brands which have reached the Dominion have confirmed the "opinion of the graders at thic oud." " Pasteurisation is tho key-not© to clean and uniform flavour, but -unless a properly prepared and clean starter 13 consistently used th©. system may easily b© more harmful than beneficial. • "Th© main reason for the weakness in popularity of New' Zealand butter with a certain section of -'British traders is the tendency of quite a number of factories this season to employ a percentage of moisture whach is too near the British legal limit." " This statement of tho careless us© of moisture is not tho outcome of any report from Home, but i» the result of repeated test* made at this end, quit© a number of factories, and factories well equipped, having been repeatedly .warned this season of their risky method of manufacture. " "It is 'gratifying to know, on tho other hand, that a majority of factories are aiming ab a high ideal and are safeguarding bhe reputation of New Zealand butter. ' p " Wibh their favoured conditions and knowledge of the business, which Should insure the manufacture of a high-class product, New Zealand dairymen can surely afford to leave the production of a second-class butter to other countries."