CLEAN MILK

Evening Star, Issue 18255, 20 April 1923, Page 5

CLEAN MILK

This week the premises of the Taicri and Peninsula Milk Supply Co., Ltd., have been open for inspection by the public, and this privilege has been fully availed of by a very largo number of people. Visitors are amazed with the absolute cleanliness, care, and attention taken to ensure that the milk, cream, and butter handed to tho public is nothing but the very best. On entering tho factory the visitor is struck with the airy, lofty but-ter-making room. They are first shown tho cans of cream, arriving. These are sampled, weighed, and tipped to the cream-receiving vats. From hero the cream passes through two pasteurizers, and during this process is held in the vicinity of a temperature of ZCOd'eg Fajir. 11l is then cooled quickly over an immense cooler, and when it reaches the bottom of this the temperature of the cream is from 44deg to 46deg. It is then pumped to the direct-expansion cream vats, where it is held until such time as it is ready to be run to the combined churns and workers (three in number). The cream is here churned, and when it arrives at the correct stage the buttermilk is withdrawn and the butter worker is connected with the churn, and the butter is worked. At no time during the operation is the butter handled by hand. When the butter has reached the finished stag® it is then withdrawn from the churn and placed on barrows, and from here is taken through to the packing room, where the export butter is packed. What is required for halfpound prints is tak*n to the printer and hero wrapped, ready for delivery to the public. Yet in no case is the butter touched by hand. The butter packed for export is then placed in tho freezer and here held until shipped for the oversea markets. The visitor is then shown the room where the humanised milk is prepared. They then pass to the milk-receiving stage, and here is seen tho six-ton Dennis lorry unloading the milk ■which has been collected and has just arrived. The floor of the receiving stage is of iron plates set into concrete, this being the only material that will stand up to the wear where such a large amount of produce is handled. The milk is now taken charge of by the foreman in charge of the milkreceiving stage. The milk is here graded, selected, and tested, only that which is suitable for town supply being put through the pasteurizers, tho remainder being set aside to be used for manufacturing purposes. The milk is weighed in two huge scales, which have been specially installed and which are the very best obtainable for this particular work. One of these scales has been in operation for eighteen years, and is still doing excellent work. From the scales before entering the milkreceiving vat the milk passes through special strainers, the best that can be obtained. From tho receiving vat the milk is pumped to the regenerator and pasteurizers on the top floor. Here the milk is pasteurized according to the most up-to-date methods in use throughout the world. Visitors are amazed at the vast quantity of milk being treats:!, they having no idea that in their own city such provision is made to ensure that the milk supply _is clean, pure, and wholesome. Once milk has been through the pasteurizers it is then carried to tho huge cooler, over which it flows, and when it reaches the bottom of this cooler the temperature is recorded by tho thermometer as from 45dog to 48deg. On leaving the cooler the milk is run into tho cans for delivery. These cans being one-pieco rustresisting cans specially imported. The cans are then placed in the cool chamber and held hero until 3.30 next when the chamber is opened and tho delivery carts (fourteen in all) are loaded ready for delivery to tho public. Visitors arc much interested-in the display of milk in cylinders, which show the cream-rise of milk delivered, and this gives the public an opportunity of viewing the quality of milk delivered to them. A further display is three samples of milk which were taken for analytical purposes, one over six years ago and the other Two over five years ago. It is interesting to see the change in the composition of milk at that age. From here the visitor is taken to tho stables, where everything is found to be spick and span. The first thing that meets the eye is the white carts all nicely washed and clean. They arc washed down dailv with hot and cold water, and are ready in the stable for proceeding on their rounds the following morning. An item of interest is a ball-bearing axle on one of the carts, the spinning wheel showing the advantage of this class of axle. The harness is all neatly arranged, and is evidence of the pride and care taken by the men. Tho horses include many prize-takers, and make a very fine display.

On leaving the stable the visitor is impressed with the spacious receiving yard, and cannot help hut notice the substantial flooring, part of which is solid concrete, the rest being Neuchatel asphalt. These premises are open to the public, and are well worth inspection.—-[By arrangement.]