PUBLIC HEALTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18897, 20 December 1924, Page 16

PUBLIC HEALTH.

A PURE MILK SUPPLY.

AMBURY'S BIG ENTERPRISE.

There is nothing so susceptible to contamination as milk. In the. collection of germs, it has no rival among the food products of the people. This fact has long been recognised by scientific men, and as the result of their investigations and advice the health authorities year by year have imposed more rigid regulations with regard to the handling and sale of milk j to the public. The dairy farmer has been called upon to improve his byres and exercise greater care in the cleansing of his cans and buckets. Dairies supplying milk direct to tho public must have a license, while the milkman on his round is subject to close inspection. But in spito of all these protections, contamination continues to endanger public health. The jug on tho doorstop, tho prowling cat, dust in open cans and the touch of human hands all help to create impurities, and much thought has been expended upon the provision of a system whereby tho people might bo supplied with a product which could bo relied upon as absolutely pure. Pasteurisation was tried with a degree of success, but it did not fill tho bill so long as methods of handling permitted the entrance of impurities. But pasteurisation coupled with the latest scientific methods of handling now ensures entire immunity from contamination, and by adopting the sealed bottle system milk can be supplied in its purest form. This fact was realised by Amburys, Ltd., when they erected their splendid new factory on Manukau Road, Epsom. Hero the very latest machinery has been installed and they are enabled to turn out a product, guaranteed pure, and wholesome. From the time tho milk enters the weighing machine to tho time it reaches the doorsteps of tho customers, it is not touched by the human hand. Under the methods employed _ contamination is impossible. After being received, the milk is put through a clarilier which eliminates all foreign matter and it is then sent on to the pasteurising plant, which by the way is one recommended by the highest medical authorities. Last year, a medical commission of the London Metropolitan Board investigated the milk supply of the city, and as a result it was resolved to order tho pasteurisation of all milk supplied and the Danish regenerator at Amburys new factory is the one recommended by the commission. It was found that by tho earlier processes of pasteurisation, however, tho food quality of the milk was interfered with, but -by the latest methods employed hero the'milk is actually improved. The process consists of heating the milk in glass-lined retainers to 145 degrees and holding it at that for 30 minutes and then cooling it to 30 to 40 degrees. Thus all harmful germs are killed without the quality of tho milk being in tho least interfered with. From the pasteuriser the milk is sent to the bottling machine, which fills and seals about 4000 bottles per hour without a drop of milk touching a hand of tho workers. It is a remarkable machine and well worth inspection, and for this purpose the factory is always open to the public. As tho 'bottles leave the machine they aro placed on roll-ways and at once sent off into cool storage to be loaded from there by another set of roll-ways into the delivery carts in the early hours of tho morning. So far, it has been shown that the milk has not been touched by the workmen, and it now remains to describe the sterilisation of the bottles on their return from tho customers. This is dono by what is known as an Enoch Improved Bottle Cleanser and Steriliser. It consists of a roll-way about 27ft. long with a stout iron cover. Into this the crates of bottles fit, and they are gradually carried over the various sterilising tanks from which powerful jets of water and steam make them as clean as the day they came from tho furnace. This can 'be believed when the process is explained. The jets from tho first tank use rinsing water heated to 115 degrees; tho second tank contains a soda solution at 130 degrees; the third a very strong soda solution at about 150 degrees; the fourth rinsing water at 180 degrees; the fifth is the sterilising chamber, which contains what may be termed " wet steam" at 230 degrees, while the final tank contains dry steam at 340 degrees, which is 128 degrees above boiling point. It takes a case of bottles just on five minutes to pass through the steriliser, and it is interesting to note that tho crates pass through also and receive the same purification. On emerging from the machine another roll-way takes the bottles away to stand readv for refilling in the evening. Thus it will readily be seen that no family jug can ever be so safe and pure as the sterilised bottle and that no system of milk supply can rival that adopted by Amburys. Limited. The firm, however, goes further. It has a laboratory where every farmer's milk is tested to see that it is pure and contains the right constituent of butterfat. This enables a uniform supply of good milk to all customers. To provide thoroughly clean surrounding-, the factory has been lined throughout with tiles and Koan's cement and the concrete floors provide for frequent flushing. All c.-*'s and other utensils are thoroughly scoured with steam and hot water, of which there is an inexhaustible supply. In fact, no erfort has been spared to safeguard' the health of the public. The machinery is all driven by electricity, the steam being used only for tho hot water and sterilising process. n So far, the factory has only been supplying pint and quart, bottles, but to suit the purposes of householders where a pint and a-half is sufficient, bottles for this purpose are being provided and have already landed in N.Z. Amburys, Limited, has done for Auckland what it was necessary to leave to the Wellington City Council. It is an enterprise which should command the greatest appreciation from the public. Largo sums of money have been expended to tho distinct benefit of. tho community and the reward lies in the hands of the people. A PROGRESSIVE FIRM. TURNERS AND GROWERS, LTD. FRUIT AND PRODUCE MERCHANTS. A visit to Turners and Growers, City Markets, is quite a revelation to the visitor to Auckland. The company is the largest merchant of fruit and produce in Australasia, with a turnover of £500.000 per annum. Sales of fruit and produce aro held daily, commencing at 8.30 in tho morning with strawberries, and continuing with all classes until one or two o'clock in the afternoon, as the fruit arrives from the producers. The produco r&les commence at. 10 a.m.. separate salesmen being employed. Under the same roof are conducted regular sales of grain, fresh eggs (in large quantities) and poultry. The company has a total floor space, including sale rooms, of , 60,000 square feet. Lemon and apple packing deparjments are run on behalf of fruit growers. Lemons particularly aro packed and graded by tho firm for transhipment throughout New ZealandTho company's Island and Australian trade is considerable, bananas and oranges being loaded by every steamer to tho firm. Apples, pears and other fruits aro specially packed, and put in the company's cool stores for sales during tho winter and spring months. This has the effect of keeping prices at a much mom even rate and is an advantage to both producer and consumer. Mr. Harvey Turner is tho manager of tho company and has associated with him, in charge of different departments, Messrs. E. ('., 13., A., and E. W. Turner, who have had many years of experience in the business. On the company's board of directors aro three representative suppliers, representing the supplier shareholders. The fact that the company handles the bulk of tho supplies in the lines in which it trades, particularly in local fruit and produce, speaks for itself of the satisfaction given to tho company's clients in tho quality of fruit and produco which goes i through its Auckland markets,,