QUALITY OF BUTTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21708, 25 January 1934, Page 8

QUALITY OF BUTTER

importance to industry COMPARISON WITH DANISH RESULTS OF RESEARCH A correspondent closely interested in the dairy industry contributes the following to the discussion on quality in New Zealand butter. Although New Zealanders are not lacking in inventive genius or an aptitude for scientific attainment, the Dominion, by comparison, has been tardy in furthering research work and slow in its practical application. Of our primary industries the dairy industry has been the most retarded as a result of this. Ilecent suggestions that thero is an urgent necessity for greater coordination of the work of the research departments in New Zealand, so that the industry can be guided along sound lines in the improvement of butter and cheese, and as the first , steps to lift the price of New Zealand butter back to a remunerative level, merit the utmost consideration. That research work should be untrammelled by Government control and its conclusions respected and put promptly into practical operation free of departmental delay, is, to-day, an urgent necessity. Research work carried on along these lines with quick practical application will not, however, meet fully the present needs of the industry. Danish Competition We must extend the work to Britain, where the problem of Danish competition is one long overdue for solving. This problem can and must be tackled —can and will be solved. It is a job for technologists—men who by training are able to combine scientific research with practical application. The burden of opinion published in respect of this problem in the last few years has led us to believe that our butter is lacking in "quality" in comparison with the Danish article, and all that is necessary, if we would command a parity or greater price, is to improve the "quality" of New Zealand butter.

But what is meant by "quality"? It is a fact —and facts can be substantiated —that finest grade New Zealand butter is equal in quality to the Danish article. This does not mean that we must not double up on our endeavour to improve the quality of our product, we must not relent in this respect. It means, however that the "characteristics" inherent in Danish butter cause that article to be preferred by an important section of the consuming public. Herein lies the line for investigation and research work to follow in seeking the solution. Importance of Flavour Much, of course, is already known in this respect, and our advisers put the finger on one important factor — flavour. And here we see them flounder. An egg without salt contains the same flavour as an egg with salt. The salt merely assists the palate to detect the flavours that are present. Similarly, a butter low in lactic acid may contain the same flavour as a butter with a higher acid content, the acid merely assisting the palate to better record the flavour. Experience has shown that we cannot, with safety, incorporate the same degree of acidity in New Zealand butter intended for export as is contained in Danish. And so it is said that our butter is "flat" in comparison, and the erroneous reasons generally given for this are that the true butter flavour has been removed by neutralisation, pasteurisation, deodorisation. Processing of Cream Generally—except to the technoldgists—these terms are not understood, and so the belief springs up that in the processing of our cream for buttermaking much damage to flavour results. The term "neutralising" applies only to the reduction of the lactic acid in cream, and its adjustment to a correct figure prior to processing. The flavours, good or bad, are not interfered with if this adjustment is properly carried out. Pasteurising and deodorising, or to be more explicit, the "processing" of cream prior to churning, can now be carried out under vacuum, a method perfected a:> a result of research work done and applied in this Dominion. Butter made from finest grade cream processed in this manner is of a higher quality and a truer flavour than butter made from the same cream not so treated. This method of vacuum treatment is now employed in a number of our leading butter factories, whose London agents confirm the improvement thus obtained. It should be a source of pride that the Dominion was the pioneer of a scientific process that effectually improves the grade and keeping quality by the extraction of deleterious essential oils imparted by the feed. Tho chemical changes that take place when these feed substances are allowed to remain in the butter cannot be controlled and thereby detrimentally affect its keeping quality. Conditions to-day require that the work of research should be directed into all branches of the dairy industry—• production, manufacture, markets, so that our butter and cheese shall meet the requirements of all sections of the public and command prices of a parity at least or better than those paid for the produce of our competitors.