CHURNING IN VACUUM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21716, 3 February 1934, Page 14

CHURNING IN VACUUM

BUTTER-MAKING PROCESS CLAIMS MADE FOR PRODUCT IMPORTANT ADVANTAGES A demonstration of a new vacuum process of manufacturing butter was given at the East Tamaki Co-operative Dairy Company's factory yesterday afternoon. Among the many interested onlookers were the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. C. E. Macmillan, Mr. J. N. Massey, M.P. for Franklin, Mr. E. Woods, chief grader in Auckland, and Mr. W. W. Dempster, dairy instructor for the Waikato district. The vacuum process of manufacturing butter has been the subject of research for many years, and it is claimed by those interested that recent demonstrations have established beyond doubt the success of the new methods. Facilities for the demonstration wero provided by the East Tamaki Cooperative Dairy Company, and tho churning was supervised by tho factory manager, Mr. A. Baird. Tho ordinary processes of butter manufacture were followed in the preparation of tho cream and filling of the churn. The churn used was an ordinary churn encased in a steel, circular casing, with an air space between this and the outer sides of the churn. After being filled with cream, the churn was closed and tho steal chamber also 'closed up. Power was turned oh to operate the machinery which creates the desired vacuum. Mr. Baird explained that it was possible to open up the churn for testing purposes, salting, and so on at any time during churning. An equal vacuum pressure was maintained inside the churn, and in the cavity between it and the outer casing, through automatic, equalising valves. In the process of churning the air and gases natural to butter-making were extracted and the butter was formed under absolutely pure cohditions. On completion of the churning the newly-made butter was examined by the visitors. Samples were compared with butter made under ordinary processes, and favourable opinions wore expressed on the texture of the vacuum-process butter. It is claimed for the process that the butter is of a much finer body and texture, there being no air-fissures and "pockets," such as are found in butter as at present manufactured. It is also claimed that it has greater spreadibility, and greater keeping qualities. Those interested in the process stated that there is no doubt that tho process will ultimately becomo the universal method of buttermaking in tho Dominion. It was mentioned that the new process butter requires less space than butter manufactured under ordinary methods. It had been computed that there would be a space saving of 8 per cent.