BUTTER MANUFACTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21793, 7 May 1934, Page 5

BUTTER MANUFACTURE

NEW CHURNING PROCESS F.AST TAMAKI FACTORY VISIT BY PRIME MINISTER,, A visit to the East Tamaki Co-opera-tive Dairy Company's factory to witness a demonstration of the manufacture of butter under tho new vacuum process was made by tho Prime Minister, tho lU. Hon. G. W. Forbes, and the Hon. 11. Masters, Minister of Industries and Commerce, during the week-end. They were accompanied by Dr. K. Marsden, permanent secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and Mr. A. J. Murdoch, M.P. Mrs. Forbes was also an interested onlooker and expressed herself delighted with the flavour of butter sampled by tho party. Mr. W. W. Massey, M.P., was also present. Keen interest in the process of manufacture was shown by Mr. Forbes. Tho factory manager, Mr. D. Baird, explained that the experimental churn employed, which had, a capacity of about 10 boxes as against the 40-box capacity of the ordinary commercial churn, was prepared for churning in the usual manner. Nothing was added to or taken away from the prepared cream and tho difference lay entirely in the conditions under which buttermaking was carried out. Factorybutter was in the meantime made under the ordinary atmospheric conditions' prevailing. Tho new method permitted of churning in a vacuum, which enabled the gases and certain atmospheric moisture to ba drawn off. This was accomplished by having tho churn encased •"in an outer casing. s

The churn and the casing were independently scaled and the vacuum created by power in the cavity was distributed to the interior of the churn by equalising valves operating automatically. The same pressure of vacuum was thus maintained inside and outside the churn during manufacture. Glass panels in the aperture lids of the outer casing and the churn enabled the operators to observe the churning in operation. Interest in Methods

A churning was completed while the Prime Minister and party were present. The machinery was stopped at intervals and the churn opened to demonstrate the methods employed. Some idea of the vacuum pressure created was given when the inlet aperture was uncovered and the air rushed in with a shrill whistling sound similar to a siren.

The butter was sampled by the party and the Prime Minister commented on the pleasant creamy flavour and the fine texture. Pats of vacuum-process butter were compared with newly-made pats of ordinary standard butter. Mr. Baird also produced for comparison pats of both types which had been in cold storage for six months. He said it would be noted that there was an absence of air r pocket3 and fissures in the vacuum-process butter, which had more body and was of a close, velvety texture. The difference in the grain was also mentioned by Mr. Baird. He said the butter trade had, at one time, given close attention to the grain found in breaking a pat of butter. Personally, he had found the vacuum process butter smaller and finer in grain. He believed the keeping qualities and the spreadability of this butter would prove to be superior to ordinary standard butter as at present exported. Comment by Mr. JForbea

The Prime Minister said lie was deeply interested in the new process and was glad to have had an opportunity of observing it at first hand. "Anything relating to the butter industry is a matter of special interest to the Government at present, and any new developments and methods such as has been demonstrated to-day shall receive its closest attention," Mr. Forljes added.

Dr. Marsden said he was greatly impressed with the demonstration. The process certainly yielded butter with an excellent flavour, and if ordinary care was taken, it should be possible to retain that flavour over a keeping period. In ad/lition to any new methods to improve butter from the inside, he believed an endeavour • should be made also to improve it on the outside from a keeping point of view. "We should endeavour to get a better wrapping paper or material, one less pervious to air, which would prevent that primrose colouring found on opening wrapped butter which had been kept for some time," he" added. "It is pleasing to see the initiativo displayed by the East Tamaki factory management in assisting in the new process of butter-making," said Dr. Marsden.