MILK STANDARDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23405, 22 July 1939, Page 17

MILK STANDARDS

GUARDING THE PUBLIC COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENTS WATCH AT ALL POINTS

The methods by which the city's milk supply is kept to a high standard were indicated in a number of documents which were placed before the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council at its meeting yesterday; The Department of Agriculture reported that during June its officers had inspected 130 registered dairies in the district and had visited 20 farms where the erection of now premises was contemplated. Instructions had been given regarding alterations to premises in eight cases and regarding repairs and additions to concrete in ten cases. Twenty-three cows had been deleted from tho herds.

The Department of Health reported that samples'of milk taken in tho city and suburbs gave an average butterfat content of 4.56. Six of the samples did not meet the requirements of the regulations, three being low in fat and failing to comply with the reductase test. All North Shore samples were up to standard, the average butter-fat test being 4.44. Quality Very Satisfactory The council's technical adviser, Mr. W. C. Noil, stated in his report that the quality of tho general milk supply in. June had been very satisfactory, as evidenced by the low average bacterial plate counts and high fat contents. Very few cases of high count milks were found in the case of dairymen, dairymen-vendors, vendors, shops and milk bars. Milk from unlicensed sources, however, had not been so satisfactory. There was a wide difference in the quality of tho two milks. At this time of the year the council's licensed producers had little difficulty in producing milk below the bacterial plate count standard, while milk from outside sources frequently showed counts many thousands abovo the standard. After taking into account tho distance the outsido milk had to come, the results showed that tho licensed producers were doing creditable work in tho production of tho finest quality milk for the town trade, and that tho present standard of cleanliness in production was to be commended. Question of Added Water

The butter-fat content of tho milk had been very satisfactory. Only three cases of farmers' milk were found to be below tho council's standard of 3.5 per cent. These samples were all mornings' milk. There were two samples of milk from shops with an abnormally high butter-fat content. This was due to lack of stirring by the shopkeepers, and instructions had been given to rectify this abnormal condition. The solids, not fat, content of the milk had been satisfactory. However, there were one or two cases of solids not fat content under standard on both sides of the harbour. This was most likely due to lack of feed on .these par ticular farms. Added water had been found in the supply from two farms, one being licensed and the other unlicensed. Milk for Sabieß The council had an arrangement withthe New Zealand Royal Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society) to test samples of milk for the purpose of determining whether they were suitable for infant

feeding. Sterilised sample bottles from time to time were delivered to the society, and the nurses arranged for samples of milk to bo delivered to the office. These samples were immediately analysed for butter-fat content, and the results forwarded on the same day both to the consumer and to the Plunket Society. Where the fat content was above the council's baby milk standard of 4 per cent, the vendor was immediately communicated with, and arrangements made for the supply of satisfactory milk. A number of samples had been tested during the month, and only one sample had been above standard, the fat content being 5.3 per cent. The milk from unlicensed sources was not all that could be desired. One factory source of supply had been dispensed with, while another was under investigation. The other sources of unlicensed supply had been satisfactory, and in general little trouble had been experienced. It had been found that, where the' quality was not up to standard, pasteurisation of the milk greatly improved the keeping quality. All unlicensed milk had been pasteurised and, although the quality at times had been a little erratic, very few cases of high count milk had been traced to these sources. VENDING OF SUPPLIES ZONING OR CONSOLIDATION A secret ballot was recently taken among the members of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Vendors' Association on the matter of zoning or consolidation. Forty-seven votes were cast for zoning and 14 for consolidation. This was reported yesterday to the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council, which was reminded that the number of vendors licensed by it was 159.