BUTTER FOR EXPORT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8329, 15 January 1913, Page 2

BUTTER FOR EXPORT

SALTED AND ENSALTED. In yesterday's issne a cable from Melbourne announced that when addressing a Science Congress in that city Mr Crowe, of the Export Department, had stated that a series of trials conducted by the department showed that unsalted butter keeps bettor in cool storage over a lengthened period than salted. Of the total exported only 35 per cent, was unsaltcd, though it usually commands 2s per cwt above salted in the English market.'

From inquiries made locally it is learned that the New Zealand experience has been tha,t. saldess butter keeps equally as well ill cool storage as that to which salt has been added. In fact it is the contention of some in the export trade that the former keeps better than the latter. This would beat out the contention advanced by Mr Crowe. But in reality salt is net added to butter to enhance its keeping qualities in cool storage; it is done to suit the taste of the customer. Tine great bulk of New Zealand butter is placed on the English market in a lightly salted condition to suit the consumer’s requirements. Such consignments as are sent away unsalted are in fulfilment of special orders which usually comb from firms requiring butter for blending purposes. It has always been found, however, that unsalted butter keeps very well, and is favonrably reported on by the English authorities. From the meagre information contained in yesterday's cable it is of course impossible to draw any but general conclusions. It is net stated whether the butter used for the trials was made from cream taken from the same vat and churned in the same churn and sent under exactly the same conditions except for salting. With regard to the extra price made hy the unsalted article, it has to bo remembered that it would require the extra 3s per cwt, eaid to be paid, to make up for the extra weight of salt in the other article. A greater quantity of bnttor-fat would he required to make a owt of butter, so that in all probability it is the maker’s advantage to add the salt, quite apart from the fact that the Home consumer prefers to have a percentage of salt in hie butter.