PRODUCTION OF CHEESE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21216, 23 December 1930, Page 9

PRODUCTION OF CHEESE

IMPROVING THE QUALITY. THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION. INCREASE OF FAT CONTENT. (Special to Dailt Tuieb.) WELLINGTON, December 22. A decision to increase the minimum fat content for all cheese other than full exxam to an extent that will effectually prevent the manufacture of cheese of inferior quality or body, to which strong exception was taken by British traders, has boon made by the Government after discussions with the Dairy Produce Control Board. A statement issued by the Minister of Agriculture states that the Dairy Board by a majority has advised that the existing minima should be replaced by 52 per cent, to December 31, 53 per cent. from January 1 to March 15, and 54 per cent, from March 1G to the end of the season. The Government has decided to adopt this fat content in. the dry matter of cheese as stated to afford the only effective means of controlling manufacturing methods. i The question of the wisdom of continuing. to permit the exportation of what is generally termed standardised cheese has given much concern to both the Government and the Dairy Produce Control Board, and they have been for some time past closely examining the position. Prior to December, 1928, some dairy companies had been making cheese of this type, though such a practice was not in conformity with the regulations then in force. Apart from this the Dairy Division had carried out in 1927 and 1928 extensive experiments at the Kairanga Dairy Factory, near Palmerston North, and had produced goodquality cheese of this type which met with no adverse-comments when sold on the Home market. The existing regulations on the subject were gazetted on December 21, 1928, following insistent demands from, some cheese companies in the North island for authority to commence manufacturing the so-called standardised cheese. After this proposal had been approved by a very representative meeting of dairy farmers the regulations were amended to provide a minimum fat content of 50 per cent, in dry matter up to February 28, and 52 per, cent, from March 1 to tbs end of the season. Experience, however, proved that owing to the richness of much of the milk produced these minima still permitted the manufacture of cheese of a type which proved unsatisfactory as regards body and consequently less acceptable to the trade in Great Britain. Inferior cheese wa,s produced by a small number of factories, but the exported produce of these factories prejudiced cheese of the standardised type, notwithstanding the fact that much of it was of good .quality. Moreover, there was ‘a tendency to ascribe all the faults of New Zealand cheese to standardising, though some were due to other causes. The desire of certain dairy companies to be allowed to produce cheese of this type is mainly due to the fact that much of the milk produced has a butterfat content considerably in excess .of what is necessary to conform with the recognised fat requirement of good whole milk cheese., Hence, by extracting a percentage of the butterfat and utilising it for butter manufacture it was considered that a good marketable cheese could still be manufactured containing a fat content in dry mater, not . below the usual for whole milk cheese. • > ■ . ... , The proposal made by the Dairy Produce Export Control Board in October last that the existing regulations should be suspended altogether and be subject to reyiew in March next was strongly opposed by a very representative gathering of North Island , dairy farmers, who contended _that the industry in their respective districts would .'be penalised and that no change should ,be made. There was a unanimity of opinion among producers and experts that a marked improvement in cheese quality was necessary, but a considerable difference of opinion existed as to how that improvement could best be effected. ✓ Further discussions were held with the Dairy Produce Control Board, and it was finally resolved that the minimum fat content of all cheese other than “full cream" should be so increased as effectively to prevent the manufacture of cheese of inferior quality of body, to which strong exception was taken by English traders. It will mean that the cheese produced will be richer in fat content than the average full cream cheese, and by compelling the adoption of better manufacturing methods it should ensure that an; article of good quality acceptable to the trade in Great Britain will be marketed. The producers of rich milk should get as, good a return for their butter-fat as is in the circumstances, and thus the material loss (estimated as high as £20,000 per annum in one district alone) which would result from a complete reversion to full-crcam cheese would be avoided, while yet a good sound article would be produced. If this rate of loss extended to all high-testing cheese ' districts the disability would be very serious, especially in view of the present economic position of the industry. Further, cheese made in the* latter part of the season when the milk is at its richest will not be so overloaded with fat as to be actually depreciated in quality by this excess. In addition to this more drastic control of manufacturing methods it has been decided that New Zealand cheese for export shall be classified as full-cream and cheddar respectively. Factories not mak--ing full-cream« cheese will still require special registration and in future will be known as chcddar cheese factories. It is believed that the adoption of the changes set out above and the rigid enforcement of the new regulations, including a close supervision of the manufacturing process, will result in rc-estnblisliing the reputation of our cheese in the British market. In view of the fact that the cheese factory directorates have themselves voluntarily effected a marked improvement in quality this season by adopting better methods, the co-operation of all the factories concerned in ensuring the successful operation of the new regulations is confidently anticipated. THE NEW REGULATIONS. TO OPERATE FROM NEW YEAR. (Pee United Peess Association.) WELLINGTON, December 22, The regulations will come into force on January 1. Standardised cheese will be called “ cheddar ” and other cheese “ full cream.”