MANUFACTURE OF RENNET

Otago Witness, Issue 3276, 27 December 1916, Page 11

MANUFACTURE OF RENNET

AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. Mr L, P. Symes, acting hon. secretary Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, has received a reply from Mr D. Cuclclie, director of dairy division, to the institute's letter asking for information with regard to the manufacture of rennet in New Zealand." Mr Cuddie writes:—" Beyond giving assistance to the dairy farmers towards the saving of calves' veils for rennet making, the Department of Agriculture has not clone anything towards the preparation of a supply of this material. The assistance rendered, however, has resulted in the saving of a large number of veils, and it is estimated that some 30,000 of these will be available this season. The work has been carried on in conjunction with the New Zealand Co-operative Rennet Company. This company has been formed from amongst the various co-opcratiye dairy companies manufacturing cheese in New Zealand, and the majority of the latter have taken up shares in the concern.

" After a careful investigation and obtaining information from England and the Continent, the Rennet Company decided for the time being to export the supply of veils to England, where the rennet is to be made by one of the established firms in this line, and returned to New Zealand for distribution amongst the shareholding; companies. This step was deemed advisable when it was found that great difficulty was likely to be experienced in securing the services of a competent rennet maker, together with the lyk of knowledge regarding the necessarv requirements in establishing a factory for this purpose. It has been ascertained that the process, and more especially the fortifying of the rennet, is more or less a secret known only to those who are engaged in the business. Until such time as more information has been obtained on the subject, the making of rennet by the New Zealand Company will not likely materialise. " With regard to your second inquiry. several attempts have been made by private persons in New Zealand to preparo a suitable rennet for cheese-making, but so far the efforts have not been attained with much success. In fact, some of the samples tested by this division have been found quite unsuitable for the con erudition of milk. A private company in Hawke'a Pay, however, now claims that it can supply rennet in quantity and of a standard strength, and we have been asked to test samples of it and to report thereon. These tests have,

however, not yet been carried out. Mr John Sawers, manager of the Edendale Dairy Factory, has also been experimenting for some time with a view to furnishing a supply of rennet for his company. " Some 32,000 gallons of this material are required for tho manufacturing of cheese in New Zealand for one season. Any shortage in quantity will likely be made up by the use of pepsin for the current season, supplies of the latter having been procured by quite a number of tho dairy companies. Some trials carried on by the dairy division have proved conclusively that pepsin can be successfully used along with rennet for the coagulation of milk for cheese making."