MILK GRADING.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12454, 21 September 1933, Page 2

MILK GRADING.

DEMONSTRATION AT NEWMAN

'The suppliers of the Newman Cheese Co. met at the factory when the manager, Mr L. Webster, gave a most interesting demonstration of the methylene blue and the curd test as required for the present system of milk-grading. The chairman, Mr .J. Monaghan, said the idea of the gathering was to let the suppliers see how the work was done and what was required in the way of milk. All were wanted to supply first-class milk and if they got second grade on any occasion they would know something was wrong and they could then take immediate steps to rectify the trouble.

The manager then produced a range of methylene blue samples and also curds. The former, he stated, was a simple, but not so conclusive a test. If the sample after being coloured with the blue retained that colour for less than two hours, the milk was undoubtedly second grade and could be classed as such without t?he option of a curd test. A, second grade .test on one day was not final for the period. Tests were taken on succeeding days in respect to such milk and it was quite possible after a couple of days the trouble would be found and remedied. The manager would visit the farm if necessary and if lie could not locate the trouble a Government expert could be called in. As showing how small a tiling affected the quality,_ the manager quoted the case of a milk supply in another district,' when, after considerable search, the cause of inferior milk was traced to a cloth used for washing the cows’ teats, and which was not effectively sterilised. When this was remedied the trouble disappeared. Another cause of trouble was sometimes the milk cans. There was no reason why machines should not supply just as good, if not better, milk than hand-milking, providing the machines were kept clean. Cooling the milk was most valuable, even if it was only got down to 7o degrees. Failing cooling, agitation of v the milk at intervals with a plunger was the next best thing. This kept the cream from forming and allowed heat to escape more freelv.

Mr \\ ebster then demonstrated the curd test. In this, samples of milk were treated in' exactly the same way as in making cheese and in about 6-J hours the samples were ready for examination. Mr Webster demonstrated the difference between a first-class curd and a bad one, this being easily recognised by a layman. In this, as in the blue test, all of the genuine samples of milk turned out first-class, and for comparison purposes a curd was prepared with a sample of milk that had purposely been turned bad. There was practically nothing in the appearance to distinguish one first-class sample from another and on the curd being rubbed in tlie hands it disclosed no objectionable odour. The bad sample, however, in texture and odour was unmistakable.

In conclusion, the chairman remarked that milk-grading had been adopted and it was worth a trial. He urged all suppliers to co-operate and supply the best milk possible. Grading would certainly improve the quality of the milk. "It remained to be seen whether it would improve the quality of the cheese. Factories had lost nothing by grading so far for it resulted in "a little more care being taken m lots of little things.