FLAVOUR OF BUTTER

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 258, 9 October 1931, Page 4

FLAVOUR OF BUTTER

TESTS AT MIDHIRST QUESTION OF HIGHER ACIDITY ~ MEETING HOME REQUIREMENTS The growing preference at Home for a fuller flavoured butter than New Zealand is supplying at present has been fully realised by the manager of the Midhirst Dairy Company (Mr. Allan Guthrie), who is at present engaged in carrying out au experiment on these lines with the co-operation of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture. Other countries have been showing au increasing interest in the manufacture of a butter of fuller flavour, but it is necessary to exercise caution in New Zealand, because of our distance from the markets and the length of time that the butter may be stored. To-day two churnings were put through, one with the use of the usual amount of starter and the other at a higher acidity. Boxes of each class of blitter are being stored and tests will be carried out after three, six, and nine months to ascertain just bow the butter of the higher acid content retains its flavour. The greatest car® was exercised in the manufacture and the result was highly satisfactory, tha butter of the higher acidity possessing a much fuller and pleasing flavour than that of the more neutral butter from the usual churning. Whether this class of butter will “stand up” satisfactorily to the long sea voyage and to periods of storage ims yet to be ascertained, but there seems lo be every reason to expect that this “fuller flavoured” butter would be much sought after on the local market, as it would not have to undergo long storage, but would go into consumption with the minimum delay as is Hie case In the local trade.

The following report of the Dairy Board throws interesting light on the question of flavour: — “Speaking generally, the quality of New Zealand butter Is being well maintained and holds a high position on the world’s markets. In spite of the fact, however, that there has never been a time when greater attention was being given to the details of raanSlacture, certain complaints have come to hand. These have been mainly in connection with flatness, or lack of full creamery butter flavour. “Without in any way detracting form the truth of these complaints, it should be noted that always on a year of dull markets complaints have been most numerous. Nevertheless, the particular fault referred to requires the most careful attention. It is one which by reason of New Zealand’s methods of manufacture is liable to be found at almost any time. Always the market has demanded a keeping butter, and again and again merchants have emphatically stated that keeping quality must be our first consideration.

The butter-makers of this Dominion Were the first to prove conclusively that a low acid butter is by far the best keeping butter and the aim of the factory manager has been a low acid content. A low acid content means a mild flavoured butter, which would be classed by some buyers as “flat.” The objective of the New Zealand maker is to secure the most full flavoured butter consistent with keeping quality. Other countries, such aa Denmark, in close proximity to the market, can risk the making of butter with a higher acid content 'and fuller flavour, as their product goe* rapidly into consumption and has not to face a long storage period.”