BETTER QUALITY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 178, 23 February 1933, Page 2

BETTER QUALITY

Correct Way to Treat Cream Of all cream treatment at the factory there is none that has a greater influence on quality and uniformity of quality than neutralisation, says Primary Producers' News. Often neutralisation is too casually performed, whereas it should receive the greatest concentration and study, for a'ny error in detail ov application of the process cannot be overcome by subsequent treatment, and if any error should occur the butter produced from,the cream is proportionately depreciated in quality, and this notwithstanding the accuracy of the cream grading. In the neutralisation of cream there is another factor other than the reduction of acid that must be taken into account as having a direct bearing on resultant butter quality—the stability of the curd. The two fundamentals to “curd stability” are “acid" control and the efficient mixing and application of the neutraliser solution. An excess of “acid" in butter has the effect of splitting up the molecules of curd into minute atoms, producing many' chemical changes, which in turn produce unfriendly flavours in the buttex*, and which is responsible for many quality faults. Pasteurisation The two machine factors for efficiency In pasteurisation are speed and feed, but the controlling physical factor is the" degree of efficiency of the neutralisation. Especially is this so when it is considered that the highest point of neutralisation takes place when the cream is subjected to a constant heat in the pasteuriser. It has been ascertained that the soda solution added to the cream does not reduce acidity more than .02 to .03 per cent, until heat is applied. Presumably this is due to the acid being held in combination in the curd and in the serum, and is liberated only in the presence of heat. This fact emphasises the necessity for a uniform and constant pasteurising temperature of say from ISOdeg. to 185 deg. Fahr. Just as it is essential for best results with the flash pasteurising systems to shock heat, so is it imperatively necessary for ‘quality production" to shock cool the cream, and it-is here where some factories err today in cream treatment. The cream should be delivered from the brine coolers into the cream-holding Cats at a temperature of at least 40deg., especially so in the summer months, and when production is at its peak. Cream, cooled above this temperature will suffer in quality, and, to a lesser degree in texture, in ratio to the number of degrees in excess of 40deg. The reason for this is that, in the cooling on account of it s non-conductivity the fat exchanges its temperature very slowly, and only when its surface energy Is overcome the temperature recorded being that of the serum, for the cream, if allowed to stand, will rise in temperature until the fat assumes the same temperature as the serum. If this' temperature should rise to about 50deg., the fat loses much of its natural volatile flavours and becomes “flat” and in some instances “mealy.” To obviate such n happening, factory managements should see that the brine and cooler capacities are capable of effectively handling the flush production of cream received at the factory. ] A Crucial Point Churning operations are fairly constant, except in instances where too low temperatures are adopted, making the incorporation of moisture and the packing difficult, and also where “breakwater” is not used, in which texture and body and low curd content are affected. The practice of not using “breakwater" is unfortunately becoming too common, and many faults to bofh texture (free moisture) and quality can be traced to this error in churning. The right application of the breakwater is the crucial point in churning, and should be carefully watched and consistently applied always. The best churning temperature is that which will allow of a “break" in from 25 to 35 minutes, produce a firm grain in the buttermilk, and a tough, waxy texture when worked, and not a greasy or short, * shotty texture, all of which are inimical to texture and quality. Salting generally is most irregular, and more thought and attention should be given this process, because correct salting exerts a very great influence in the flavour of the butter. Especially, too, withjow acid butters such as are now being produced, It is necessary' to add sligbtlyimoro sa 2f' 80 aR f° “t° n 6 dp" the natural’ fetter flavours, and. about lh per cent, as the final salt content is t suggested. , v v .* • v » 11/j • r.-V **' ’