DRIED MILK.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16448, 2 June 1919, Page 7

DRIED MILK.

TRADE POSSIBILITIES. Among the increasing number of but-ter-factory side lines now receiving attention at many of the factories throughout Victoria, one of the raont promising ie dried milk. In tho process of manufacture tho one that appears to bo most favoured forces tlio milk under pressure through a jet, which converts it into a lino spray, and thence it is conveyed into a drying room, where hot air evaporates the moisture and deposits tho milk in the form of a fine powder. There is, however, another method of treatment, by which the milk is sprayed on to tho surface of a steamheated cylinder, dries it, and from which it is automatically collected. By some the first named process is preferred owing, it is said, to leaving less sediment than from tho steam-heated revolving cylinder. Both processes, it is slated, however, arc successful in making a powder which keeps indefinitely, and on being dissolved in tho right proportion of water instantly produces a good, wholesome substitute for pure fresh milk. Tho process is an American discovery, and tho American product has for. some years a. good name on tho Australian market, particularly by the baking trade. Tropical countries are largo buyers. FORMER IMPORTATIONS. Dried milk previous to tho war was largely imported from Germany to supply the largo demand for children’s and invalids’ foods, which it is ascertained have always consisted for tho most part of a powdered milk basis. An invalid food which used to bo largely advertised throughout Australia as “made in Germany” was found to consist of a mixture of powdered milk and soluble phosphates. In numerous other instances arc now found a various selection of food commodities, sotting forth their exceptional qualities, while alt the time they are simply dried milk. 'There arc many importations, and as such add to tho wealth and employment of other peoples, instead of Australia, whoso capacity for milk production is without limit. How much of this habit of looking to importation for so many of their requirements has been responsible for their own resources on every hand being overlooked it would bo difficult to estimate. Even in tho pro-war year of 1914 the total value of powdered milk imported under tho name of infants’ and invalids’ ■ special foods, at high prices, amounted for that year alone to £112,000, and this only takes in ono class of tho commodities which include dried milk as their principle ingredient. COMING DEVELOPMENTS. Milk Coffee, for example, is ground coffee mixed with powdered milk, and on the mixture being dissolved in boiling water excellent milk coffee is at once obtained, while milk cocoa, manufactured on similar lines, is also being widely disposed of. It is anticipated that tho recent progress is only the forerunner of a largely increased trade, as, in addition to the ordinary export markets, which are now greatly contracted owing to tho war, there are tho requirements of tropical regions, within convenient access to Australia, guaranteeing ample markets for largo supplies. As for tho supply of milk, it is capable of being increased to a practically unlimited extent. The combined butter factories of tho State, previous to tho breaking out of the war, have received a supply of milk (and its equivalent in cream) up to 275,000,000 gallons por annum, but since the war it has decreased to something like an average of £150,000,000 gallons. Dairying on tho Whole, however, is too remunerative an industry to bo permanently abandoned, and the dairy farmers who have taken a turn at sheep keeping speak of that as only a temporary measure pending the return of more favourable times, particularly with regard to labour, and many are now inclined to look with favour upon the share system, than which they consider no other system gives a man with limited capital a better show for a start,—Tho leader.