Public Opinion

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 160, 9 July 1945, Page 2

Public Opinion

COLOURED MILK BOTTLES Sir,—The advertisement that consumers who want raw milk could ask for it may have been considered enough to settle the questions raised on Hie matter, but has it done so. Personally I do not. find the milk nearly as satisfactory as that 1 got before the Government authorities took the matter in hand, and I am sure I am not alone in that opinion. More important than individual taste, whether for milk or musts, is the accepted fact that milk deteriorates if left in colourless glass bottles for even half an hour, say on a doorstep. If transferred then even to a larder where it is out of the sunlight, half of its vitamins C content, so important for association with growth, has been lost. It is a recognised scientific fact that, the loss is caused by photochemical oxidisation by daylight. How long the milk is exposed to light before it reaches our doorstep it is impossible for consumers to know. If the milk bottles could be enclosed in cartons the loss would be minimised. but. other ways of preventing the harmful exposure are possible. There was considerable agitation in Australia, quite a number of years ago, to have milk bottles of brown <dass Io prevent loss of food value. Why should not our health authorities ccrjder this suggestion? Brown glass is cheap enough to he plentiful enough or more than enough, along our roads and pavements, whereas the colourless glass now used is said to be short. It is said that the use of coloured glass containers was discontinued in Wellington several years ago on account of complaints that they made it difficuH to see if the milk was clean, or if it had any cream, but surely seeing is not the only way to learn about that! If we can be educated to take pasteurised milk, or any kind, like the Minister of Health assures us is good for us, surely we could as easy learn to accept it in containers less harmful to it. My quotation as to the loss of vitamins is from Dr. G. K. Kon, of the National Institute of Research in Dairying, when he reported to the Roval Society of Arts in London in Mav 1943.—1 am. etc.. KATHERINE MERCER. St. John’s Hill. July 4, 1945.