WATER CONTENT IN EXPORT BUTTER.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 4, 20 October 1923, Page 252

WATER CONTENT IN EXPORT BUTTER.

AN EXTENDED TESTING - SYSTEM FOR NEW ZEALAND.

W. M. SINGLETON,

Director of the Dairy Division, Wellington.

In the earlier days of the dairy industry the manufacture of a butter of a satisfactory body and texture virtually precluded the incorporation of any unreasonably large percentages of water, inasmuch as the water could not be so incorporated as to cause the mass to be homogeneous. Water pockets resulted, and this free water at times leaked through the boxes, and thus the general • appearance of the packages as well as the quality . of the butter were more or less unsatisfactory. The advent of the combined churn and butter-worker has, however, made possible the manufacture of a butter which will retain a larger proportion of water that the cow has incorporated into the milk and the separator has retained in the cream. With this method of manufacture comparatively high percentages of water may . be retained in a butter without spoiling the body and texture.

Britain, the greatest butter-importing country in the world, years ago fixed its maximum legal limit of water in creamery butter at 16 per cent. Practically all countries producing butter in considerable quantities have found it expedient to adopt the same legal maximum. In some of these countries a legal minimum for butterfat content has been arranged. Usually this is indicated at 80 per cent., as in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. The Australian Commonwealth, however, has adopted an 82-per-cent. minimum for fat content, and this variation from the more generally recognized standard has caused some trouble to New Zealand dairy companies and exporting firms doing business with Australia during recent months.

The combined churn and butter-worker has to be handled with care and judgment if the operator is to succeed in turning out a butter which will not be too low in water content nor yet above the legal limit. It may be accepted that no dairy-company directorate desires to manufacture a butter which comes within either of these classes, and certainly not the latter. To safeguard the suppliers of the company against unnecessary loss in overrun, and the company against the possibility of being mulcted in fines or loss in the overseas market, it is necessary that the buttermaker should do a considerable amount of testing of the butter for water during and : subsequent to the process of working. • .

The importer of butter into Great Britain, if found with such butter containing an excess of water, is liable to a maximum fine of (a) £20 for the first offence, £50 for a second, and £100 for a third offence, and (&) a sum equal to the value of the goods. In addition, some dairy companies have learned to their sorrow that the loss entailed in handling excess-water butter in Britain is very heavy. The business of the importer may be very much prejudiced if some of his clients who are retailers are found with butter of this nature, and the retailer’s business, if he be prosecuted, may be very seriously damaged.

Continental countries exporting butter to the British market have endeavoured to protect their trade. Butter leaving Denmark for Britain, if found to contain a water content above the legal maximum, may be confiscated. Should a butter being sent from Holland be found to contain between 15I and 16 per cent, the factory or owner, if a member of the Butter. Control Institute, is penalized by a nominal fine. If the butter contains more than 16 per cent, of water the position may be met by a fine and the reworking of the butter. If this does not cause the factory to do consistently good work the registered mark or brand is withdrawn, and the factory or owner is suspended from membership, and may not use the recognized brands.

INAUGURATION OF THE NEW SYSTEM.

New Zealand adopted the usual standards of 16 per cent, as the legal maximum for water, and 80 per cent, as the legal minimum for butterfat, for butter for export as well as for local consumption. Until the 1922-23 season there was little if any complaint from Britain respecting an excess of water in New Zealand butter. During that season, however, a number of complaints were received. The Government recognizes the necessity of protecting the dairy industrywhich is now of prime importance to the Dominion —and to this end approval has been given to a recommendation of the Dairy Division, which was endorsed by the various dairy conferences last winter, to the effect that the butter of one box of each churning of each lot of butter received for grading for export should be tested for water content.

Arrangements are now being made to get this service completely organized forthwith, and dairy companies may expect to receive an indication of the water content of the box examined from each churning of butter. This will inform company directorates as to the position regarding their butter, and managers will have an additional check on their working. It is not to be expected that the factory tests and the graders' tests will harmonize exactly, inasmuch as it is known that the water content of butter will vary to some extent from box to box of the same churning, and, indeed, at times, in different parts of one box. It is known that some factory-managers make a butter from which too much water has been taken. The service which will be rendered this season should tend to correct these defects, and the advantage which may be thus gained will undoubtedly more than recoup the cost of the extra assistance required at the gradingstations. The procedure is merely an extension of the existing system of testing occasional churnings, and, as in the past, no butter found to contain water over the legal limit will be permitted to be exported, and will be dealt with under the powers conferred by legal enactment.

It is hoped that under the new system the export of butter containing an excess of water will be reduced to a negligible quantity if not altogether stopped. The seriousness of the position is now recognized in the industry, and the majority of factory-managers are endeavouring to protect themselves and their companies. A smaller proportion are not so particular, and have omitted to do the necessary amount of testing of butter for water during its manufacture. In some instances insufficient care has been taken to keep the balances

and testing appliances in good order. It must not be assumed that more latitude is to be given companies which persist in forwarding for grading butter which contains an excess of water.

Although considerable testing of butter for water was done during the past two seasons, it is believed that the inauguration of this extended system will give greater assurance to those handling our butter in Britain. The . Dairy Division invites the hearty co-operation, of all company directorates, proprietaries, and dairy-factory managers in establishing confidence in the water content of New Zealand butter shipped overseas.