592 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Aug. 2, 1920. 



In passing, it might be stated that the effect on the quality of butter of 

 over-neutralisation with lime is very much worse than when soda is used, a 

 disagreeable decomposed smell and taste being produced. If the pei-centage 

 of acid be reversed in the above supposititious case, it will also be noted 

 how under-neutralisation may occur, and the curdling of cream when going 

 through the pasteuriser be produced. 



Wrong methods in taking the acidity of the cream also contribute more or 



less to cause the fault now under review. To remedy this trouble, always 



have a soda solution of the right strength, and keep the bottle containing it 



well corked up when not in use, as exposure to the air causes it to lose 



strength. Secure a representative sample of the batch of cream, take the 



acidity of every lot of cream before adding the neutralising agent, read the 



burette when only a very faint lasting pink colour is noticeable in the 



sample, and be careful to calculate correctly the quantity of soda or lime 



required. Also, mix the neutralising agent as equally as possible through 



the volume of cream. „ ,, 



*• Sour." 



The term " sour" means that the butter has a sourness other than lactic 

 sourness. This fault is caused by the fermentation of thinly separated cream 

 which forms an acid other than lactic acid. Butter made from such cream 

 has a very strong aroma which at once indicates the fault. 



There is another kind of sourness, which is caused by the retention of a 



large percentage of buttermilk in butter, the result of careless manufacture. 



To remedy this fault the farmers should be impressed with the necessity of 



complying with the regulation under the Dairy Industry Act, which requires 



them to supply cream containing not less than 30 per cent, fat (preferably 35 



per cent.) during the winter months, and not less than 35 per cent, (pi-efer- 



ably 40 per cent, to 42 per cent.) during the summer months. This should 



do away with the trouble of thin cream, and the buttermaker should refrain 



from following methods of manufacture which tend to the retention of an 



extra amount of buttermilk in the butter, and should avoid high churning 



temperatures, insufficient washing, churning the grain loo large and insufficient 



working. , ~, . ,, 



® " Cheesiness." 



This fault may be caused by contamination of cream on the farm or at the 

 factory through its conning in contact with dirty cans, with utensils which 

 have been wiped with dirty cloths, or with coolers, pipes, &c., which have 

 not been kept clean. It is a condition that is probably due to some bacterial 

 or chemical fermentative action on the casein. The flavour is similar to that 

 of matured cheese. 



In one case that came under my notice, butter from a certain factory was 

 found to have a cheesy flavour, and this same flavour was afterwards 

 noticed in the cream while it was running over the cooler directly after 

 leaving the pasteuriser. On search being made as to the cause of this, it was 

 found that an attachment to the top of the cooler had not been properl 

 cleaned for some time, and immediately the cream had passed over it i 

 assumed this flavour. When the butter made from this cream was examined 

 the next day a similar flavour was immediately detected. 



