158 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DP^PARTMENT OF ACiRK'in.TURE. 



STORED BUTTEB. 



Great iniproveineiil in the (luality of stored butter has be<^n made 

 possible by investigations in the manufacture and storage of sweet- 

 cream butter. Butter made from pasteurized sweet cream without 

 the use of a starter, and sealed in tin cans, will keep from 8 to 10 

 months in storage with but very little deterioration in quality and 

 with practically no development of objectionable flavors, while but- 

 ter made in the old way from sour, unpasteurized cream is of 

 inferior quality and shows considerable deterioration after storage. 

 These conclusions are based on the results obtained in the manu- 

 facture of over 2.000,000 pounds of butter during the last three years. 



QUALITY OF CREAM. 



• 



Investigation of the quality of cream used in making creamery 

 butter and the sanitary condition of creameries is expected to reveal 

 the true cause of the poor quality of much of the butter now being 

 made. This work is done by men who are practical creamery oper- 

 ators. They visit the creameries and carefully examine the sanitary 

 conditions. They determine the temperature, acid content, age, and 

 grade of cream and the methods used in its production and care 

 before delivery to the creamery. It has been estimated that less 

 than 10 per cent of the butter made is of first quality, and it seems 

 probable that when the cause is known a remed}^ may be suggested. 



EENOVATED-BUTTEB INSPECTION. 



A great deal of butter after becoming rancid is sent to factories 

 to be "renovated" or made fit for food and again placed on the 

 market. Under a law passed in 1902 an inspection of these plants 

 and of their materials and products is maintained. This work has 

 resulted in improving the sanitary condition of the plants making 

 renovated butter, a more careful selection of the materials used, and 

 the proper marking of packages to show that the product is " reno- 

 vated " or " process " butter, and thus prevents deception of the pur- 

 chaser. This butter when made under good sanitary conditions and 

 from proper stock is wholesome, though not equal in quality to high- 

 grade creamery butter. When sold on its own merits, its sale is 

 perfectly legitimate. 



LABOBATORY WORK ON DAIRY PROBLEMS. 



Since 1902 laboratory work on dairy problems has been carried 

 on, and at the present time there are 25 people in the Dairy Division 

 laboratories engaged in research work covering nearly all branches 

 of the dairy industry. 



