538 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



There is a tendency to demand that market milk shall be pasteur- 

 ized. The attitude of this department on the question of pasteuriza- 

 tion stated briefly is this: In the absence of a strictly first class raw 

 milk, pasteurization is advisable and when we speak of pasteurization 

 we mean efficient pasteurization. Efficient pasteurization is that 

 process whereby all pathogenic germs in the milk are rendered inert 

 and harmless by heating the milk to the lowest possible point. This 

 can be accomplished by heating the milk to a temperature of 145 

 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Commercial pasteurization is usually 

 not efficient pasteurization but is used simply for the purpose of killing 

 the lactic acid bacteria and thus preventing the souring of milk. A 

 milk that in its raw state could not be sold and delivered to the cus- 

 tomer from the fact that it would become sour in a few hours can 

 be pasteurized and remains sweet for a period of 24 to 48 hours. 

 Pasteurization, however, does not make dirty milk clean milk. That 

 the mother may be sure that the milk is properly pasteurized, we 

 recommend the home pasteurization of milk. This is not a laborious 

 task nor does it require great technical skill or extensive apparatus 

 to pasteurize the amount of milk used by the baby. We feel that we 

 should insist upon this process being used particularly during the 

 hot months of summer. It can be accomplished thus: 



See that the milk is sweet and clean when delivered to you. Place 

 the bottle in a pail or similar receptacle, holding at least as large a 

 volume of water as you have of milk. Place under the bottle a per- 

 forated can cover or some similar device to keep the bottom of the 

 bottle from immediate contact from the bottom of this pail. Place 

 this pail, filled with water up to near the level of the milk in the 

 bottle, over the flame, and when the water has boiled, but not the 

 milk, remove immediately from the stove and allow the milk bottle 

 to stand in this water for twenty-five minutes. Then remove and cool 

 as quickly as possible to 50 degrees F. or less. The milk bottle 

 should be placed in a clean refrigerator in the compartment with 

 the ice and not with the other articles of food in the refrigerator. 



The consumer is apt to think there is nothing he can do. Observa- 

 tion teaches that when the patrons of the milk man are in the habit 

 of visiting his dairy farm and looking over the conditions there he 

 is apt to be more particular to keep things looking clean than he 

 otherwise would. If you are a patron of his, it is certainly your 

 privilege to do this and particularly if you have children in your 

 family it is a duty you owe to yourself and them. If the dairy is clean, 

 they will welcome such inspection and if it is dirty, they are apt to 

 clean up. Ask your milkman for explicit instructions for finding his 

 farm or the farm where the milk is produced. If he is expecting you, 

 it often has the same effect as though you should actually go out. 



Market milk should be delivered in bottles. Ycu should have a 

 place where the milkman may leave it out of the way of cats and 

 dogs and in a cool, shady place. These bottles should be taken into 

 the house as soon as delivered, put under the cold water faucet, and 

 washed off on the outside. Then loosen the cap and place the bottle 



