TESTING BUTTER 631 



moisture tests of the butter in the cooler, so as to be doubly sure that 

 no butter leaves the factory that does not comply with the Federal 

 ruling. 



Factory Moisture Tests 



Preparation of Sample. It is an open and disputable question 

 as to whether the butter sample should be especially prepared, or 

 whether a sample large enough only for immediate weighing should 

 be used. Both methods, if properly executed, are capable of yield- 

 ing practically equally reliable results. 



Fig*. 104. Aluminum Evaporating 1 Dish 



If the sample is especially prepared, a larger sample and more 

 portions of butter from different parts of the churning or package 

 can be taken. This obviously has the advantage, theoretically at 

 least, of securing a more representative sample, but this advan- 

 tage is often offset by irregularities in the preparation of the 

 sample and by the extra time consumed. However, when it is neces- 

 sary to hold the sample for a considerable length of time before 

 testing, when it is to be transported, either by mail or otherwise, when 

 it is to be tested by more than one party, or when a composite sample 

 is taken from more than one churning or package, special prepara- 

 tion of the sample is indispensable. 



In all these cases churn samples should be taken with a dry, 

 warm spoon or spatula from both ends and the center of the churn. 

 Tub or box samples should be taken by boring the butter diagonally 

 with a dry trier and removing from different parts of the trier seg- 

 ments for the sample, with a knife or steel spatula. In the case of 

 prints a thin cross section through the center of the entire print may 

 be cut out for the sample. 



