130 THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 







PEICE OF PREPARED MILKS. 



The committee has deemed it important in weighing the probable 

 effect of promulgating regulations for the further improvement of 

 our milk supply, not only to arrive at some concrete idea of the prob- 

 able extent of consequent utilization of prepared milks as substitutes 

 for the natural product, but also to inquire into their ingredients 

 and to ascertain the prices commanded by these preparations when 

 diluted for use, for comparison with the cost of the raw or pasteurized 

 product of corresponding volume. There is a somewhat general 

 impression prevailing among persons consulted by the committee 

 that the prepared milks are higher in price than the current market 

 rates for raw or pasteurized milk, and that they would probably offer 

 no inducement to buyers in competition with the fresh product. 

 Investigations made by the Boston Board of Health show that if 

 condensed milk is diluted with only enough water to constitute milk 

 of the Massachusetts standard, the cost exceeds the price of ordinary 

 milk and in some instances equals the price of inspected milk and 

 exceeds that of some brands of certified milk. 



The conclusion is reached by the Bureau of Animal Industry that 

 condensed milk can not be employed economically where whole milk 

 is procurable. The health officer of Richmond, Va., is authority for 

 the statement that prepared milks are much higher in cost than raw 

 milk at 10 cents per quart, the prevailing Richmond price. Borden's 

 Condensed Milk Co. says that on the average, when prepared milks 

 are increased to equal volume with whole milk and contain the same 

 ratio of solids, their cost is approximately the same and in some cases 

 lower. 



CONCENTRATED MILK. 



What is known as " concentrated " milk, supplied by the White 

 Cross Milk Co. to the people of Washington, is derived by placing 

 normal milk in a concentrator maintained at a temperature not ex- 

 ceeding 140 F. A blast of filtered air is then forced through the 

 milk with great velocity for a period of about three hours, during 

 which period the harmful bacteria are destroyed and the greater part 

 of the water is carried off by evaporation, the quantity of milk being 

 reduced to one- fourth of its original volume. This process not only 

 removes the pathogenic germs from the milk, but preserves its natu- 

 ral flavor, and the condensation makes it a much less favorable 

 medium for subsequent contamination and for the proliferation of 

 pathogenic microorganisms. The rather recent commercial practice 

 of concentrating milk in this manner has the advantage of reducing 

 the cost of transportation on account of the reduced bulk, enables a 

 single dairy wagon to quadruple its capacity, and serves to preserve 

 the milk for a longer period than is possible with raw milk, and in 

 other respects makes it practicable to supply this important product 

 at substantially the same retail price as demanded for raw milk of 

 ordinary quality. Concentrated milk is especially suited for ship- 

 ment into distant lands where raw milk is unobtainable, and for use 

 on steamers at sea. The fact that it lends itself readily to dilution 

 makes it useful also, when slightly thinned, as a substitute for cream 

 in coffee. Another advantage^resulting from the introduction of this 



