"NEUTRALIZATION" OF CREAM FOR BUTTER-MAKING 185 



of lime and soda ash. Neither of these alkalies should ever be 

 used to reduce the acidity of cream to the neutral point, as in 

 doing this there is grave danger of injuring the quality of the 

 butter made from it. The necessity for reducing the acidity of 

 cream came in with the general use of the little hand separator 

 on the farm. The volume of cream thus produced was small; 

 hence, the holding of cream at home until a sufficient volume 

 was accumulated for delivery resulted, in many cases, in cream 

 being delivered in a very sour condition, or in such a condition 

 that it could not be pasteurized unless the acidity was reduced. 



There is some dispute as to who first used an alkali for reduc- 

 ing the acidity of cream so that it could be efficiently pasteurized. 

 We find that in 1896, Babcock and Russell of Wisconsin issued 

 Bulletin No. 54 explaining the preparation and use of viscogen 

 for the purpose of restoring cream for city trade to its natural 

 consistency, as in the process of heating the lime salts are thrown 

 down and the cream assumes a very thin appearance. Viscogen 

 is composed of cane-sugar and lime. We are told that one 

 creamery in particular used viscogen as a neutralizer in sour 

 cream at a very early date. 



As far back as 1901-02, one of the authors conducted exten- 

 sive experiments in the use of alkalies of various kinds for 

 reducing the acidity of cream; and in so far as he knows he was 

 the first to take up experimental work in reducing the acidity of 

 cream for butter-making. Some butter-manufacturing firms, as 

 early as 1905, used a lime preparation in the commercial manu- 

 facture of butter. Since then the practice has gradually grown 

 until now it is very general. 



Why do we neutralize cream? The authors believe that there 

 is an entirely satisfactory answer to this pertinent question and 

 hope to be able to show that modern creamery conditions demand 

 and fully justify neutralization. 



Butter, at best, is a perishable product so much so that even 

 butter of the best keeping quality must be placed in cold storage 

 at a low temperature (close to o F.) if it is to be held any length 

 of time and retain its good flavor. The souring or ripening of 

 cream for butter-making has been practiced from time imme- 



