COST OF PASTEURIZATION 



213 



under American conditions to about 90 pounds of steam to pas- 

 teurize 1000 pounds of milk from 90 F. to 185 F. 



According to good authorities, it takes about i pound oHump 

 coal to produce 6 pounds of steam, although much depends upon 

 the fireman and the construction of the boiler. Based upon 

 this estimate, it would take 15 pounds of coal to produce 90 

 pounds of steam. If the coal cost $4.00 per ton, the cost of 

 the 15 pounds would be 3 cents. If the milk tested 3.6 per cent 

 fat, the calculation upon one-sixth overrun of 1000 pounds of 

 milk would produce 42 pounds of butter. The cost of pasteuriz- 

 ing the milk producing 42 pounds of butter would then be 3 

 cents, and the cost of pasteurization per pound of butter would be 

 .07 of a cent. 



The figures submitted by Storch, however, were obtained a 

 number of years ago, and cannot be applied to conditions in this 

 country at the present time. 



Mortensen, who has given a good deal of thought to the cost 

 under the continuous and vat methods, estimates as follows: 



The cost in different factories would vary with the cost of fuel. 

 With the high railroad rates prevailing at the present time 

 and the high price of labor, we can estimate the cost at about 

 one-fifth of a cent per pound. 



In addition to this, the loss of fat in buttermilk seems to be a 

 trifle more in pasteurized than in unpasteurized cream. This 

 may be due to the precipitation of the casein by heat. Pas- 

 teurization is necessary from a hygienic standpoint. It gives a 

 guarantee to the consuming public that all pathogenic bacteria 



