﻿MEDICAL milk commissions and certified milk. 21 



contests, so that they indicate a knowledge of dairy sanitation and 

 do not necessarily mean a uniform product of the same high quality. 



KEEPING QUALITIES OF CERTIFIED MILK. 



As would naturally be expected, certified milk with its small num- 

 ber of bacteria will keep sweet for a long time. The theory that clean 

 milk should have a long keeping quality works out in practice. In- 

 stances are on record where certified milk has been taken on an ocean 

 voyage and not only brought back in good condition but kept - sweet 

 until 30 days old. In fact, it is now a common practice for people 

 when crossing the water or taking a long land journey with infants 

 to take several cases of certified milk with them. They are then rea- 

 sonably sure of having a constant supply of sweet milk for several 

 days. This has been a great convenience and has given comfort to 

 many people. 



A number of certified-milk dairies in the United States sent exhibits 

 of milk to the Paris Exposition in 1900. The milk kept perfectly 

 sweet for two weeks and in some instances 18 days after being bot- 

 tled and after a summer journey of 3,000 to -1,000 miles. Regular 

 delivery bottles were used, the only extra precaution being to use two 

 paper caps instead of one, and to cover the caps with paraffin so as to 

 exclude the air. Of course the milk was carefully packed in ice for 

 shipment, but this was the only means used for preservation. 



The milk and cream contests at the National Dairy Show in recent 

 years have demonstrated the remarkable keeping qualities of certified 

 milk. Some of the samples submitted have come to Chicago from 

 as far as the States of Washington and California, and from various 

 parts of Canada. Though these samples have some of them been 

 over a week old when plated, they have shown remarkably low bac- 

 terial counts, in some instances the count being less than 1,000 per 

 cubic centimeter. After this milk has been judged it has been kept 

 in cold storage, and some has been consumed over two weeks after its 

 production, when it was found perfectly palatable and apparently 

 unchanged in any way. 



However, it is not advisable to use old milk even though it may 

 taste sweet. Serious consequences may result due to bacterial growth 

 which can not be detected in the flavor of the milk. 



IS THE PRODUCTION OF CERTIFIED MILK PROFITABLE? 



At the present time the unqualified statement can not be made that 

 the production of certified milk is a profitable venture. Seventy- 

 four certified-milk producers answered the questions sent out by the 

 Daily Division as to the profitableness of certified-milk production, 

 and their answers may be grouped as follows: Unprofitable, 33; 

 profitable, 22; not very profitable, 1; fairly profitable. 11: condi- 



