CHAPTER IX. 

 Controllings Moisture in Butter. 



153. The desired or required per cent of moisture 

 in butter is very easily controlled when the funda- 

 mental principles involved in the retention, expul- 

 sion, and incorporation of moisture are understood 

 by the creameryman. 



Butter can be manufactured with fairly uniform 

 moisture content, provided proper facilities for 

 handling the various processes are available. The 

 butter maker should so educate himself as to be 

 able to meet unusual conditions as they arise. He 

 should acquaint himself with all methods which af- 

 fect the variations of the composition of butter, es- 

 pecially with regard to increasing, retaining and ex- 

 pelling moisture. 



154. Some undesirable methods employed in the 

 handling of cream and in the manufacture of butter 

 have been, to a great extent, eliminated in the last 

 few years by the enactment of suitable laws affect- 

 ing these methods. A great advancement toward 

 the employment of better and more uniform meth- 

 ods in the handling of cream and the manufacture 

 of butter is already manifest. 



The maximum per cent of moisture allowed in 

 butter is 15.9 per cent, and this is fixed by federal 

 law. This has created a tendency toward the manu- 

 facture of butter of a more uniform composition, 

 which is very desirable, from an economic point of 

 view. 



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