FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION 97 



PASTEURIZATION. 



Prof. M. Mortensen, Iowa State College. 



There is today a greater demand for sanitary food pro- 

 ducts than ever before. More strict attention is given to the pro- 

 duction, manufacturing and handhng of all food products. The 

 consumers demand sanitary foods and as a result thereof the 

 producer if he is a man of good judgment and of business abil- 

 ity will naturally put himself in a position to furnish what peo- 

 ple want. 



The consumers have at present directed their attention par- 

 ticularly to milk and milk products such as butter, cheese and ice 

 cream. It is well known that milk is an admirable medium for 

 the growth of a great many species of bacteria. Most of these 

 organisms, however, may be considered harmless though some 

 of the pathogenic micro-organisms are also frequently found in 

 milk; as the most common of these may be considered those 

 causing tuberculosis less frequently may be found organisms 

 such as those producing typhoid fever, diphtheria, scarlet fever 

 and dysentery. Diseases such as those mentioned have often 

 been attributed to the use of unpasteurized milk, and it is rea- 

 sonable to suppose that butter made from raw cream and oleo 

 made from fats and milk not properly heated might to a certain 

 degree become dangerous although but extremely few instances 

 are on record which would indicate that butter has been the di- 

 rect cause of disease. Nevertheless in order to be absolutely safe 

 it is not unreasonable that the consumers demand that all dairy 

 products as well as such products as oleo be manufactured only 

 from pateurized material. 



A big percentage of our middle western creameries are pas- 

 teurizing today and have been pasteurizing for years and most 

 of those who are not already pasteurizing are fast getting ready 

 therefor. Much of the milk and cream sold especially in the 

 smaller cities is sold in raw condition, however, in some of the 

 cities good pasteurized milk and cream may be obtained. 



