Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-02-16
OleOmargarlnc,
IMITATION BUTTER AND ITS GROWING INPoR-
TANCE AS AN ARTICLE OF COMMERCE.
From tho New York Bulletin.

bIilEh AND hhONlNb lhfOh-
TANCE AS AN ARTICLE OF COMMERCE.
From tho New York Bulletin.
Within the last two years new industry
has been encouraged in this city, which bids
fair to make an article of export of almost
every great value. This is the substance
known as oleomargarine, otherwise imitation
butter or butterine. The patent under which
this article is made is dated May 5th, 1874,
and it is only since that time that this new
article of commerce has been manufactured.
The patent was procured by Mr.. Meigs, of
France, but a citizen of the United States and
through his efforts company was formed
for its manufacture. From a small begin
ming, great trade has sprung up, and though
its proportions now are large, it is thought
by those who know that its future is unlimi-
ted. In fact, all that is made at present is
readily sold, and frequently the demand for
export is ahead of the supply
Oleomargarine is made exclusively from
beef fat, and even then only from the very
purest and freshest, because the slightest
taint would produce failure. The tat is
taken and rendered by steam heat, at very
low temperature, about 10 deg. Fab. In
this waV the oils are extracted in a natural
manner, without producing either taste or
odOr, as in the case of tallow, which is rel-
dered from fat at much higher temperature.
The oils thus produced are then pressed, to
relieve it of its stearne, and the product is
an oil, which is identical with the fatty par
ticles contained in cream. The oil thus OBJ
tained is called oleomargarine. and it can be
ugpI far The
ture OF butter Is the principle use it is put
to at present, but il can be used in soap
making and a number of other industries.
To produce butter the oil is taken in GER
tain proportions and mixed with either the
curds OF milk or cream, or else fresh milk or
cream, and then churned in an ordinary man
ner, and the product is butter, or at least a
substance which is chemically pure and
which differs 50 slightly from the pure but
ter that it cannot be detected unless by an
expert. Only small proportion of the ole
omargarlne made is manufactured into but
ter for consumption here, but it is said that
the butter thus made has been used by some
of the principle New York hotels for the past
two years, and it has never been detected.
The oil Is almost entirely used for export,
and now about 300 900 pounds of it is sent
forward every week, one firm alone forward
ing 100000 pounds every week This oil
goes To France, Germany and Holland but
principally to France, where it is made up
into butter and then sent to all parts of Eu-
rope. In order to produce this amount Of
oleomargarine. about 500 600 pounds of beef
fat are consumed every week, and now the
best fat is used for this purpose, as the man
uiacturers can afford to paw q better price
for it than can bo paid by the manufacturers
of tallow. The tallOw market, however, has
not been materially interfered with, which
is shown by the fact that the prices have not
been advanced, but on the contrary, are prob
ably lower row than before oleomargarine
was made. The oleOmargarine, when turned
into butter, wherever it has been introduc
ed, because, as claimed it is better article in
taste and chemically purer. 1t is prabable,
however, that most Of the low grades of but
ter IN ade at present contain oleomsrgarine,
as the use Of 1T In the manufacture of oIdin-
ary butter greatly increases the product.
In England. butter made after this process
is sold under the name of butterine, az the
law forbids that it should be called butter.