Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-11-16
DAIRY AND POULTRY.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR OUR
RURAL READERS.
,Fishfness' In Butter.

and Poultry.
,,Fishiness' iu Butter.
The New Zealand Dairyman reports
that at a lecture delivered on the 18th
of May at the eighth annual conference
of the Australian Butter and Cheese
Factory Managers Association, held
at Melbourne, Mr.. Thomas Cherry,
M. D.. M. s., lecturer in bacteriology.
Melbourne University, said: Il may
say a word or two about one special
defect in butter which has attracted
a great deal of attention during the
past two or three years. namely, fish
iness" This peculiar flavor is due to
chemical substance called "trimeth-
ylamfne," which was first isolated
from herring brine, and which gives
the brine its peculiar flavor During
the last ten or twelve years tr1-
methylamine has been extracted In
small quantities from many kinds OF
purifying substances, and it Is now
known to be a product of the growth
of at least a score of different micro
organisms. 1t can be produced by
sowing a pure culture of these, just in
the same way as pure culture OF the
Tactic acid bacteria produces the
agreeable aroma of good butter. The
primary cause of fishiness is therefore
the accidental invasion of the butter
by an organism capable of setting up
this change. Among such organisms
there are several bacteria which are
found in dirty water, and others
whose natural home seems to be sea
water. But these bacteria are not
able to manufacture trimethylam1ne
fa% r
The material from which they pro-
duce it is the butter-milk or curd; that
is to say, it is a product of the putre-
faction of proteid substances. Further,
some of these organisms grow very
slowly, and at comparatively low TEN
peratures; and finally. the addition OF
an extra amount of salt seems to IA
vor their development
The experiments which are being
conducted at the University Labora-
tory are not yet complete enough for
full report to be given, but l think
sufficient information has been OBJ
tanned to Justify the above conclu-
sions. If so, it is evident that fish
mess is not a simple matter to be
cured by any single remedy. On the
contrary, it may originate at any
stage in the process of manufacture.
The organism may find its way into
the milk on the farm and be carried
over into the cream, and thence to
the butter, or it may come from the
water used to wash the butter, or even
possibly from the salt
American Butter and Cheese Abroad-
A. r. Eastman of Waterville, New
York, says that his experience with
dairy products in England shows that
very little American butter is to be
found there. The amount of Amer
ican cheese there is also small. He
stated at meeting in New York that
he had inquired the reason for this
and had been told that the dealers
had not sufficient confidence in Amer
lean goods. This is due to the vast
amount of fraud that has been prac-
ticed, and contrasts strongly with the
methods followed by the Canadians,
who make goods that will stand the
test. He charges that the Americans
work for the greatest possible immed-
late profit. That his charges are part
ly t<ue we must admit, but there is a
point that modifies the situation con-
siderably. He says that he finds lit
tie butter or cheese on the English
market. This is partly explained by
the fact that dealers in all kinds of
goods resort to the trick of false
branding. Though the sale in Eng
land of American cheese has fallen Of
considerably from what it was few
years ago, we still sell a good deal
of that product to the English peo-
pie. If it does not appear as Amer
ican cheese on the English markets
it does appear under some other
brand. Just now the Canadians have
quite n reputation for their cheese
and a good deal of the best quality of
American cheese is doubtless sold as
Canadian, while the poorest Canadian
cheese is branded American. We
know the trick is worked with Amer
lean meats and see no reason why it
should not be used in the sale Of dairy
products. Americans should work for
a better reputation abroad, and that
reputation can be gained only by
sending to foreign countries goods
fully up to the requirements.