The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-04-14
ONIONS in MILK
Flavor and Odor Not Unhwole.
some But Very Objec-
tionable.
Remedies Suggested

producers, and consumers are con-
fronted with the usual, and to GER
tain extent inevitable, flavor and
odor Of onions in milk products. The
presence Of onion flavor in milk does
not indicate that the milk containing
this flavor has been produced or
handled under unsanitary conditions,
nor does the presence Of the flavor
and odor render the milk unwhOle-
somo for human consumption. But
the onion flavor in milk, even to a
| slight degree, Is such pronounce
and unpleasant one to the great ma.
jority Of consumers that from com.
mercial standpoint all milk so affect.
| ed Is unfit. Cream from this milk
may be used for butter making,
though the resulting butter will still
retain the Objectionable flavor to
marked degree. AS q result OF this
trouble In milk. many producers and
| dealers suffer every spring considor.
able financial loss, a part OF which,
at least could be avoided If proper
precautions were taken and prepara-
tion made for the short time during
WnlCn the trouble arises.
AS to remedies and treatment OF
"oniony" milk, the only sure and Of
fective means lies in prevention. II
onions are present in the pasture
they must come out, or the milk COW
must be kept out for several hours
prior to milking time, else the milk
will surely have the charao teristic
Objectionable odor and flavor. Should
the onions be few, or should they be
confined to limited area, 1t slight
be possible and advisable to pull up
tho plants by hand before seed are
produced and thus eventually rid the
pasture Of them On the other hand,
II the pasture IS badly infested the
only course to follow is to take tho
milk COWS off the pasture early in
the afternoon, at least four or five
hours before milking time.
The onion plant is one Of the first
TO begin growing in the spring, and
the cow with hor natural craving for
green succulent feed at this season
OF the year, is not at all particular
about what she eats while tho graz
a grazing lot OF rye or rye and barley,
or clover and barley serves double
purpose. II the COW IL allowed ac-
cess to such grazing lots for an hour
or SO each day not only will her milk
flow be very much increased but her
hunger for green feed will be salts
fed to such an extent that she will
be more careful about grazing on
wild onions while in the pasture.
The onion flavor in milk is only
one, though perhaps tho most pro-
nounced and Objectionable, Of many
food nayors which often get into
milk from the COW. Such feeds as
rape, rutabages, cabbage and wet
brewers grains, when fed either just
prior or during milking, often impart
quite pronounced and Objectionable
feeds however, may safely be fed
just after milking or several hours
before milking without affecting the
flavor Of the milk in any way. SO
It Is where conditions make It neces-
sary to Craze milk cows on onion in
tested pastures. II the COWS are
turned on these pastures Immediately
after milking In the morning and
then driven up about noon, there
should be little II any trace OF onion
flavor in the milk Especially is this
true where the COWS arc allowed to
Craze on green grazing lots which are
free from the wild onions or where a
good grade of corn silagc Is fed as
succuleNt feed.
Various methods Of removing the
onion flavor and odor from milk so
contaminated have been tried out
with little success Perhaps the most
common as well as the most cffec-
tive treatment is that OF aeration.
But even with this method, the
amount OF the Objectionable flavor
and odor removed is so small that 1t
is impossible to rcndcr contaminated
milk free from taint.
Summary.
1. Allow milk COWS to run on on.
ion infested pastures only in the fore.
noon. Drive them up four or five
hours before milking time.
Q. Provide green grazing lots, or
have an abundance or corn sage to
increase the flow OF milk and to ap.
peasc the cows craving for green
feed
3. Take extra precautions with the
handling and cooling Of the milk in
order that no bad odors and favors
might develop to augment the objec.
tionable ones from the onions
AVOID COUNTRY DAMAGE TO
COTTON