The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-05-07
ONIONS IN MILK
Flavor and Odor Not Unhwole.
some But Very 0bjso-
tionable.
Remedies Suggested

producers, and consumers are con.
,ronted with tho usual, and to q GER
tain extent inevitable, havor 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 "avor
and odor render the milk ulH.;1le-
some for aman consumption. But
the onion flavor in milk, even to
slight degree, is such a pronounced
and unpleasant one to the great ma.
Iority OF consumers that from com.
mercial standpoint all milk 80 affect
ed is unfit. Cream from this milk
may be used for butter making.
though the resulting butter will still
retain the Objectionable favor to a
marked degree. As a result OF this
trouble in milk, many producers and
dealers suffer every spring consider
able financial loss, . part Of which,
at least could be avoided II proper
precautions were taken and prepara-
ton made for the short time during
which the trouble arises.
AS to remedies and treatment OF
"oniony" milk, the only sure and ef-
fective means lies IN prevention. II
onions are present in the pasture
they must como out, or the milk COW
must be kept out for several hours
prior to milking time, else the milk
III surely have the characteristic
Objectionable odor and favor. Should
the onions be few, or should they De
confined to q limited erea, It might
be possible and advisable to pull us
tho plants by haaA before seed are
produced and thus eventually rid the
pasture Of them. On tho other hand.
II tho pasture 10 badly infested the
only course to follow 10 to take the
milk COWS on the pasture early IN
the afternooa, at least four o. Ave
hours before nilksng time.
The onisa plant Is one Of the f.st
70 begin growing IA sGs spriss, and
tAs COW, vfa her natural craving for
xrssn sueeulent feed at tAts season
Of tho year, 10 not s& all particular
about wAAk she eats while tho sras-
tnR q % soant. In ths ooaoecton
: grazing lot Of rye or re and barley.
|. .se clover and harley ssrvss double
purpose. II the cow 10 allowed 10
cess to such grazing lots fer u hour
Tor 30 each day not only VIII her milk
flow b very much Increased but her
hunger for green feed will bs salts.
fed to suoA an extent that she viii
be moro careful sbc%t srasins On
Wild onions while In tAs pasture.
The onion flavor In milk h only
ono, though perhaps the most Pro-
nouaosd and Objectionable. Of many
food Aarors which ee$sn Ut inSo
milk from the COW. Such fssds -
rape, rutabages, esbbage aad vet
brewers grains, wAs. fsd st<AaF tEt
prior or during milking. oftsh inSa1
quite pronounced and sbaseasseshas
flayors to milk. Any Of the above
feeds, however, may saeely be fsd
Just after milking OF ss~srsl hsvss
before milking without a6essaaS ne
favor OF the milk in any wsY. %
Il Is where conditions make 4 Hssss-
sary to grsss milk oows On satoa N
tested pastures. II the eowV ere
turned on these pastures smnsatsNesJ
after milking In tho morning 0d
then driven up ahoat nooA, there
should be little II any Grace OF onaoa
favor In the milk. Especially is this
true where the COWS are allowed 70
xrase on green grazing lots which ars
free from the wild onions or where
good grade Of corn silags is fed as
succulent feed.
Various methods q removing the
onion flavor and sdor from milk 30
contaminated have been tried oit
with little success. Perhaps the most
common as we'll az the most efec-
tive treatment Is that OF aeratien
But even with this method, tho
amount of the Objectionable flavor
and odor removed is 80 small dat 1t
is impossible to render contaminated
milk free from taint.
Summary.
1. Allow milk cows to run On e.
lon infested pastures only IN the fore
noon. Drive them up four or ave
hours before milking time.
3. Provide green grazing lots, or
have An abundance or corn siiase. to
increase the few Of milk and to ap-
pease the cows craving for green
feed.
8. Take extra precautions with tho
handling and cooling Of tho milk IN
order that no bad odors and havors
might develop to augment tho oo3ec'
tionahls ones from the onions.
AVoIn COUNTRY DAMAGE 70