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Bottled Bacteria

Bottled Bacteria image
Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
August
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The average layman has long been - sustained by a secret belief that the vast majority of bacteria are harmless, and, considerlng that he daily consumes millions of them in eating, drinking and sleeping, it is consoling to find the belief confirined by au eminent authority. Another scientist contributmg to an English review does something toward relieving bacteria of their evil name by explaining how much they have to do with successful butter making. Butter, as every one knows, is best made from Bour cream and does not keep well nnless the cream is soured before ! ing. This result is usually attained by letting the cream stand till it eours of its own accord. But a series of experiments carried on in Sleswick-Holstein have proved that the souring of cream is prodnced by the presence of certain bacteria, which can be cultivated and introduced in such a way as to cause artificially the necessary souring. A doctor named Witter has studied the subject, and ' 'so skillfully blended certain cultures together that when the mixture was added in due proportion to sterilized cream to effect souring, the butter made tberefrom was of most delicious flavor, pure and of great commercial value, inasmuch aa it kept admirably. The dried seed or powder of the bacteria used in this process can now be bought put up in bottles. A proportion is added to a small quantity of skimmed milk, wbich is subjected to a moderate continuous heat till the bacteria have developed. The "fermentation starter" is then added to the cream. The pure culture is only used occasionally, enough of the "starter" being left over every day to begin operations -with on the next. The excellence of Danish butter is attributed to the care taken in choosing the "fermentation starter." - Popular Science Monthly.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier