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Pasteurization and Bottling of Milk.—The Institute continued to pasteurize and bottle milk on behalf of the Department of Health for supply to schools in the Manawatu district. Dissemination. of Results of Work.—A large number of dairy-factory managers and first assistants from all parts of the Dominion attended the annual " week " held at the Institute on sth and 6th May, 1943, when research work carried out during the previous season was described and discussed. This annual gathering is very much appreciated by managers and first assistants in the butter and cheese industries. FOOD PRESERVATION AND TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE Personnel.—Sir Theodore Rigg (Chairman), Dr. J. C. Andrews, Mr. G. A. Duncan, Mr. E. J. Fawcett, Mr. R. P. Fraser, Dr. E. Marsden, Mr. G. M. Pottinger, Professor W. Riddet, and Mr. F. J. A. Brogan (Secretary). Sir Theodore Rigg was elected to the Chair, left vacant by the greatly-regretted death of Professor H. G. Denham in February, 1943. During the year the Committee lost another member by the death of Mr. F. W. Grainger, of the Export Division, Marketing Department. Mr. Grainger's knowledge and experience of food transportation and storage problems was extensive, and his loss was keenly feltMr. A. H. Cockayne retired from the Committee following his retirement from the Department of Agriculture, and his place was taken by his successor in office, Mr. E. J. Fawcett. Mr. R. P. Fraser, Acting Director of the Internal Marketing Division, accepted an invitation to join the Committee in order to represent the Division's important activities in food dehydration. Messrs. G. A. Duncan and E. J. Fawcett attended the United Nations Food Conference at Hot Springs, United States of America, as members of the New Zealand Government delegation. Dr. J. C. Andrews visited the United States of America to attend a conference on dehydrated-meat production at Washington. He also visited a number of meat-dehydration and vegetable-dehydration plants in the United States of America and Canada and obtained much valuable information on dehydration plant and processes. The Committee held one meeting during the year to review progress with research and developmental work proceeding under its general direction. Dry Butterfat and Butterfat Spreads.—Since the commercial production of dry butterfat was taken over by the Internal Marketing Division when the Auckland plant was opened in August, 1942, the Dairy Research Institute has concentrated on the utilization of dry butterfat in spreads for use by the Armed Forces under hot climatic conditions. Various hardening agents have been tried, with due regard to their effect on the palatability of the spreads and their availability in sufficient quantity in New Zealand, and bulk samples of the most promising products have been supplied to the New Zealand and United States of America Army authorities for trial under active-service conditions. Dr. F. H. McDowall visited Australia in March to investigate work in progress on butterfat dehydration and the utilization of dry butterfat for Army spreads. Some work has also been carried out on the drying of natural cheese, and on the incorporation of mature cheese with dry butterfat, which gives a spread of excellent palatability. With regard to improvements in dry butterfat processing and plant, the problems of devising a melter to deal with frozen butter and of further prolonging the storage life of dry butterfat by a more rigid exclusion of air at the time of filling are being investigated. Dehydrated Meat.—The commercial dehydrated-meat plant at Feilding, which is under the control of the Department of Agriculture, began production towards the end of March, 1942. The main developmental work during the period under review was concerned with (i) increasing the fat content up to 40 per cent, by the addition of edible rendered tallow; (ii) the installation of plant for the readditions of the concentrated cooking juices which improve flavour and palatability; (iii) the installation of plant for packaging the dried meat under compression in accordance with specifications of the United Kingdom Ministry of Food. Various substitute containers have been tried, but none has proved capable of being substituted for tinplate. Dehydrated Vegetables.—Commercial production of dehydrated vegetables began at the end of March, 1943, in a tunnel dehydrator of the Eidt type designed by the Chemical Engineering Section of the Dominion Laboratory and installed by arrangement with the Government at the Wattie Canneries, Hastings. The performance of this plant and the quality of its products have been fully up to the expectations based on prior research and developmental work. A dehydrator of similar design installed at the Wattie Canneries for the dehydration of apples on behalf of the Internal Marketing Division has now commenced production. Additional commercial dehydration plants are being installed by the Internal Marketing Division at Pukekohe and Christchurch for vegetables, and at Motueka for apples. Dr. J. C. Andrews, whose services have been made specially available, and officers of the Fruit Research, Dominion Laboratory, and Plant Chemistry Sections are acting in a technical advisory capacity in the installation and operation of these plants. Dr. H. Annett has been appointed technical liaison officer.

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