PASTEURIZING PLANT

Milk pasteurized by the College in its own plant is being served by the Dartmouth Dining Association, the Hanover Inn, and Stell Hall this year with the placing in operation of the new pasteurizing plant built by the College during the summer and recently completed. It is expected that pasteurized milk will also be furnished to the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital.

The new pasteurizing plant is a one-story brick building 24' x 34', with basement, situated near the College heating plant. The most recently developed pasteurizing equipment was provided by the Cherry-Burrell Company of Boston.

The effective pasteurization of milk in order to obtain complete health protection and at the same time preserve the pleasant qualities of taste is a delicate one, and the College has provided the best equipment in order to supervise this process in its own plant. The initial installment of equipment includes one 200-gallon vat with provision made in the building design for another one if it proves necessary. A distinctive feature of the design is the arrangement by which milk flows from one process to another by gravity, thus eliminating pumping machinery and additional pipe. All piping has to be taken down and sterilized after use each day. The plant includes bottling and refrigerating equipment.

The extreme precision with which temperatures must be regulated is the chief reason for the delicacy of the pasteurizing process. The milk is heated in the large vat to a temperature that must be more than 142° and less than 145°, and this temperature must be maintained for thirty minutes. The milk is heated by hot water circulating in the vat. Agitators keep the milk at an even temperature throughout. After the heating process the milk must be cooled to 50° or less and bottled with the greatest sanitary care.