Object number
62/16
Description
This is a milk pasteuriser. It has a metal tank for the milk, with a paddle for stirring driven from the top by a belt. There are inlet and outlet pipes for the steam and milk, and a safety valve. This pasteuriser was donated by the University of Reading's Department of Dairying.
Physical description
1 pasteuriser: metal
Label Text
Pasteuriser. This pasteuriser was used in a milk processing plant, and was then owned by the University's Department of Dairying. It contains a paddle for stirring, inlet and outlet pipes for the milk and steam, and a safety valve. Pasteurisation involves heating milk to 71.7<sup>o</sup>C for around 20 seconds. This kills harmful bacteria present within the milk and significantly increases its shelf life. Invented by French micro-biologist Louis Pasteur in 1864, it was slowly adopted across the UK. It was not without opposition; for example, Lady Eve Balfour claimed that a hygienic dairy farmer should be able to produce clean milk without it.
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – '['DANISH SCALDER' scored through] PASTEURISER - DANISH // Processing - Milk', MERL ‘History Artefacts’ card – 'Description: A sturdy cast iron frame standing on a central pedestal. A metal tank for the milk is suspended in the frame and this has a steam jacket. There is a paddle for stirring the milk which is driven from the top by means of a belt. There are various inlet and outlet pipes for the steam and the milk. There is also a safety valve. // Use: For pasteurising milk.'
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\62_16_doc_01.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\62_16_doc_02.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\62_16_doc_03.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\62_16_doc_04.tif - High resolution image
