Suiwelbereiding as studieveld

Abstract

This lecture oulines dairying as a subject taught at university level. Its technological bias does not disqualify it as a subject in academic education which has to include many subjects other than the pure sciences owing to the importance of technology in modern society. The fucntion of the dairy technologist as the person who processes milk, a primary product of anmial husbandry., into a large number of secondary products is sketched. The relationship of the technologist to the produce of the milk, is explained and it is shown why the dairy technologist needs a background of chemistry, bacteriology, economics and engineering. Examples are cited of the type of research conducted in the field of dairying, particularly at the University of Pretoria. Attention is also drawn to the fact that the dairy technologist has to contend with factors which tend to reduce the per capita consumption of dairy products, such as substitute dairy products, the threat of radio-active fall-out and the alleged relationship between animal fats and heart ailments. Contrary to popular ideas the dairy technologist cannot employ standard techniques without having the right background in order to deal with unexpected difficulties. The speaker stresses the fact that in his training of diary tecnology students, his purpose will be to equip them with this background and to serve the interests of dairying to the best of his ability.