USE FOR WASTE FRUIT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22516, 26 September 1938, Page 10

USE FOR WASTE FRUIT

PREPARATION OF JUICES HEALTH-GIVING DRINK AS PRODUCT EXTENSION TO ORCHARD INDUSTRY [From Our Own Reporter.] MOTUEKA, September 25. An important extension to the orchard industry in the preparation of juices from waste fruits is likely to be established on an extensive scale in the near future. The Hon P. C. Webb, Minister for Mines, said in an interview at Takaka on Saturday evening that preliminary investigations for the establishment of the industry were now under way, and he. was hoping to see large quantities of fruits which were at present merely waste turned into a profitable and health-giving product similar to that prepared on a large scale on the Continent. The Minister said that investigations were now under way for the development of the industry, which would convert much of the waste fruits to liquid. An Auckland firm had demonstrated that apples _of various varieties could be commercially used in the production of unfermelfted apple juice, which has. been recommended by the Health Department as a health-producing drink.

Juice had also been produced from tomatoes, the product comparing most favourably with imported varieties, and it seemed more than probable that in the near future every orchard district would have a plant to treat these waste products, which were excellent fruit but not of marketable size. These juices had been recommended by certain doctors as substitutes for many children in schools whose physical reaction to milk was not good. On the Continent millions of cases of apples -were converted into juice and here in New Zealand it would probably not be long before plants for their extraction were common in all orchard districts.