HANDLING FROZEN PRODUCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1069, 7 March 1911, Page 8

HANDLING FROZEN PRODUCE.

AN UNDERWRITER'S OPINION. The following report was Tead at the New Zealand Producers' Conferenco held in Wellington, last week. Tho report had been forwarded to tho head of a large commercial firm in the Dominion by ono of the underwriters in London. "Memorandum of the Nature and Causes of Damage to Frozen Meat. "It has occurred to us-that a short statement of our experience on the abovo would bo of interest to thoso whom it may concern, and hence the following remarks :— "The .damage to -which these are subject, and--upon •■which .underwriters pay claims are; (-l). Off colour, mis-shapen, stained ■in . legs, batten-marked; (2) flesh torn, legs and,shoulders broken and dirty; (3) mouldy and black spotted; (4) bone taint; and (5) brine stained. "(In dealing with theso in the order Btated, we are assuming that as regards No. 1 the carcasses, etc., are properly frozen before- shipment, by which we mean that they nave been hung sufficiently long in the freezing-room to _ be completely-frozen through in the thickest' part before being clothed, and stowed.. If they are not, some of the damage described in No. 1 would arise through imperfect freezing.) Assuming them to be ju-operly' frozen, the cause which produces above damage is exposure to high temperature, rending carcasses, etc.. soft, and oyerstOwjng .them in soft condition. This exposure takes place when the goods are in transit from freezing store to ship at port .of loading, and from ship to store at port of discharge. "FERTILE SOURCE OF DAMAGE." "It is the most fertile source of 'damage, iespecially in mixed cargoes.. When) a whole cargo, or even ' one'hold is-re-served for one.shipper, the damage from abovo is greatly modified, especially'when" the goods are delivered at port of destination to one consignee,'but where, as is generally the case in New Zealand and Australian trade, there are many shippers arid many c.i.f. sales, and an inanity, of marks, tho amount of damage produced in consequence of tho delays in delivering right marks to the proper consignee is very great, particularly, when the weather is very damp or warm. ..'.. "This will bo at once appreciated when -we point •out that there -Will .bo several barges belonging to different stores waiting to receivo their respective maTks.frora one hold. It may be that, say, 200 to 300 carcasses of a particular mark are delivered to a barge first thing in tho morning, occupying, say, an hour's work, arid'after that no more .carcasses of ..that mark may bo available till later in' tho afternoon; or if may bo that (and frequently is tha case) tho barge has-to proceed to the store-at tide time with that small number on board. , "DISASTROUS IN SUMMER 'WEATHER." "In the summer weather the result is disastrous; the meat arrives at tho store quite soft and badly damaged. ' "So- long as the present system of numerous marks and c.i.f. sales continues, damago from this causo is bound ti occur. It could bo greatly modified if shippers Could arrange to occupy a given space in the vessels at port of shipment, and consign the whole to one store, making, 'ex stoTe' sales. When, however, a shipper has tho use of the whole of one •:hold, and the goods are to bo delivered to one store, tho barge loads up without delay and tho damago is much smaller. "With regard to causes in No. 2 this arises from>the frequent handling; to which the meat is subjected. We calculate .'that each carcass has to he handled at least before it is in the store at destination, and when it is considered that the shirting covering the carcass., is of a very flimsy nature, it is not surprising that a largo number are torn in flesh, sometimes quite deeply. It is produced by the goods hcing thrown about in handling and tho insufficient protection which tho cloth affords. "Tho legs and shoulders get broken in the loading and discharging by being caught on the combings of the hatches or falling out of tho slings. SOME OBJECTIONABLE FEATURES. "Dirty carcasses, etc., are caused by men- trending over the meat, principally in the shin's hold. Wo find the damage to be greatest'when the vessel has loaded and : discharged at several ports, and more particularly when tho weather is wet.' It can easily be obviated, as wo have many, times pointed ou:, hy spreading save-alls over the meat in the square of tho hatchway, and havo- boards laid on •top for tho men to walk upon. • "Wo-hesitate to express a definito i opinion on the causes which produce mould and black spots on frozen meat. We havo heard the views of eminent scientists in the witness box, whore both sides have agreed that mould could not grow at a temperature below 40deg. Far-/ enheit. This, however, does not coincide' with our experience as we frequently find it on hard frozen meat. Wo notico that where damage of that nature exists the™ arc generally other features in tho appearance of the meat which lead us io believe it has at one time been soft subsequent to freezing, and then reftozen. "It is generally agreed that bone taint is caused by freezing tho meat tno quickly, after the. meat has been killed, or that it has been overheated at the.time of killing. This'is confined to beef. Formerly it.was not unusual to find it in fat ..heavy .carcasses of mutton, but not within the last few years. "Damage by brine is caused by leakage through brine pipes. When meat is damaged by brine the parts affected are rendered useless for food, and these portions are condemned. Tho -saltness of the brine is so intense as to produce a burning sensation when tasted. OPTIONAL CARGOES. "This feature in-frozen meat has added an additional risk of damage, as it frequently happens that it has to be shifted from -ono hold to another in order to give delivery of cargo stowed underneath. Wo havo heard of an instance where it was landed on the quay and afterwards reshipped. "The conclusions to .bo drawn from tho above are that for tho greater part, the risks are due to causes inherent in the system of working the meat, and partly through carelessness."