EELS FOR EXPORT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 167, 9 April 1919, Page 8

EELS FOR EXPORT

ENGLISH FISH IMPORTERS' OPINION THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT Inquiry having been made of the Marino Department as to the prospect of a market for New Zealand eels in tlio United Kingdom, the High Commissioner was.-asked to make inquiry and report. A reply ha.s now been received by the -Department in which the High Commissioner 'states that eels are sold in London and in many of the leading provincial towns, the best markets cut. side London being Manchester* and Liverpool. The trade find it difficult to give, any indication as to The quantities the various markets could absorb. Their only experience with New Zealand eels has been with the frozen variety, and .japparently it has not been very encouraging. Messrs. J. 1,.' Snyer, of Billingsgate, / express tho view,- from opinions they have obtained, that there is very little demand for them even when other eels are scarce, and if fresh eels'were at all plentiful' they doubt whether frozen eols would sell at all, or at best only at a very low price. On the other hand, Messrs. Charles Petrio, who aro large importers of frozen fish, are of opinion that large quantities could be handled, as the markets in other large towns could be tried, with' samples and would, they think, take largo consignments. They do not think that dried or cured eels would be saleable. Messrs. Thompson and Buckeridge stato that the quantity of fresh eels at present eold in Billingsgate is about three tons n day, and they say that the frozen variety does not go well with eel buyers.

On the question of price opinions vary greatly. Before the war best English eels made 15s. to 245. per draft of 211b. Early in January this year, when the High Commissioner wrote his letter, the controlled price wns 3:ls. 3d. for the same weight, and if frozen eels had been put on the market then they would probably have realised from lOd.i to Is. per lb. If eels arrive on the ninrket in anything but the best condition failure is certain. In pre-war times there was usually a good demand for eights mouths m the year-September .to Apr.il—but eels are 'not wanted during the summer months. Present prices are double those for. best English eels in pre-war times, but these prices are not likely to continue. Imports previously came from Holland very largely, Denmark, Norway,- France, am! Italy, and when these are resumed again the trade look for a great, reduction in prices. . . ~ ~■'.. The High Commissioner adds that the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, 4?ood Investigation Board, is experimenting with the rapid freezing of fish in brine, instead of the air freezing hitherto generally resorted to. The plant used consists of a tank in which» a saturated solution of sodium chloride and water (to which a small percentage of caustic soda may or may not be added) is maintained at a low temperature, say 7dcg. to lOdeg. I\, by means of a coil of piping immersed in the solution, in which N.H.3 from a small compression refrigerating machine is expanded. Provision is inado>.by means of a centrifugal pump for the activo circulation of the solution with the double object of obtaining an efficient heat interchange between tlio brino and the expanding gas, and also assisting tho rate of freezing by circulating tho brine through the wire baskets in which the iish to be frozen aro immersed in the tank. -. The principle is tho freezing of .tlio muscular tissues of tho fish as rapidly as possible, so that the wjfter contents of tho tissues become ice in minute crystals which do not cause rupture ot the tissues (with a consequent loss of essential juices and therewith flavour) after thawing. On tho other hand, with lish frozen by tho circulation pf air at very low lomporaturcs, tho heat interchange, owing to the low specific heat ot the air, is much slowor, and comparatively largo crystals are thereby formed in tho tissues, 'leading to the disruption of the latter, loss of flavour and weight, and unpaired keeping quality. '•_ Tho New Zealand Produce Officer visited Billingsgate and witnessed tho plant in operation, and a small demonstration in the freezing of whiting, cod, and eels. Ho reports that a centrifugal pump was vised for the double purpose of keeping the liquid, in circulation and passing it through a filter for tho purpose of removing slime* and other impurities. Ilia filter at tho time of the examination was in an experimental stage, and wood wool was being tried as the filtering material. Very small fish were completely frozen m from 12 to 15 minutes, a cod of 10 to 121b weight taking almost an hour. Upon thawing out tho fish resumed a natural appearance oven to the eye*, and could not bo distinguished from the fresh article.