DETERIORATED MEAT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 228, 21 June 1921, Page 5

DETERIORATED MEAT

A COMPLAINT FROM AMERICA THE EFFECT OF PROLONGED STORAGE The reputation of New Zealand meat in the United States is suffering to some extent owing to a widely circulated statement that the fat of tho mutton has developed a “tallowy” flavour in the cold stores. “The meat,” says the New York "Globe,” “ffl as sweet as the flesh of prize ewes and wethers ever has been or will be, but in order, to enjoy its delicious flavour the purchaser must carefully trim away all the fat. Otherwise the tallowy suggestion will injure tho delicious meat flavour for which New Zealand mutton is justly famous, before cold storage keeps it too long at the freezing point.” The newspaper adds a suggestion that American scientists shoud be interested in the causes behind tho development of “this disagreeable tallowy flavour, which makes its appearance after freezing." "In what condition will the carcasses now being held in New Zealand freezers find their way into the ’markets when released?” if. asks. “What kind of regulations eve now necessary to limit the importation of New Zealand mutton and New Zealand lamb to freshly killed stock not carried in cold storage?” A. Dominion reporter who made Inquiries on the subject learned that, unfortunately, there is an clement of truth in the allegations. The deterioration that has been noticed in the United States is liable to occur in frozen mutton that has been held tor a very prolonged period in the stores. Apparently it does not always occur, and its causes are not clearly understood. Meat docs not seem to be affected by prolonged storage to any noticeable extent, but tho fat is liable to undergo some obscura change affecting its flavour, though not affecting its wholesoinencss. The matter lias been the subject of comment in France as well as in the United States, an-1 F"_— cials have made some investigations with the object of \fletermining just hew b ”g mutton may be held in cold store without deterioration. It is possible that the use of a lower temperature would overcome the difficulty. The trouble, whatever it may be. has no relation at all to New Zealand’s ordinary meat trade. Meat can be held in the freezing chambers for a. full year, or even longer, without any deterioration taking place, and in normal times none of the meat exported by the Dominion- is required to be held for as long as twelve months. Most of it reaches the consumers within a few months of being killed and there is never any complaint about the flavour of the. carcasses that reach tho consumers in Britain or elsewhere in thotaormal fashion. The meat that Ls-the subject of complaint in the United States is part of the stocks that accumulated in New Zealand during the war, when the conditions were l e ’ ,hr , ol / l abl '7' mnl. Some of the meat bought by Hie British Government, under the war contracts was held in the Dominion fm more than a year before it was shipped nnd then there were further , delays M the points of ultimate < llRt . r, l bu^ r r !' the close of the war special f ffuits wme made by the Imperial authorities to n-oce of tho accumulated meat, and • market for a portion of it wa-s found i the United States. Practically none othe Imperial meat remains in tho he Zealand stores to-day, nnd caused by the war is not at all likclj to ar it 6 improbable that the extent of the deterioration of the old meat is being exaggerated in the United .™ e agricultural interests there are i". Li „ • strong fight against the importation i>f frozen meat, and in addition to pie - i. Congress for increased proton ton.. U'to are seeking to create a. 'n ’lm public mind against, imported meat. T naturally wouul O 1 • j of the kind that lias now been inlsert. The prejudice against frozen meat m the United Kingdom died hard, hut the uiiiformjv high qualify Of New product over a long period of Jia • overcame I hat nre.lndice. There is eici.i reason to believe that American i«n->-ers will he similarly convinced altei experience of frozen meat marketed under normal conditions. ,