SAVING SHIPPING SPACE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 257, 29 July 1942, Page 5

SAVING SHIPPING SPACE

Value Of Dehydrated Meat (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) LONDON, July 27. A strong appeal to the responsible authorities and all interested countries to arrange a full and immediate Interchange of information regarding the dehydration of meat was made by Mr. Neville Wright, New Zealand scientific liaison officer, at a meeting of the Nutrition Society, called to discuss dehydrated foods. “In these critical days,” Mr. Wright said, “there at last appears to be a widespread realization that shipping space is the key factor of the war, transcending every other factor in importance. Anything that can be done to economize shipping weight and space will be a major contribution to the war effort.” He added that the basic principle of dehydration is that it is unprofitable to allow tene of thousands of tons of water to take up shipping space. It had been definitely established that dried meat was an attractive product of high nutritive value, excellent palatability, and good keeping qualities.

Four times the amount of dried compressed meat could be carried in the sajne space as a carcase of meat. There had been some difficulties in transition from the laboratory stage to commercial production, and therefore Mr. Wright appealed for pooled information. He said' he hoped Britain would show outstanding leadership and would use dehydration as “a weapon for victory, boldly and confidently, with a sense of the emergency which the situation demands.”

Dishes made from dried meat, fish, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage were served to the delegates at lunch time. A notable feature was the excellent taste of the food. A rival dried meat fro.m America has resulted iu much publicity. It is felt that there is a definite future for dehydrated foods.