BACON CURING

Evening Star, Issue 19783, 6 February 1928, Page 11

BACON CURING

ADD OTHER RESEARCH WORK STATEMENT BY PREMIER 4Fkb United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February L ; The following statement was issued by tbe Minister in Charge of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department (Air J. G. Coates) with reference to the investigation work which has been proceeding in connection with bacon curing, certain meat products, and stock-feeding meals. _ The enforcement of the foods and drugs regulations prohibiting the use of boric acid in the preservation of ham and bacon has been giving manufacturers of these products much concern owing to the loss of keeping quality that is apparent. Now that a long accustomed process has, of necessity, been abandoned, the elimination of boric acid, coupled with tbe demand for mild-cured bacon, has compelled the manufacturer to search for other means of producing an article suitable for the market.: To overcome this problem the help of the Department of Scientilic and industrial Research has been solicited by some ol tho producers to enable them to provide bacon and ham suited to the public taste, and at the same time possessed of the necessary keeping qualities. Experiments already have been commenced in this direction, and include work on the best methods of curing consistent with efficient production, the maintenance of good flavor and keeping qualities. Other important matters, including the use of sodium nitrate in place of saltpetre for the production of good color in bacon and ham, are under investigation. The results of these various researches when completed will bs made available for the industry as a whole. Lt connection with the utilisation ot meat and fish meals for the economic production of poultry and pigs, experiments are to bo carried out by Dr Malcolm and Miss Pope at Dunedin. The investigation will bo carried out ,oa meat, fish, and grain meals produced in this country, and it is hoped that they will result in the increased production of valuable food materials, some of which to a largo extent are now wasted. There is no doubt that largo scale tests in other parts of the world have shown that poultry, pigs", and cattle fed on a suitable ration balanced with grain, meat, and fish have proved the value ol these materials in scientilic food production. At the present time only a _ small amount of meat and fish meal is produced here, but it has been definitely proved that suitable meals can be produced economically with the elimination of much valuable material. The investigation of a process involving tho use of sodium nitrite lias produced an entirely new method of canning meat, and the Health Department lias gazetted regulations permitting the use of the new method. This process is both speedier and more efficient than the old brine saltpetre method. It enables the beef extract, which hitherto was useless on account of its high salinity, to ho utilised in the preparation of highly nutritions feed for pigs and poultry,‘and tho meat itself when canned possesses an even standard of quality and color. The adoption of this process alone will mean the eflocting of a saving to tho meat industry to the dominion amounting at an approximate estimate to some £30,000 to £40,00(1 per annum. Arising from a request made by the Research Council, the Empire Marketing Board lias offered a grant of

£2.500 towards the cost of establishing plant breeding and seeds research work. In addition tho board is prepared to contribute £2,500 annually for a period of five years towards tho maintenance and running costs of these researches. It is intended that tho work will be mainly carried out at tbe Massey Agricultural College, and will embrace the breeding, selection, and treatment against disease of tbe grasses and other farm crops of the dominion. By improvement in the quality and yield ot various species of farm crops and their immunisation against tho inroads of fungoid and insect diseases it is hoped to lessen the heavy annual loss incurred to tho dominion through the growing ol 1 poor and diseased crops. 'The work to bo carried out will aroplily tho good work already being done by tlie officers of tho Department of Agriculture. Negotiations are proceeding with the Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural College Councils with a view to arranging the details necessary for carrying out the work.