Death to Refrigerating Companies

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 135, 21 May 1889, Page 3

Death to Refrigerating Companies

The London correspondent of the Canterbury Press, writing on 29th March, sends news which, if true, and there fefeemß no reason to doubt its accuracy, means a complete revolution in the colonial meat trade, and wil render the freezing process entirely obsolete. The new invention is the discovery of an American chemist named Daniels, aud is the result of 14 years' experiments. It has been patented, aud the English rights are in the hands of a company named the Food Perseryiag Company. The company's works are in Queen Victoriastreet, and the correspondent thus describes the process, and what he saw on visitmg them : — " The whole apparatus is extremely simple, consisting merely of a box aud a plate of powder. Mr Wheaton, Mr Buwdeu, and Mr Hodge went over everything with me, and I will give you a brief summary of the whole process. In the room was a box about 6ft by Bft, which, when I saw it, was empty. Iv the top compartment, which is only partially separated from the lower one are two small zinc tanks for ice or cold water. On a level therewith is a small shelf, upon which the plate of powder stands. The whole of the lower portion of the box is filled with the meat to be treated. The box is air-'ight, or nearly so. The plate of j powder is ignited, and the door closed The fumes of the vapour arise quickly over the tanks, where they are cooled down, and then descend to the meat and attack it. In three or four hours the meat is rendered incapable of decay. If the process of putrifaction has already set in, the vapour will arrest it. The meat may then be taken out and thrown aside anywhere in any temperature, and for any length of time, and it remains good. Furthermore, the process is applied not only to meat, but to vegetables (as we had evidence at the lunch), to fruit and to flowers. There seems no end to the applications and uses of this extraordinary elixir vitse. Hides I saw which were eight weeks old, and as soft and clean- smelling as the day they left the bullocks backs. The meat will keep after being cooked, just as before cooking. How long the virtue of the vapour lasts is a dubious poiut. It has been known to last three months, & Mr Wheaton informed me that experiment had proved it in America to last for eight months. The second point is that water placed in the chamber while the powder is being burnt, gets impregnated with vapour, and acquires the virtue of preserving meat thrown into it. It is further stated that the best English chemists admit themselves unal le to explain the chemical process which is fividently effected by the fumes of this wonderful powder. The company have already sold the right for use in th« County of Lancashire alone for £150,---000, and are said to be anxious to di=>pose of the rights for Australia and New Zealand. If the invention is really what it is represented to be, there will be a erood time in store for New Zealand farmers ; aud although the money now sunk in freezing machinery will be lost, those most interested will not have any cause for regret. The new invention will largely affect the shipping companies, as well as the producers. If no f •■«■■• zing ih necessary, freights will naturally fall very greatly. Further information on the subject will be anxiously looked for. — Post.