TAINT IN BACON

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1929, Page 5

TAINT IN BACON

>■ MENACES N.Z. EXPORT. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.^ . , HAWERA; Sept. 21. The opinion, that while the loss of prestige to New.;.Zealand industry is not irrevocable, a disaster will ensue if the trouble is not remedied promptly, was given by Air C. D. Dickie, the Alanagitig Director of’the-Patea Farmers’ Co-op. Freezing Coy., when inter-/ viewed to-day concerning the reports received recently from Britain regarding tainted flavours in the bacon exported’ from i New Zealand. Mr Dickie returned- to Hawera yesterday after liuving visited the United Kingdom. During his stay there he spent .some five weeks at the .centre of the world’s market and discussed this particular problem, among others, with experts-in the trade. ; During his remarks, Mr Dickie advanced the hignly interesting theory that the whale oil which is reported to have been used in pig meal may lie responsible for the trouble.

Air Dickie found that the complaints had been well founded, the bacon when cured, being fishy and oily in flavour, and distinctly unpalatable. A heavy loss had been suffered by the curers in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, who had been unable, after curing, to dispose of considerable quantities of New Zealand bacon, said Air Dickie. An-ex-haustive investigation had been made by English importers, and searching tests had been undertaken by a.\*research scientist, but the actual cfiiise of the trouble had not been definitely ascertained. Air Dickie had thought that the possible source of origin might be, in the meat meals which use wns made of offals, last season having oeen the first in which such had been employed extensively in New Zealand. Since his return to New Zealand this week, however, he had been informed a considerable quantity'’of whale oil, which had been disposed of in New Zealand last year, had been used in tne production of meal fed to pigs. * flf such j has been • tile case,” - continued Mr Dickie, “it is highly probable that tlj© oil lias been responsible for the tainted flavour. This..,matter is of vital importance; to the’industry in New Zealand.. It,should, and probably will.be.taken up by-the Department of Swine, Husbandry, as unless the faints are the indications are’that; the export trade from New Zealand .will be, killed.” Discussing British markets in general, Mr Dickie remarked that all of the exporters of lamb-from the Dominion hadi'" incurred-heavy losses. This had been dueto a fall in the prices, copsqqiient ■ upon, am'increase ,of over one million carcases, in the Argentine lamb supply,’ while a further 1 factor of depression kad been the prospects ot heavy. ,eatf.v shipments from- Australia, owing to the dry season there experienced.; England, had also ’experienced an unusually dry summer, and .the prospects had been that supplies from, the British Isles would ,be plfioed on the market, at an earlier stage than usual. ,