Bacon and—?

NZ Truth, Issue 1177, 21 June 1928, Page 6

Bacon and—?

The .controversial subject of ham curing has exercised . alike the minds of both bacon cur.rs and the Department of Health for the past few years. niSCUSSION naturally arises out of what does and what does not constitute pure food. The regulations recently m the "Gazette" prohibiting the use of boric acid •m the curing of hams and bacon no sooner appeared than under certain representations the Minister of Health, J.. A. Young, saw fit to suspend them pending inquiries to be prosecuted by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. A certain section of the bacon curing industry maintain that the non-use of boracic acid m the curing of bacon would Involve them m a considerable loss: owing to the fly nuisance. Health Minister Young definitely asserts tha,t he has ho intention of moving to gazette regulations which would permit the use of boric "acid. For all that he is prepared to suspend the present "Gazette" notice for twelve months pending research work. And this despite the fact that .he is thoroughly convinced that good bacon can be made without the use of this preservative. With these facts m mind it really appears on the surface as if the Minister were pandering to a certain section of the industry -which is not at the moment suited by the. regulations. There is not a shadow of doubt that from a pure food point of view — and that is of paramount importance when the welfare of the public is concerned— that the use of boric acid is deleterious m food prepared for human consumption. Bacon and hams prepared under properly hygienic conditions without the use of this preservative are undoubtedly of the finest quality and no loss should be entailed by manufacturers if they have proper thought to the handling of the product right from the killing pen until after it leaves their hands. Reputable firms operating on a large scale maintain that the use of boracic acid would not prevent the losses complained of. Failure to observe the proper practice laid down m connection with curing is more than likely the cause. This preservative should not be allowed m any foodstuffs on account of the danger to the health of the general public. Its use m bacon and hams produces if anything a lOwer quality than the product marketed without its use. Meats m which boracic acid is used should not be classed as bacon and hams, f or more stictly speaking they are preservatized pork. Its use enables a considerable amount of moisture to be retained, so that ln actual- fact the public are buying water insteau of meat. Minister . Young admits that some manufacturers can place a first-class article on the market without the use of boric, therefore it was his boiinden duty to see that* the "Gazette" r^grqia- i tions were enforced.' | In giving !those manufacturers w^ho | are not properly equipped another twelve months^ grace he is certainly laying himself oven to criticism.