FROZEN LAMB

Shannon News, 6 January 1928, Page 4

FROZEN LAMB

As mentioned in the Meat Board’s annual report, experiments are being undertaken in New Zealand in connection sviih presciving the bloom on our exported frozen lamb. v The

following expressions of opinion by British importers are taken from the imperial food. Mouvnal: — One well-known figure in Smithfield said: “This lack of bloom, which

has been go apparent of late on Colonial lamb shipments, as against South American consignments, is obviously due to wrong temperature.

All South American, carcases are kept, constantly at Iransport temperature.

which is usually 15 deg. .1 think that if Colonial meat works would

adopt this temperature their difficulties w0n,1,1 be overcome,He stress-

ed the need for avoiding the changes in temperature m the stores caused by ihe constant opening of the doors

during loading or storing,, and, in view of his remarks, it would be in-

teresting to know if the majority or N'ew Zealand cold stores are equipped with air-ioeks. which, to a large degree, would ruiniini.se (lie variations in temperature.

The manager of a firm long associated with Smithfiehl Market' said he considered that there were roughly thre’e reasons for lack • of bloom on dominion lambs. In some instanc-

es, he said, when they are railed down to the coast, lambs are not carried with the utmost temperature efficiency. with the result that condensation tain s place, and the bloom is lost. Secondly, lambs might be kept fit too low a torrfpcrtiire for too long a period. In this way-, they became “baked.” and so lost their bloom. And thirdly, lie pointed, out ,the trouble of,eii a rope through keeping carca.i.'.s too long'in cold store at ordinary temperatures. The .Argentine ft mis never held, their meat for very long in cold store. As the Stock was kdled, it was straightway loaded, and ms much as possible was sold direct from the pliip. The cause of lack of

bloom on New Zealand la mils was

traceable-to both conditions in the Dominion and to British importers. Tlie blame fell oil the latter when meat was kept oonsianlly in cold store with the hope of realising better prices. The trouble, however, in recent consignments,’ he went on. “Is mostly due to the carrying of carcases on the other side, at too low a temperature for lengthy periods, and again, "to changes # in temperature. If you- can carry carcases at one temportuvn .say. at 15 or 16 deg. i-A and keep them at that until they arrive on the market, you achieve tllQ most desirable conditions. Sometimes meat is transported in New Zealand •-1 a tempera!uve. of 60 dog. F. It would serve a iwifiil purpose if a.log (h- temperatures maintained dnrbur the' whole course of the transport of ihc moat to this cquuiry could be

Incc-d in cur bands."