SCIENTIFIC THAWING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 905, 24 February 1930, Page 10

SCIENTIFIC THAWING

HOW FROZEN MEAT TRADE COULD BE HELPED RESEARCH NECESSARY to THE SUN CHRISTCHURCH, Today. It is thp firm belief of Professor J. C. Sper.rin-Johnson, of the Auckland University College, who is visiting Christchurch, that should Hew Zealand find the means scientifically of freezing beef so its appearance will not be affected by thawing, the Dominion will experience new prosperity. Already Auckland scientists have made preliminary investigations and experiments*, aided by Auckland freezing companies, but pressure of other work, and the lack of stimulus from the Government, have resulted in the investigations having to be dropped. Two points which had favoured the Argentine over Hew Zealand in the frozen meat trade were: (1) Realising the market available for chilled beef and mutton exported from the Argentine, the business men, including English and European financiers, took advantage of natural conditions, and, as w r ell as utilising food and transport resources, paid particular attehtion to the Quality of stock destined for the butcher, so that the demand for chilled meat 'would not be lessened or endangered by the inferior quality of the meat when thawed. (2) A shorter voyage to Europe from South America, compared with the voyage from Hew Zealand, was in favour of the Argentine. If beef could be frozen and exported in the same way as mutton, there would be great commercial possibilities for Hew Zealand.

The interesting thing scientifically was that beef could not be frozen in the same "way as mutton, for thawed beef, although perfectly normal from the digestive, physiological, and public health point of view, did not please the butcher o.r the housewife on account of its appearance.

Professor Johnson said there was need for scientific research, so that accurate knowledge could be gained of any biophysical and biochemical changes undergone by beef in the freezing process.