MUSSEL MEAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 965, 7 May 1930, Page 8

MUSSEL MEAL

NEW INDUSTRY TO STAfr IN AUCKLAND OUT-RIVALS THE OYSTQt Another industry is to be to the rapidly-growing list Dominion’s wealth -makers. "** This is the exploitation of *kextensive mussel beds of the W. raki Gulf. "**■ fritters are one of the ttg, whicli experienced yacht launchmen prepare for the delectas? 4 of guests—in fact, oyster patties * declared to be inferior. For many years schnapper ana ua; let fishermen have spasmodically / ploited the market for ir. ussels L Europeans buying the article -*rsj bottled, while the Maoris buy “in tv shell.”

The new industry aims at marketim. mussel-meal ready for the soup by the addition of boiling w-L or milk.

Experiments extending over fl-y-ears have demonstrated that the yj/ Ject is practicable and a plant, with capacity of one ton of meal a wee* is now being installed. The s belli* Is dehydrated, crushed to a powfe mixed with seasoning and packed faj airtight containers. Four yeara */ samples of this product were exports to America, where they found a read? acceptance. Recently, at the r*qot 5 . of the manufacturers in Xew Zeala/ a package of the mead was sent bacr from America, in order to test ft, keeping qualities. It had twice passe; through the tropics and had been toeyears in store. The meal was fetind to bo in perfect condition.

Local distributing agencies bav., thoroughly examined the product a® one agency has contracted for a so,, ply of 10 cwt a week. KNOWN TO MAORIS

The nutritive value of mussel* was well known to the Maoris. In the pn. pakeha days, when tribal wars w«: frequent, the “iron ration” of the v. - [turtles was ono sun-dried mussel a day. As far as practicable the parti. * foraged as they travelled, but the slat transport, bringing up the rear, toll* ; along bearing tho baskets of dried mrest* 1, ready for the time when other fool sources failed. The dried fish was soaked in water for some hours as! then cooked in the earth oven.

Some years ago an enterprising firm in North Auckland sought to modern!? the ancient Maori industry of dt hydrating the mussel, a ready market being found in China for the product. Special machinery was purchased arc the business began to develop well; fa-.-ternal business troubles, however, led

to the winding-up of the company. The newer process of mussel-meal a product ready for instant use. wil enable a big field to be exploited and turned into much appreciated natloar] wealth.