MEAT INSPECTION

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20672, 6 December 1938, Page 13

MEAT INSPECTION

PROTECTION FOR PUBLIC SUPERVISION AT WORKS HIGH STANDARDS SET Precautions taken by the Govern--1 ment to ensure that no meat from diseased or contaminated animals is 1 ever offered for sale for human consumption are scarcely realised by the public. The standard set in New Zealand is possibly the highest in the world and the protection afforded to < the public is most complete. With beef the offal, a term which includes the tongue and kidneys, is kept separate in the case of each beast until the examination of the carcase has been carried out by the inspector. Even if the is passed the offal , also is subject to inspection but should the carcase be condemned the offal also is condemned without further inspection. Every portion or organ that may give any indication of infection is carefully examined and in all cases of doiubt the | meat is condemned. Unless the animal ■was thoroughly healthy the carcase I has little chance of passing the inj spection. Meticulous Care Taken ! F=heep at most large freezing works I are killed on the chain system and the ; carcases leave the butchers on a con- , veyor. When on this conveyor they I are inspected and all condemned car- : cases are mutilated by the inspectors, i The same meticulous care is exercised ; in the case of pigs. These come i through an inspeciion room and the | condemned carcases get no further, j but are just sent to destruction down j a chute. Carcases that are passed for human ! consumption are graded into two j classes. The first is for export while the second comes under the rather misleading term of “rejected.” That does not mean rejected for human consumption but only rejected for export and that is not on account of any general quality. Certain types of meat are not suitable to undergo a long period in a chilling chamber. For instance, if the flesh has been bruised chilling has a detrimental effect. Long experience can tell the type that will not stand up to chilling but if sent out ! for immediate human consumption is i equally as good as that passed for ex- | port. j When the ripid system of inspections | rommenceci the percentage of conj dernned carcases was much higher than it is now. The troubles found ! by the inspectors were communicated i to the Department of Stock, which in- | terviewed the farmers concerned and jby investigation and instruction reI duced the percentage of diseased ! animals. To-day, in spite of the ! tightening up of the inspections, the i percentage of condemned carcases is j sometimes as low as two and a-half.