FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21050, 29 December 1933, Page 11

FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER

CHILLED TURKEYS FOR SMITHFIELD GAS-STORED BACON (FBOM OUK OWN COItnKSi'ONDENT.) LONDON, November 23. As regards the Christmas supplies of turkeys on Britain's markets this year, the prolonged drought, with the consequent increase in dry rations, has resulted in most of the home-bred birds now arriving at Smithfield in readiness for the Christmas trade being well below the average standard. Wholesalers are anticipating a bigger demand this year for chilled turkeys, while the prime condition of some of the Conth>jnlal supplies, particularly those from Hungary and Italy, us compared with the Norfolk birds, augurs well lor the imported trade. Unfortunately, forward buying is at a standstill on account of the uncertainty of the weather, the retail trade still entertaining bitter memories of the heavy losses incurred through warm, damp weather last Christmas. Therefore the bulk of the imported supplies are going direct into cold store, the turkey trade this year not being expected to get into lull swing until the second week in December. To a large extent, the remarkable improvement in the condition of the Continental turkeys is due to careful chilling prior to shipment direct to the market in insulated containers, while in a few instances a little solid carbon dioxide has been used. It is also reported that heavier shipments of chilled turkeys be sent to the United Kingdom by the Canadian Poultry Pool fiom Montreal. Only two grades arc being exported—young cocks and young hens, the former being distinguished by a red riband and the latter by a blue riband. A few frozen birds from Australia and New Zealand are reported to have gone into cold storage, while South Africa will also be sending shipments, the heavy tariffs imposed in the Irish tx-ade giving an additional opening to tho new arrivals from other somces. For the first time the national mark turkeys will be on the market, a grading standard having been adopted as a result of a recent conference between the National Farmers' Union and the Ministry of Agriculture, on lines similar to those of the Canadian exporters. While the turkey trade seems to be rather uncertain at the moment, a few of the larger hotels and restaurants, and butchers with ample cold storage accommodation, are buying smail lots of imported birds. The Argentine Quotas. Fears are being expressed in several quarters of the retail and wholesale meat trade concerning the allocation of the "free" beef exports to the United Kingdom, from South America, permitted by the Argentine trade agreement. This "free" beef amounts to 15 per cent, of the total quantity permitted to enter the United Kingdom, and it is felt thai, should an anticipated shortage of chilled beef arise, the big combines may obtain preference in the allocation of the "free" beef, to the detriment of the small trader and the wholesale! firms not subsidiary to Hie combines. A deputation of wholesalers has just returned from the Argentine, where interviews witli leading Government officials revealed that the allocation would be dealt with in London. A movement is 011 foot for the formation of a joint standing committee of the wholesalers and retailers to go into the whole question of quotas arid make certain recommendations to the Board of Trade. It is known that Councillor John Edwards, a prominent retail trade leader, has already interviewed Dr. Burgin 011 the subject, and that Dr. Burgin had declared that, should any sign of unfair allocation become apparent, the Board of Trade would immediately intervene. It was stated at a recent meeting that a member of the deputation winch went to the Argentine saw large quantities of chilled beef being held in store for the co-operative societies and "chain" shops, and the suspicion seems to be gaining ground that this reserved bee;' will form part of the future "free" shipments. The meat trade in general regards the position with some alarm, particularly as it affects the co-opera-tive societies, and it is declared in many quarters that greater collective efforts should be made to combat the competition of the co-operative societies. "They are opening up butchers' shops at an alarming rate," declared a member of the executive council of the National Federation of Meat Traders' Associations recently. "Last year they had 7000 shops; tins year they have 9000; next year they will have 10,000, thus controlling 25 per cent, of the whole of the retail trade. I suggest that the time has come when the retail trade should consider adopting co-operation themselves in all its aspects." Jn the meantime, the; retailers have decided to keep an keen eye upon the situation and to reJy upon Dr. Burgin's declaration. Bacon and Pork Experiments. Storage experiments, in connexion with pork and bacon, were referred to at a meeting of the British Association of Rcfrigciation by Dr. E. 11. Callow, of the Cambridge Low Temperature Kesearch Station. Recent experiments have shown that unsmoked bacon will be tainted by micro-organisms if the temperature of the store is above 32 degrees Fahr., while bacon stored in the frozen condition becomes rancid after defrosting. Talc-drying helps to lengthen the storage period to some extent by drying tne surface, bur smoking is more effective, although smoked mild-cured oacon cannot be kept for more than two or three months in ordinary cold stores. A number of sides of bacon were exhibited which had been stored for eight months in carbon dioxide; two sides at 2(J.odeg. Fahr. and two sides at 14deg. Fahr. The bacon stored at the higher temperature had not been frozen, but the sides stored at 14dcg. were previously hard-frozen at minus 22deg. Fahr. for 30 hours. (The freezing point of mild-cured bacon is about 23deg. Fahr.) Of the two sides stored at the higher temperature, one kept in ordinary air with a fai; in the room showed a loss in weight of ID per cent., and the other, stored in carbon dioxide, a loss in weight of 1.8 per cent. The first showed marked rancidity, but the second only very slightly. In the case of the two sides stored at the low temperature, the first, stored in still air, showed a loss in weight of 8.7 per cent, after eight months' storage. The side stored in carbon dioxide was quite free from taint. Not only is carbon dioxide of great value for the storage of bacon, said Dr. Callow, but it also considerably increases the storage life of chiiled pork. PRICE OF SILVER (BP.iirsir orriciAt. wireless.) RUGBY, December 27. Silver (pence an ounce) is quoted:— Dec. 23. Dec. 27. Spot .. 1!) 1-16 18;| Forward .. 13.' 1313-10 PRICE OF GOLD (UNITED PRES3 ASSOCIATION—BY KLECTIUC TELEGRAHI —COrYRIGHT.) LONDON, December 27, £ s. d. December 27 .. G 6 5 December 23 ..6 8 4 December 22 .. <> 3 December 21 .. <5 6 2 December 20 .. 6 6 9